Quebec

Quebec (in French, Québec) is one of the ten provinces that, together with the three territories, make up the thirteen federal entities of Canada. Its capital is the homonymous Quebec, and its most populous city is Montreal. It is located in the east of the country, bordered to the north and northwest by the Hudson Strait —which separates it from Nunavut— and Hudson Bay, respectively; to the northeast with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; to the east with the Gulf of San Lorenzo and the province of New Brunswick; to the southeast with the United States; and to the south and southwest with the province of Ontario. With 7,744,530 inhabitants. in 2008 it is the second most populous state —behind Ontario— and with 1,542,056 km², the second largest, behind Nunavut

Due to its language, its culture and its institutions, it forms a "nation within Canada". Unlike the other Canadian provinces, Quebec has French as its only official language, and is the only major region with a French-speaking majority from North America. The English language is restricted to the cosmopolitan city of Montreal, where French is still the most widely spoken language. The French language enjoys legal protection and even the province has linguistic inspectors who review and control its use. The zeal of Quebecois (from French: Québécois) for their language and their status as a linguistic minority in North America, who suffered periods of repression and British assimilation throughout their history, motivates this protection. linguistics.

The 1980 Quebec independence referendum took place on May 20 of that same year and the independentistas led by René Lévesque obtained 40.5% of the vote. In the 1995 Quebec independence referendum, the independentistas fell less than one percentage point away from achieving it with 49.4% of the vote.

On November 27, 2006, the Parliament of Canada, with the support of the ruling party, recognized Quebec as a nation within a united Canada, giving it special cultural and social status, as a way of appeasing the separatist desires of the ruling independentistas of Quebec.

In the 2012 Quebec general election, the pro-independence Quebec Party, led by Pauline Marois, won a majority of the seats in the Quebec National Assembly, forming a minority government. In her election day speech, the winner raised the possibility of calling a new referendum for independence by expressing her desire for Quebec to become an independent country and her conviction that this would happen: "We want a country. And we will have it." To pursue her mission, she called early legislative elections to reform the National Assembly in 2014; However, the disastrous electoral results that her political movement obtained from her forced her to resign from her position as Prime Minister and to withdraw permanently from the political life of the province and the country, frustrating the ideal of the separatists for the moment.

Toponymy

The word Québec -meaning "where the river narrows" in the Algonquian language- was used by the Algonquins, the Creeks, and the Micmacs to designate the narrowing of the St. Lawrence at Cape Diamond, the site of the founding of Québec City (July 3, 1608) and the "beginning of the land and province of Canada" (September 7, 1535). In 1632, Samuel de Champlain described the place as "[...] a strait in the river, as the Indians say [...] ". name was written with different spellings over the years: Qvebecq in 1601; Quebeck, Kébec in 1609; Québec in 1613 and Kebbek.

History

Before the arrival of the French, Quebec was inhabited by different aboriginal peoples, including the Inuits —formerly Eskimos—, the Hurons, the Algonquins, the Mohawks, the Crees, and the Innus.

New France

The first French settler in Quebec was Jacques Cartier, who in 1534 established a large wooden cross with three fleurs-de-lys in Gaspé, taking possession of those lands on behalf of France. Cartier discovered the Saint Lawrence River, and established a colony called Charlesbourg-Royal on the north bank of the river, which was in constant war against the Iroquois and of which he was its first governor. In the time of the Siur Governor of Roberval, the French are expelled by the Iroquois and flee back to France. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain gave New France a renaissance by founding in the vicinity of Charlesburg-Royal, in a place the Indians called "kebek" ('strait'), Quebec City. The city will thus become the starting point for French explorations in North America. After 1627, the King of France Louis XIII granted a monopoly on colonization to the Catholics. New France became a royal colony in 1663, under the reign of Louis XIV.

Frontenac Castle (hotel), in the city of Quebec, provincial capital.

The French allied with the Huron Indians and others against the Iroquois Indians, who were the allies of the British. The Seven Years' War (1756-1763), between Great Britain and France, takes a decisive turn in North America with the defeat in 1759 of the army of Louis-Joseph de Montcalm at the hands of the British army of General James Wolfe in the battle of the Plains of Abraham, at the gates of Quebec City.

Between 1755 and 1762 the settlers of the area called Acadia in what are now the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick suffered a mass deportation from their lands, given to immigrants from New England. Families, separated on several ships and deported to other places—Louisiana, France, Great Britain—suffered heavy mortality.

British North America

The United Kingdom took possession of New France with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, when King Louis XV of France and his advisers chose to keep Guadeloupe, for its sugar, rather than Quebec—then considered a sprawling unimportant ice territory. Following this Treaty, most of the aristocrats returned to France.

In 1774 with the Quebec Law, London gave official recognition to the rights of the French people of Quebec: the use of the French language, the practice of the Catholic religion and the use of Roman Law instead of Anglo-Saxon Jurisprudential. Before this date, the situation of the Catholic religion was very fragile and the possibilities for Catholics very limited.

El Alto y el Bajo Canada después de la Ley Constitucional de 1791.

In 1791 the Constitutional Act of Canada established two provinces around the Ottawa River: Upper Canada (now the province of Ontario), with an Anglophone majority, and Lower Canada (now the province of Quebec), a French-majority province.

In 1867, the signing of the British North America Act established the federation of the provinces of Canada, which then consisted of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Quiet Revolution

The economic exclusion of French-speakers in Quebec was always considered a problem in Quebec until the reforms of the 1960s, the so-called "Quiet Revolution" (Révolution tranquille). Quebec's prime minister at the time, Jean Lesage, proposed the nationalization of electricity production. The government created national companies and banks, and later imposed legislation to recognize the right to work in French.

