Light Survey | Proud of Quebec? Oh yes!

Many Quebecers are proud of their province, and there are many reasons that give them this feeling, discovered Jean-Marc Léger and Jean-Philippe Warren thanks to a major survey.

Jean-Philippe Warren

Professor of sociology at Concordia University

In the 1960s and 1970s, Quebecers wanted to break away from a certain inferiority complex. They wanted to assert themselves as “something like a great people,” in the words of René Lévesque.

But what, today, makes Quebecers proud of themselves?

To find out, we carried out a large Léger survey with open questions among 1,044 people, from 1^is as of November 3, 2024. We asked respondents what made them proud to be Quebecois.

Some of their answers may surprise you.

Many and varied answers

Let’s start by noting that quite few respondents are not proud of being Quebecois (8%) or refuse to answer (7%). The vast majority (85%) find at least something that seems worthy of mention.

This is good news. Almost all Quebecers have something good to say about their community.

The other good news is that the answers are varied. Quebec pride is not linked to a cause. It is deployed according to the interests, values ​​and sensitivities of the Quebec mosaic.

1. Language (24% of respondents)

Unsurprisingly, the French language sits at the top of the responses received.

A quarter of respondents consider that the French language is what makes them truly proud to belong to the Quebec people.

As François Legault said when tabling the bill on the official and common language of Quebec, French, in 2021: “Our language is neither less good nor better than the others. But it’s ours. This is what makes us original. This is what makes Quebec such a beautiful nation. I am proud to speak French. »

2. Culture and history (18% of respondents)

After language, the most popular answer concerns history and culture.

We pride ourselves on a past that may not be, as the Canadian national anthem proclaims, an “epic of the most brilliant exploits,” but which nonetheless holds important lessons of courage and resilience. In the same spirit, we say we are proud of the traditions of Quebec.

Of course, we admire the artists, whose talent now shines all over the world. We applaud them at the theater, at concerts, on television, at the cinema.

We say we appreciate local products. Moreover, gastronomic heritage is not forgotten in the survey responses. For example, several (3%) responded that they took no small pride in the fact that poutine was invented here, in Quebec!

3. Openness (13% of respondents)

Other people, unlike those who insist on roots and the national romance, prefer to celebrate the openness of Quebec society to others. They say they are proud of a society that cultivates pluralism and gives a place to people from different backgrounds, origins and tendencies.

At the same time, they mention the sense of welcome of the people here, the mutual help, their kindness, their empathy.

We also highlight the freedom of expression that reigns in the province, as well as the vitality of democratic institutions. We love the respect that Quebecers show towards each other as well as, internationally, their pacifism.

4. The Quebec model (10% of respondents)

Respondents express their admiration for the solid social safety net that Quebec has adopted since the Quiet Revolution.

They are attached to the various social programs that have allowed Quebec to build a relatively egalitarian society. They talk about the many universal and free services available to citizens, including hospitals and public schools.

They insist on the nationalization of private electricity companies, to recall both the interventionism of the State, which contrasts with the neoliberalism which triumphs elsewhere, and the desire to build a greener, more ecological economy.

In general, they highlight the good quality of life that residents enjoy in the province. Which includes the fact that we eat well in Quebec!

5. The territory (10% of respondents)

The territory is the fifth most important source of pride for Quebecers.

Nature, with its vast spaces (“breathtaking”, to use the words of one of the respondents) and its grandiose landscapes, arouses admiration.

Pride sometimes takes on very local overtones. Some individuals take pride in their belonging to a region, a town or a village, or even a district or a neighborhood.

A distinct pride

The dimensions of Quebec pride stand out from what we can observe elsewhere.

In the United Kingdom, among the most frequent answers, we do not find beautiful landscapes, but the royal family, historical monuments and the army.

In the United States, we do not find social legislation, but economic, sporting and entertainment successes, as well as, strangely, their Constitution.

Thus, Quebec is a distinct society even in the reasons for its pride. Here, it is not primarily the monarchy, money, sport or the military institution that tugs at our heartstrings, but the language, artists, tolerance and mutual aid. A people who are also very proud of their difference.

Perhaps we are right to be proud to be proud!

What do you think? Participate in the dialogue