Quebec, Canada Culture Guide: Values, Traditions, Customs, Things to Know

Quebec is among the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. Quebec culture formed over the last few hundred years, owing mostly to the shared heritage of Quebec’s French-speaking North American majority. Québécois culture encompasses the distinguishing characteristics of Québécois society, spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotive. This word comprises Québécois people, arts, literature, institutions, and traditions, as well as Québécois collective beliefs, values, and way of life. It is a Western World culture. Keep reading this blog to learn more about Quebec culture. 

Quebec Culture

The Quebec culture and Canadian culture as a whole combine British, French, and American influences in every element of cultural life, from cinema and writing to food and sports. Canada is a diverse country with many ethnic, religious, and linguistic communities. This diversity is especially noteworthy given that Canada was the first country to embrace multiculturalism. 

Because of the British invasion of the French colony around Quebec and Ontario in 1760, Canada had dual nationality (French Canada and English Canada). 

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Values

It is critical that you appropriate and adhere to Quebec’s key values in order to aid your integration into Quebec society. Here are some of the values of Quebec culture:

Equality Between Women and Men

Equality between men and women is a core value in Quebec society. Both men and women have the following:

• Rights
• Obligations
• Responsibilities in public and private life

Rule of law

No one is above the law under the rule of law. Everyone, including the State and its agents, is required to follow the law. This is a key principle of the democratic society of Quebec.

Moreover, all people are:

• Equal in worth and dignity
• Entitled to equal protection of the law

French in Québec

The official language of Quebec is French. It is not only an important means of communication, but it is also the language of:

• The state and the law
• Education
• Work
• Communications
• Commerce and business

Right to vote

In order to vote in Quebec, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Meet the criteria of the Election Act
• Be domiciled in Quebec for six months
• Citizens have the right to vote freely and confidentially.

Equality in the Various Spheres of Society

Women and men are equal in the numerous spheres of society in Quebec culture, such as:

• In education
• In health services
• On the labour market
• In decision-making and political venues
• In relational choices: single, couple or family

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Traditions and Customs

Let’s learn about the traditions and customs of Quebec culture in this section. Everything you need to know about Quebec and Canadian traditions and customs is given below:

Cuisine

The agricultural and farming background of Quebec generates food and animal products, hence they eat a lot of meat. Families usually consume three meals per day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Because of the size and diversity of the Canadian population, traditional meals and dishes differ widely. Popular dishes in Canada include poutine, a Quebec dish of French fries with cheese and brown sauce, and Canadian peameal bacon, a pig loin brined and rolled in cornmeal before eating. 

Art

The earliest really Canadian works in French were written by explorers, missionaries, and immigrants, and they inspired subsequent works. Quebec culture is made of Canadian art and is described as the creation of visual, sculpting, and all other sorts of artworks by First Nations peoples, as well as immigrant Europeans and non-Europeans. 

Canadian art has progressed through significant historical periods, from aboriginal arts to modern artists. The arts have consistently represented the cultural relevance that Canadians are proud of. 

Sports

Canada, as a prominent sports nation, blends four seasons with geographic and socioeconomic variety to impact how sports are performed today. 

Indigenous people have been playing lacrosse, Canada’s summer national sport, for over a thousand years. Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith to train young athletes during the winter, and hockey was invented in Canada in the 1800s. 

Language

Canada is officially a multilingual country with two official languages: French and English. The majority of Canadians, however, speak English, followed by English and French, English and another language, or solely French. It is significantly less typical for Canadians, known as French-Canadians or Francophones, to speak French.

More than 90% live in Quebec, the only province where French is spoken on a daily basis. There are 3.8 million Quebecers who only speak French and another 3.2 million who speak both English and French. 

The Canadian English language is greatly influenced by American pronunciations and spelling, as well as a few distinctively Canadian flourishes.

Religion 

Religion is an important aspect of Canadian society, and every citizen has the right to practice whatever religion they want as long as their beliefs do not infringe on the law. While there is no official national religion, Christianity has always been the main faith. Most court hearings end with swearing on the Bible, and many official activities begin with prayers. 

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Things to Know

Whether you are planning a trip or a study abroad in Canada, or you live and work in Quebec, you might be interested in learning some unusual and interesting facts about the Quebec culture and city. Here are some of the things you need to know about Quebec:

Quebec is a French-speaking province

This province’s official language is French. Approximately 80% of residents speak French as their first tongue, and nearly 95% of “Quebecers” do as well. The term “Francophone” refers to someone who speaks French as their first language. It is North America’s oldest French-speaking community. However, most inhabitants also speak English. During my tour, I encountered no locals who did not speak English.

Quebec is Huge

Quebec is Canada’s largest province, with the majority of its land uninhabited. It is 41 times larger than the Netherlands, 51 times larger than Belgium, and 3 times larger than France.

Lots of Snow

The majority of Canada is blanketed with snow throughout the winter. For 140 days out of the year, there is an average coating of snow on the ground in Quebec City. During the winter, there is a snowpack of more than half a meter. The first snowfall occurs in October and November, with the last falling in April. There are also traffic lights in the street that begin to flash after a snowstorm. It’s time for residents to move their cars since the enormous snow-clearing operation has begun.

Poutine

The culinary cuisine of Quebec is probably tied to French culinary cuisine. However, Quebec’s most famous meal is anything but gastronomic. Poutine is a combination of fries, white chewy cheese, and lots of sauce. The dish was created in the 1960s and is considered a fast food meal. Butter pie is another traditional Quebec delicacy.

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FAQs

So, this was all about Quebec culture. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.