In 1948, the current flag of Quebec was approved as official, and the French language would be co-official —along with English— in Canada since 1968. In 1976, the nationalist Quebecois Party, led by René Lévesque, won the elections, which would promulgate the Law 101, by which French would be the only official language of Quebec. In 1980, the independence referendum gave a negative result, with 59.6% voting against. Back in power in 1995, the Quebecois Party called a new referendum on October 30, 1995, where the no to independence won by only 54,000 votes and 50.4% of the vote. votes, with a participation that exceeded 90% of the electoral census. According to surveys, less than half of Quebecers still want to become an independent state.

On November 27, 2006, the Canadian parliament, with the support of the ruling party, recognized Quebeckers (Québécois, in French) as a "nation within a united Canada", in an attempt to appease the secessionist desires of the pro-independence parties, although in a cultural and social sense, not a legal one.

In addition, the province of Quebec has ten other nations of Indians and Inuit, recognized as such by their National Assembly at the time of René Lévesque, and are also recognized by the federal government (the First Nations). Other nations in the province of Quebec could eventually be recognized, like the "métis" and the Anglo-Quebecois.

Geography

The province of Quebec is located to the east of the province of Ontario and Hudson Bay, to the south of the territory of Nunavut and the Davis Strait, to the west of the Maritime Provinces and of the province of Newfoundland Labrador and to the northern several US states (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine). More than 90% of Quebec's surface is part of the so-called Canadian Shield.

Borders

Cascades of Montmorency.

Quebec shares a land border with four states in the northeastern United States (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine) and three Canadian provinces (New Brunswick, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador). In the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the border is the equidistance line between the shores of Quebec and Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. To the north and northwest, the maritime border with the territory of Nunavut follows the shores of the Labrador Peninsula.

A border dispute continues over ownership of the Labrador Peninsula—the border is not expressly recognized in Quebec. On the other hand, since the maritime limits vary with the tides, the offshore islands of Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay in Quebec are only offshore at low tide. Thus, more than 80% of Quebec's borders remain uncertain.

Topography

Situated in the Torngat Mountains, Mount D'Iberville is the highest point in Quebec at 1,652 meters.

The Labrador Peninsula is covered by the Laurentian Plateau, dotted with massifs such as the Otish Mountains. The Ungava Peninsula includes the D'Youville Mountains, the Puvirnituq Mountains, and the Pingualuit Crater. From the Outaouais to the Far North, low and medium-lying mountains rise, while high-lying mountains form the shape of Quebec from the Capitale-Nationale to the far east, along its entire length.

North of the Saint Lawrence, the Laurentian mountain range extends from the Outaouais to the north coast, but is depressed in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean graben. To the south, the Appalachian Mountains delineate the regions from the eastern townships to the Gaspé Peninsula.

The lowlands of Saint Lawrence, bounded on the north by the Laurentian Mountains and on the south by the Appalachian Mountains, comprise mainly the Centre-du-Québec, Laval, Montérégie and Montreal regions, and the southern Capitale-Nationale regions, Lanaudière, Laurentians and Mauricie. Once covered by the waters of Lake Champlain, the Monteregian Hills and the Oka Hills emerge from the plain.

Hydrography

Quebec has one of the largest freshwater reserves on the planet, covering 12% of its surface area and 3% of the Earth's renewable freshwater.

El Río San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo River)fleuve Saint-Laurent) at your pass through Montreal

More than half a million lakes -thirty of them over 250 km²- and 4,500 rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and into the Arctic Ocean through through James, Hudson and Ungava bays.

In addition to the Saint Lawrence River and its estuary, several tributaries bear witness to the exploration of the territory and national development throughout history: Ashuapmushuan, Assomption, Chaudière, Gatineau, Jacques-Cartier, Malbaie, Manicouagan, Outaouais, Richelieu, Saguenay, St.

The Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park features several waterfalls, the highest of which is 160 meters (three times higher than Niagara Falls, but far behind the falls James Bruce of British Columbia, 840 meters), as well as the Sainte-Anne Canyon, carved by seven waterfalls that fall down a 128-meter escarpment. Other Québec waterfalls with monumental falls are those of Montmorency (83 meters), Vauréal (76 metres), Saint-Ursule (72 metres), Hélène (70 metres), Coulonge (48 metres), Chaudière and Manitou (35 metres) and Philomène (33 metres).

The Caniapiscau reservoir, created as part of the James Bay project, is the largest inland body of water. Lake Mistassini is the largest natural lake in Quebec.

Climate

Quebec has three main climate regions:

Autumn Landscape in Quebec

• Southern and Western Quebec, where most cities are concentrated and the population density is higher; the continental climate is wet (Climate classification of Köppen Dfb) with warm and humid summers and cold winters with high snow density. The main climate interactions come from the west and north of Canada that move east and south and central United States that move north. Due to the influence of the stormy nuclei of North America and the Atlantic Ocean, rainfall is abundant throughout the year, with a density of the same of more than 1000 millimeters (40 inches), including more than 300 centimeters (120 inches) of snow. During the summer severe weather events, mainly tornadoes and electric storms, can occur.
• Central Quebec has a sub-artic climate (Köppen Dfc). Winters are long and one of the coldest in Canada, while summers are warm though very short due to a higher latitude and greater influence of the Arctic air masses. Precipitations are somewhat lower than in the southern area, except in the upper peaks.
• The Nordic regions of Quebec have an Arctic climate (Köppen ET), with very cold winters and a little warmer summers. The primary influences in this area are the currents of the Arctic Ocean (e.g. the current of Labrador) and the continental air masses of the Arctic pole.

Wildlife

Odocoileus virginianus deer in the Îles-de-Boucherville National Park

Large land animals are mainly white-tailed deer, elk, caribou, black bears, and polar bears. The medium-sized animals are the puma, the coyote, the eastern wolf, the wild cat, the polar fox, the red fox, etc. Among the smaller animals, which are more frequently seen, are the gray squirrel, the snowshoe hare, the marmot, the skunk, the raccoon, the chipmunk, the beaver, etc.

The biodiversity of the estuary and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence is made up of an aquatic fauna of mammals, most of which travel up the Saguenay-Saint Lawrence estuary and marine park to the island of Orleans, such as the blue whale, the beluga, the minke whale and the harp seal (wolf seal). Northern marine animals include the walrus and the narwhal. Inland waters are populated by fish such as sea bass, northern pike, walleye, Atlantic sturgeon, muskellunge, Atlantic cod, arctic char, salmon river fish, Atlantic tomcod (small channel fish), Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, etc.

Birds commonly seen in the populated south of Quebec include the American robin, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, mallard, jackdaw, blue jay, American crow, great tit, some warblers and swallows, the European starling and the rock pigeon, the latter two introduced to Quebec and found mainly in urban areas. The avian fauna includes birds of prey such as the golden eagle, peregrine falcon, snowy owl and The bald eagle. Sea and semi-aquatic birds include Canada geese, double-crested cormorants, gannets, herring gulls, blue herons, cranes, puffins, loons, etc.

Un Alce (Alces alces) in Jacques Cartier National Park, Quebec

Some farm animals are designated as "Quebec heritage breeds," specifically the Canadian horse, the Chantecler hen and the Canadian cow. Also, in addition to "ecological" certified, Charlevoix lamb is the first local product from Quebec to have its geographical indication protected. Animal production also includes Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc pig breeds, as well as numerous sheep breeds, etc.

The Fondation de la Faune du Québec and the Center de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec (CDPNQ) are the main public organizations that collaborate with those responsible for wildlife conservation in Quebec.

The number of caribou in Quebec has declined considerably, mainly due to the activity of the forestry industry. Since the 1990s, 99% of the largest herd of migratory caribou, which lives in the tundra, has been destroyed, going from 800,000 animals to just over 5,000. The number of mountain caribou, which live in the highlands of the Gaspé Peninsula in north-eastern Quebec, has fallen by 60%, to less than 200 animals. As for the woodland caribou, its habitat has been largely destroyed by the logging industry. Governments are reluctant to act for economic reasons. Philippe Couillard, Prime Minister from 2014 to 2018, declared: "I will not sacrifice a single job in the forest for caribou. In 2020, the authorities decided to remove protection from several preserved areas and authorized logging in these areas.

Vegetation

Forests surrounding Wapizagonke Lake, La Mauricie National Park, Quebec

In the contour of Ungava Bay and the Hudson Strait is the tundra, whose flora consists of low herbaceous and shrubby vegetation and lichens. Farther south, the climate becomes conducive to the growth of the boreal forest, whose northern limit is the taiga.

From Abitibi-Témiscamingue to Côte-Nord, this forest is essentially made up of conifers such as fir, pine, white fir, black fir and larch. Approaching the river to the south, yellow birch and other broadleaf trees are gradually added. The valley of the San Lorenzo River is made up of mixed forests with conifers such as the white pine of America and the thuja de Occidente (cedar), as well as broad-leaved ones.

Quebec's forests cover 905,792 km², or 54% of the total area of the province (1,667,712 km²). For comparison, the area of Quebec's forests is greater than the total area of France and its dependencies (675,417 square kilometers).

For forest management purposes, Quebec's public forests are subdivided into 59 management units totaling 451,896 km². Taking into account exclusions (for example, biological refuges), the Net area of public forest for forest production is 269,080 km². On April 1, 2018, a new northern limit for the management of public forests, located approximately at the 51st parallel, came into effect.

Private forests cover a total area of 71,010 km².

Protected areas

Korluktok Falls in Kuurjuaq National Park (Kururjuaq National Park)Parc national Kuurjuaq)

In 1996, Quebec adopted a strategy of creating protected areas to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity signed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. In 1987, the first report on protected areas in Quebec indicated that 0.36% of Quebec's total territory was protected; as of March 31, 2014, this area was 9.11%. en matière d'aires protégées 2011-2015) intend to increase this percentage to 12%. This percentage is expected to increase gradually, as Quebec participated in the 2010 Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan, where the 165 countries that ratified the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to increase the area of marine areas and land that must be protected up to 10% and 17%, respectively, by 2020.

Quebec's protected areas are established according to the six IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categories and on the basis of the Ecological Reference Framework prepared by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change (Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques) to guarantee its ecological representativeness throughout Quebec.

All Quebec caribou belong to the woodland caribou subspecies. There are three ecotypes: forested, montaneous, and migratory. The ecotype concept implies that populations are genetically distinct from other ecotypes even though there are no visual differences.

The mountain ecotype, also known as the Gaspé caribou, was designated as a threatened species in Quebec in 2009 under the Loi sur les espèces menacées ou vulnérables de Quebec. The forest ecotype has been designated "vulnerable" since 2005.

The preservation of their habitat is an important issue for forest certification (next section) and policy, as it involves the preservation of very large areas of mature forest that are also coveted by the forestry industry.

Demographics

View of Montreal, the largest city in Quebec.

In 2016, the province of Quebec had 8,164,361 inhabitants, most of whom resided in the Montreal metropolitan area, which has 4,098,927, the second largest city in Canada and the fourth largest French-speaking metropolis in the world after Paris, Kinshasa and Abidjan. Other metropolitan areas with more than 100,000 inhabitants include Quebec (800,296), Sherbrooke (212,105), Saguenay (160,980) and Trois-Rivières (156,042). The Gatineau area (332,057), across from Ottawa, together with Ottawa, forms a metropolitan area of 1,323,783 inhabitants. The urban population in 2004 was 80.4% and the percentage of immigrants was estimated at 12% of the total population, highlighting above all the reception of French-speaking immigration, mainly Haitian. Life expectancy is 81.9 years for women and 76.3 years for men.

Languages

Lema of the Province (Je me souviens) written in French.

The official language of the province is French. It is the only Canadian province where the majority of the population is French-speaking, and English is not recognized as an official language by the laws of the province. However, according to Canada's constitutional law of 1867, both French and English can be used in the Quebec National Assembly and its judicial courts, and some official documents must also be written in both languages. In addition, the English-speaking minority has the right to receive education in their language.

According to the 2001 census, the majority language is French, spoken by 81.2% of the population. 10% speak an unofficial language —the so-called allophones—, 8% are English-speaking and only 0.8% of the population are bilingual. In the Montreal metropolitan area, the percentage of French speakers is 68%, with 18.5% allophones, 12.5% English speakers, and 1% bilinguals of the population. In the other cities the percentage of French-speakers exceeds 90%.

Religion

Interior of the Catholic Basilica-Cathedral of the city of Quebec.

Quebec is one of two Canadian provinces with a majority Catholic population, along with New Brunswick. This is a legacy from the French colonial days, when only Catholics were allowed to settle in New France.

The patron saints of this province are Saint John the Baptist (whose feast day is the Quebec National Holiday) and Saint Anne.

The 2001 census showed the population to be 83.2% Christian Catholic; 4.7% Protestant Christian (including 1.2% Anglican, 0.7% United Church, and 0.5% Baptist); 1.4% Christian Orthodox (including 0.7% Greek Orthodox), and 0.8% other Christian, as well as 1.5% Muslim, 1.3% Jewish; 0.6% Buddhists, 0.3% Hindus and 0.1% Sikhs. 5.8% of the population said they had no religious affiliation (including 5.6% who said they had no religion at all).

It should be noted that most of the vulgar expressions of everyday language use common terms used by the Catholic Church and considered sacred by it: calise ('chalice'), tabarnac ('tabernacle'), ciboire ('ciborium'), hostie ('host'). These expressions are sometimes considered part of the Quebecois dialect identity versus European French.

Catholic Church

Since the early days of the colony, and throughout French-Canadian history, the Catholic Church has played an important role in the social and political development of Quebec.

The first mass was celebrated by the priest who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his journey in 1535. But the evangelization of Amerindians by Catholic missionaries predated the founding of parishes. Then, in 1627, Cardinal de Richelieu issued a royal proclamation, under which Louis XIII banished all non-Catholics, including Huguenots, from New France. The Apostolic Vicariate was founded in 1658, followed by the Diocese of Quebec in 1674. In addition, the Bishop of Quebec, who is today ex officio Primate of the Catholic Church in Canada, was a member of the Sovereign Council for the government of New France..

The extraordinary power of the Catholic Church is reflected in all spheres of culture, from language to theater, literature, cinema and fine arts. The golden age of the clergy came in the mid-XIX century (circa 1840), when the Church, influenced by ultramontanism, confirmed his influence. But this declined a hundred years later, at a time when Quebec society would be traversed and profoundly transformed by the so-called Quiet Revolution. Created in 1966, the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec deals with current issues related to ethical and moral values.

In addition to the other saints, blesseds and venerables recognized for their work in French America, Brother André became the first male saint of Quebecois origin during the canonization celebration on October 17, 2010 in Rome, presided over by by Pope Benedict XVI.

Economy

Vineyard in Quebec

The province of Quebec is highly industrialized and the territory abounds in natural resources, including minerals, large coniferous forests that feed an important logging industry, or lakes, rivers, and other streams that produce hydroelectric power not only for domestic consumption but also for export to the United States. Quebec is also a major player in several leading edge industries including aerospace, information technology, software, and multimedia. Montreal, a city in Quebec, is considered a powerhouse in Artificial Intelligence research. Approximately 60% of the Canadian aerospace industry's production is from Quebec, where sales totaled C$12.4 billion in 2009. Quebec is one of the North American leaders in high technology. This broad sector encompasses approximately 7,300 companies and employs more than 145,000 people. Important companies, both Canadian companies and companies from other countries, have offices in Quebec, such as Microsoft, Google, IBM, Air Canada, etc. The province is also known for being the headquarters of the renowned video game developers Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Quebec, which together employ more than 4,500 people, known for successful franchises such as Assassin's Creed.

The St. Lawrence River Valley is a very fertile agricultural region. By having a large cattle herd, it produces a variety of dairy products and meat, and excellent fruits and vegetables are harvested in its fields. The production of maple syrup stands out to a great extent, of which the province of Quebec is the world's leading producer.

Exports and Imports

Thanks to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Quebec's ability to compete in the international marketplace has increased. Thanks to these agreements, its trade relations with other countries have become more dynamic. Consequently, Quebec's exports have increased considerably. This international trade contributes to the strength of the Québec economy, especially in terms of employment. Approximately 60% of its exports are outside of Canada.

Industrial structures of Graymont Lime

In 2008, Quebec's exports to Canada and abroad amounted to C$157.3 billion, or 51.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP). Of this total, international exports represent 60.4%, compared to 39.6% of interprovincial exports. The distribution by destination of international merchandise exports is as follows: United States (72.2%), Europe (14.4%), Asia (5.1%), Middle East (2.7%), Central America (2.3%), South America (1.9%), Africa (0.8%) and Oceania (0.7%). In 2008, Quebec imported Can$178 billion worth of goods and services, 58.6% of its GDP. International imports represented 62.9% of the total, compared to 37.1% of interprovincial imports. The distribution of international merchandise imports by origin is as follows: United States (31.1%), Europe (28.7%), Asia (17.1%), Africa (11.7%), South America (4.5%), Central America (3.7%), the Middle East (1.3%) and Oceania (0.7%). The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) gives Quebec, among other things, access to a market of 130 million consumers within a radius of 1,000 kilometers.

However, Quebec's main economic partner is the rest of Canada, with more than $59 billion in exports in 2009. This represents more than half of Quebec's exports.

Several renowned Québec companies operate in the international market: pulp and paper producers Cascades and AbitibiBowater, milk producer Agropur, transportation manufacturer Bombardier, information technology company CGI, Cirque du Soleil, the Couche-Tard convenience store and the security company GardaWorld, the energy distributor Gaz Métro, the marketing company Cossette Communication Group, the media and telecommunications company Québecor, the accounting firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, the factory of Saputo cheese and the Vachon bakery, the engineering and construction group SNC-Lavalin, etc.

Hotel Museum of the First NationsHôtel-Musée des Premières Nations) in Quebec

Tourism

The tourism industry is an important economic pillar in Quebec. The Quebec Ministry of Tourism guarantees its development by operating under the trade name of Quebec Original. Along the same lines, the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec participates in the advanced training of professionals in the sector.

In 2005, the tourism industry provided direct employment to 133,271 workers. These employees work in more than 29,000 tourism businesses in Quebec. In 2007, it is estimated that Quebec received 25.8 million tourists. Of these, 76.1% came from Quebec, 12.2% from the rest of Canada, 7.7% from the United States and 4. 1% from other countries. Tourists spend more than $6.7 billion annually in the various spheres of the Quebec tourism industry.

Quebec has 22 tourist regions whose development is ensured by an autonomous network of regional tourism associations. In addition, economic development corporations promote local tourism in certain municipalities that have been created as tourist zones (historical or cultural regions). In a land of contrasts and immensity, visitors are offered numerous activities and attractions on routes and tourist circuits.

Church of San Vital de Lamdbton (Église Saint-Vital de Lambton)

From urban life to the Mingan archipelago, via the Far North and the High Gorges of the Rivière-Malbaie, a panoply of places and seasonal delights satisfy tourists on the water, in the mountains or in the air. Finally, Quebec is the setting for numerous international events, such as sports competitions (Canadian Grand Prix, Rogers Cup) and festivals (Montreal International Jazz Festival, Quebec City International Summer Festival), as well as the largest carnival in winter of the world, the Quebec Winter Carnival.

Tourist Regions

• Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• Baie-James
• Bas-Saint-Laurent
• Cantons-de-l'Est
• Centre-du-Quebec
• Charlevoix
• Chaudière-Appalaches
• Duplessis
• Gaspésie
• Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• Lanaudière
• Laurentides
• Laval
• Manicouagan
• Mauricie
• Montérégie
• Montreal
• Nunavik
• Outaouais
• Quebec Region
• Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

Natural resources

The abundance of its natural resources gives Quebec a unique position on the world stage. Quebec stands out especially in the mining sector, ranking among the top ten producers in the world. It also stands out for the exploitation of its forest resources.

Mina de Asbesto in Quebec

Quebec stands out for the natural wealth of its vast territory. It has some thirty mines, 158 exploration companies and some 15 first transformation industries. Several metallic minerals are exploited, the main ones being gold, iron, copper and zinc. Other substances include titanium, asbestos, silver, magnesium, nickel, and many other metals and industrial minerals. However, only 40% of the mineral potential of the Quebec subsoil is currently known. In 2003, the value of mineral shipments from Quebec reached $3.7 billion. Additionally, as a major center for diamond exploration, Quebec has seen increased mineral exploration since 2002, especially in the Northwest and in the Otish and Torngat mountains.

The vast majority (90.5%) of Quebec's forests are publicly owned. Forests cover more than half of Quebec's territory, or 761,100 km². Quebec's forest area stretches across seven degrees of latitude. In 2020, forestry accounted for 8% of Quebec's exports.

Quebec has more than a million lakes and rivers, which occupy 21% of its total area. This aquatic environment is made up of 12.1% fresh water and 9.2% brackish and salt water.

Energy

Unlike most regions of the world, Quebec is distinguished by the importance of renewable energy sources in its energy balance. In 2017, 47% of the energy supply came from domestically produced renewable sources.

Quebec produces most of Canada's hydroelectricity and is one of the world's leading producers, behind China, Brazil and the United States. In 2019, Quebec's production amounted to 214 terawatt-hours (TWh), 95% of which comes from hydroelectric plants. Wind energy contributes 4.7% of the supply. Thermal power generation is almost non-existent, except for a few power plants using forest biomass and diesel generators that supply some 20 remote communities.

The Valero Refinery of Lévis or Jean-Gaulin

The public company Hydro-Québec occupies a dominant position in the production, transmission and distribution of electricity. The company operates 63 hydroelectric plants and 28 large reservoirs that guarantee a stable and flexible supply depending on demand. Given the remoteness of its main facilities, located in James Bay and on the north coast, the TransÉnergie division operates the largest North American transmission system. The system includes 34,361 km of lines and 17 interconnections with neighboring markets, which allowed the export of 38.3 TWh in 2018.

The Valero de Lévis refinery has a production capacity of 265,000 barrels per day.

Since Quebec has virtually no significant deposits of fossil fuels, all hydrocarbons are imported. Refiners' supply strategies have varied over time, depending on market conditions. Quebec, which used to buy its oil from the North Sea in the 1990s, has consumed almost exclusively crude oil produced in western Canada and the United States since 2015. Production from the two active refineries (Valero's in Lévis and from Suncor in Montreal) has a total capacity (402,000 barrels per day) that exceeds local needs, which amounted to 365,000 barrels per day in 2018.

The natural gas consumed in Quebec arrives through TC Energy's transportation network. The main gas distributor, Energir, has been fueling its gas at the Dawn reception point in southwestern Ontario since 2016, rather than at the Empress hub on the Alberta border. This change is due to the increase in non-traditional shale gas production, which is driving competition between the different supply basins operating across the continent. In 2018, 86% of volumes came from Dawn and 12% from Empress. The remainder is made up of locally produced gas injections through waste-to-energy conversion.

The government's energy policy, updated in 2016, envisions making Quebec "a North American leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency" to build a low-carbon economy by 2030. The policy includes targets to reduce the amount of petroleum products consumed by 40%, increase renewable energy production by 25%, and increase bioenergy production by 50%. The Government estimates that its targets will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 16 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.

Politics and government

The head of government is the prime minister, who is the head of the party that holds the most seats in Quebec's National Assembly. The strongest parties now are the nationalist center-right Coalition Future Quebec (Coalition Avenir Québec or CAQ) and the federalist Quebec Liberal Party (Parti libéral du Québec or PLQ) in the center.

The lieutenant governor represents King Carlos III and acts symbolically as head of state.

Prime Minister

The Prime Minister of Quebec (premier ministre du Québec) is the head of government of Quebec and the president of the Council of Ministers (président du Conseil des ministres). Officially, the Prime Minister advises the Lieutenant Governor, who is the representative of the Head of State in this province of Canada. In practice, the Prime Minister is the holder of executive power and represents the government in the National Assembly.

The Prime Minister of Quebec is elected as President of the Executive Council of Quebec by the Lieutenant Governor, the monarch's representative in Quebec. He is usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the National Assembly of which he is a part. If the leader loses in the constituency in which he was a candidate in the general election, he can stand in a by-election, after one of the newly elected members of his party agrees to relinquish his seat; such was the case of Robert Bourassa in 1985.

The Prime Minister appointed by the Lieutenant Governor is sworn to secrecy and office. As a member of the National Assembly, he first swears in his office as a member of the National Assembly: as is tradition, he then swears allegiance and allegiance to the Monarch of Canada and allegiance to the people of Quebec.

The term of office of the Prime Minister does not have a set duration. Fixed-date elections are held every four years, but as long as the prime minister has the confidence of a majority of members of Parliament, he will remain in office.

Executive Council

The Executive Council of Quebec (usually called the Quebec Council of Ministers) is the main body of the executive branch of Quebec. He is the head of the Quebec government. As a collegiate body, its members direct the government and are in charge of the public administration of Quebec. Officially, the Cabinet acts as a Privy Council that advises the Lieutenant Governor. In fact, he advises the Prime Minister and exercises various powers himself.

Headquarters of the City Council or Alcaldía de Montreal, Quebec

The Council of Ministers is chaired by the Prime Minister of Quebec, usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the National Assembly. The Prime Minister appoints the other members of the Council of Ministers at the beginning of the legislature. The selected persons are thus elevated to the rank of government ministers for an indefinite period. Most ministers run Quebec's public administration through a ministry; some are full ministers and others do not lead any ministry (delegated ministers).

Quebec's Executive Council is formed on the basis of the Executive Act, while Quebec's departments are constituted on the basis of the Departments Act. Thus, it is convenient to distinguish between the ministerial titles that designate the functions of the members of the Council and those that designate the true heads of the departments. Indeed, regardless of the titles with which the members of the Council present themselves, each of the ministers in office necessarily bears the title conferred by the Law on Ministers.

Public Administration

The Quebec Public Administration (Administration publique du Québec) encompasses the various agencies that make up the executive sphere of Quebec. It includes the Government of Québec itself, the Québec departments, the various territorial administrations of Québec, agencies dependent on the Government and Québec public companies.

Customs Building in Quebec City

The Public Administration Law establishes the management framework that contributes to the accountability of the public administration before the National Assembly1.

In Quebec, for national accounting purposes, public administrations are institutional units whose primary function is to produce non-market services, regulate the economy, or carry out income and wealth redistribution operations. They get most of their resources from mandatory levies.

The Québec Treasury Council (Conseil du trésor du Québec) is a permanent committee of the Executive Council, responsible for the public administration of Québec. "Advises the Government in the management of budgetary, human, material and information resources of the State.

Parliament

The Parliament of Quebec (Parlement du Québec) is the body that exercises legislative and constituent power in the province of Quebec.

The term "parliament" it is also used to designate the complex of buildings on Parliament Hill: the Parliament Building, where the National Assembly meets.

Quebec's Parliament consists of King Charles III, King of Canada, represented by a Lieutenant Governor, and an elective legislature, called the National Assembly, which represents the people.

From 1867 to 1968, the Québec Parliament also had a non-elected legislative assembly, commonly called the Upper House: the Legislative Council (Conseil législatif). Since the Law relating to the Legislative Council, the Parliament is unicameral.

The Lieutenant-gouverneur (Lieutenant-gouverneur) exercises the legislative functions assigned to him by the Constitution Act of 1867. On the advice of his Cabinet, he grants or withholds royal assent to bills passed by the National Assembly. Articles 55 and 90 of the Constitution Act of 1867 also authorize the lieutenant governor to reserve a bill, that is, to defer its approval to the Governor in Council (federal government).

National Assembly of Quebec, seat of Parliament.

The National Assembly is the only chamber of Parliament in the Canadian province of Quebec, which forms with the lieutenant governor, the sovereign's representative in the province. The National Assembly is the elective chamber of the Parliament of the Province of Quebec, made up of 125 deputies elected by the simple majority system. It is located in the Quebec City Parliament building.

Law

Quebec law is the set of laws that apply in Quebec. It is a responsibility shared by the federal and provincial governments. Under the Constitution of Canada, each government is responsible for the law in its own areas of jurisdiction. The federal government is responsible for criminal law, foreign affairs, laws relating to the regulation of Canadian commerce, and telecommunications. For its part, the Quebec government is responsible for private law in general, for the administration of justice and for various social spheres (health, education, etc.).

Quebec law is influenced by two legal traditions: the civil law tradition and the common law. In general, it can be said that private law follows the tradition of civil law, while public law is more influenced by common law. However, the many influences that both traditions have had on each other have led Quebec to have a mixed legal system. The presence of the civil law tradition dates back to New France, where King Louis XIV imposed the use of the Coutume de Paris in his colony. When New France was ceded to Great Britain after the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), Britain initially imposed English law, before changing its mind and allowing, through the Quebec Act (1774), the use of civil law for private relations between individuals throughout the province of Quebec.

Québec law derives from the four classic sources of law: law, case law, doctrine, and custom. The law is the main source of Quebec law. It includes the Constitution, the acts of the Parliament of Quebec and the regulations associated with the laws. In private law, Quebec is an independent state, it is not a legal system. In private law, Quebec has a civil law tradition and jurisprudence has a limited but important theoretical role.

Building of the Ministry of Finance of QuebecMinistère des Finances)

Quebec law can be divided into two areas: private law and public law. Private law deals with relationships between individuals, while public law deals with the rules that govern the Quebec government. Private law in Quebec deals with all relationships between individuals (natural or legal persons).

Private law in Quebec refers to all relationships between individuals (natural or legal persons). It is largely under the jurisdiction of the Quebec Parliament. Quebec civil law is a component of private law. It is the law that governs relations between individuals. Civil law is primarily codified in the Quebec Civil Code. The Quebec Civil Code includes the rules of law that regulate legal personality, property rights, family, obligations, civil liability, private international law, etc. It is, therefore, the main text that regulates the law of the State. Therefore, it is the main text governing the common law of Quebec. This does not prevent Quebec civil law from being governed by a large number of other specific laws. For historical reasons, Quebec civil law has been heavily influenced by French civil law.

Unlike private law, Quebec's public law is largely derived from the common law tradition. Quebec constitutional law is the area of law that regulates the rules governing the Quebec government, the Quebec Parliament and the various courts. Quebec's constitutional law is largely governed by the Constitution of Canada, particularly the Constitution Act of 1867, but also by various acts of the Parliament of Quebec. Quebec administrative law is the area of law governed by the Quebec government and the Quebec Parliament. Quebec administrative law is the area of law that regulates the relationships between individuals and the public administration of Quebec. Quebec also has jurisdiction in matters of criminal law, but in a limited way, since the Parliament of Canada is responsible for criminal law. However, Quebec criminal law includes a wide range of offenses (Road Safety Code, Labor Code, etc.). Finally, Quebec, like the federal government, has jurisdiction over tax law.

Court of Appeal of Quebec

Some parts of Quebec law are considered mixed. This is the case, for example, of human rights and freedoms, which are governed by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, a Charter that applies to both the government and citizens.

Judicial Branch

The courts that have power over Quebec law are organized in a pyramid, with the Supreme Court of Canada occupying the apex. It is important to know that in Canada there is no division of the judicial system like in many other countries. With few exceptions, courts may hear remedies based on both provincial and federal law, as well as remedies based on civil, criminal or constitutional law. Thus, for a remedy based on Quebec law, the court general is the Superior Court of Quebec. Depending on the case, this decision could be appealed before the Quebec Court of Appeal and, finally, if the case is of great importance, before the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Parliament of Quebec is responsible for the administration of the courts of Quebec. The main courts in Quebec are

• Court of Appeal of Quebec (Cour d'appel du Québec)
• Superior Court of QuebecCour supérieure du Québec)
• Court of Quebec (Cour du Québec)

The Parliament of Canada, for its part, has authority over the courts it has created (Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court, etc.). However, while Quebec manages these courts, the federal government appoints and pays the judges of the Superior Court and the Court of Appeal.

Montreal Municipal Court (Cour municipale de Montréal)

The Court of Appeal has two terms. First, it is the general court of appeal for all first instance judgments in Quebec. This means that it hears the appeals of the High Court, the Court of Quebec and various administrative courts. In addition, the Court of Appeal is empowered to respond to requests from the Government of Quebec. The Court of Appeal issues more than 1,500 judgments a year.

The Superior Court of Quebec has the inherent power to decide all cases other than those whose jurisdiction is assigned to another court158. As a result of this jurisdiction, the High Court is empowered, among other things, to decide any dispute that exceeds $85,000, grant divorces, monitor the legitimacy of administrative court decisions, order injunctive relief, hear class actions, etc.

The Court of Québec, the municipal courts, the Court of Human Rights and the Court of Professions are all courts of first instance, or lower courts, that is, their jurisdiction is limited to the powers expressly conferred on them by authority who created them. In addition, the Quebec Court is made up of three divisions: the Youth Division, the Criminal Division, and the Civil Division. The latter also includes the Small Claims Division.

Finally, Quebec has a large number of administrative courts responsible for the application of one or more laws.

In total, Quebec's judicial system has more than 500 judges. Almost 300 of them work in the provincial courts, 25 in the Court of Appeal and almost 200 in the High Court.

Public Safety and the Criminal Justice System

The Quebec Police during a demonstration in 2021

There are four types of police forces with powers to keep the peace and prevent crime in Quebec. In general, the Sûreté du Québec is responsible for law enforcement throughout the province of Quebec. municipalities that do not have municipal police forces and has a support and coordination function with other police forces. Municipal police forces, such as the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and the Service de police de la Ville de Québec, are primarily responsible for law enforcement in their municipalities. However, in 1,038 municipalities, this role is given directly to the Sûreté du Québec, given the difficulty of maintaining a police force in smaller municipalities.

For the enforcement of certain federal laws, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police retains authority in the territory of Quebec. However, given the existence of the Sûreté du Québec, its role is more limited than in the other provinces. Finally, there are police forces in the territories of the aboriginal communities.

For violations of provincial or federal laws (including the Penal Code), the Director of Criminal and Criminal Prosecution is responsible, through Crown Prosecutors, for initiating proceedings in court. For specific federal offenses (for example, drug offences), Canada's Department of Justice retains the power to prosecute offenders.

Finally, Quebec is responsible for maintaining prisons (sentences of less than two years), while the federal government maintains penitentiary facilities (sentences of two years or more).

Consulate of the United States in Quebec, next to Château Frontenac

Foreign Relations

Quebec's international policy is based on the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, formulated in 1965. The Quebec Ministry of International Relations (Ministère des Relations internationales du Québec) coordinates the guiding principles and Québec's general delegations (délégations générales du Québec) are its main interlocutors abroad. In terms of Québec law, the foundation of Québec diplomacy thus states that only Québec's political bodies are empowered to fully negotiate with heads of state, governments, foreign embassies and consulates and to conclude, regardless of any foreign influence, agreements, understandings, programs and treaties. Under the rule of law, any agreement reached abroad by the federal or Quebec government is only applicable in domestic politics with the consent of the competent popular authority.

Quebec is the only Canadian province that has created a ministry that exclusively assumes the powers of the State in matters of international relations. The general trend in other provinces is to give this type of mandate to a department that already has other responsibilities, such as intergovernmental relations, that is, relations with the federal government and provincial and territorial governments192.

Quebec is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of la Francophonie and the Organization internationale de la Francophonie.

Policy of Quebec as a Nation

Québec's national policy covers all areas related to the ''Québec nation''. In particular, it establishes the values and foundations on which Québec society bases its cohesion and specificity. The Constitution of Quebec is thus inscribed in a series of social and cultural traditions, defined by a series of judicial decisions and legislative documents, such as the Law relating to the National Assembly, the Executive Law, and the Electoral Law of Quebec. Quebec. Other notable examples include:

Quebec National Party (Fête nationale du Québec) in 2017

• the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms;
• the Charter of the French Language;
• the Civil Code of Quebec.

In addition, it is based on a set of statements that clarify and reinforce already established social practices. For example, in his February 8, 2007 press release creating the Consultation Commission on Adjustment Practices Related to Cultural Differences (Bouchard-Taylor Commission), Quebec Premier Jean Charest reaffirmed the three fundamental values of Québec society, which "cannot be subject to any change (...) [nor] be subordinated to any other principle":

• equality between men and women;
• the primacy of the French language;
• the separation of the State and the Church

In addition, Quebec defines itself as a free and democratic state of law.

The Quebec National Assembly adopted a resolution on October 30, 2003 reaffirming that the people of Quebec form one nation, as well as a motion on May 22, 2008, affirming

"That the National Assembly reiterate its desire to promote the language, history, culture and values of the Québec nation, to favor the integration of all into our nation in a spirit of openness and reciprocity, and to express their attachment to our religious and historical heritage represented by the crucifix in our Blue Room and our shield that adorns our institutions.''

In 2006, the Canadian House of Commons passed a symbolic motion acknowledging, almost unanimously, that "Quebecers form one nation within a united Canada.''

Territorial organization

The crater in the Pingualuit National Park in Nord-du-Quebec

In principle, Quebec is divided into 17 administrative regions that do not have legal personality or a specific form of administration. Prior to 2016, the majority was represented by the regional conferences of elected officials (CREs). The CREs mainly had powers of consultation and economic development. Administrative regions serve to organize provincial public services in Quebec.

At the local level, local services are managed by municipalities. These are grouped into regional county municipalities (MCR). However, some larger municipalities act as MCRs.

There are other divisions of the territory, but they don't really have powers over the local administration. For example, Quebec is divided into tourist regions.

Quebec's health and education networks are also organized in such a way that one of its administrative units provides services to the population of a given territory. Thus, the territory of Quebec is divided into integrated health centers and social services for health and into school service centers and school councils for education.

Electoral constituencies are territorial units whose sole purpose is to elect members of the National Assembly.

The 17 administrative regions are as follows:

Regions of Quebec.

• 01 Bas-Saint-Laurent
• 02 Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
• 03 Capitale-Nationale
• 04 Mauricie
• 05 Estrie
• 06 Montreal
• 07 Outaouais
• 08 Abitibi-Témiscamingue
• 09 Côte-Nord
• 10 Nord-du-Québec
• 11 Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• 12 Chaudière-Appalaches
• 13 Laval
• 14 Lanaudière
• 15 Laurentides
• 16 Montérégie
• 17 Centre-du-Quebec

Since Quebec is a unitary province, none of its territorial administrations have legislative power, despite a certain propensity for regionalization. The organization of the territory of Quebec dates back to the municipal reorganizations started in 2000 and concluded in 2006 for agglomerations, municipalities and metropolitan communities, as well as for some local municipalities. Administrative regions, regional county municipalities (MRC) and equivalent territories (TE) appeared in the 1970s and 1980s. These entities replaced an old territorial organization made up of districts and counties. The other territorial authorities only play a specific role in administrative or electoral matters.

This system is part of an administrative structure that guarantees the development of locally organized territories in municipalities and unorganized territories.

As of January 1, 2010, Quebec consisted of 17 administrative regions, 85 regional county municipalities, 1,112 local municipalities, and 97 unorganized territories. To this figure are added 2 regional administrations, 2 metropolitan communities, 11 agglomerations, 43 municipalities and 170 Cree, Naskapi and Northern towns.

La Estación Villa MariaStation Villa-Maria) of the Montreal Metro

Transportation

The development and safety of transportation in Quebec is the responsibility of the Quebec Ministry of Transportation. Other organizations, such as the Canadian Coast Guard and Nav Canada, provide the same service in maritime and air navigation. The Commission des transports du Québec works with freight carriers and public transportation.

Quebec's highway network is administered by the Ministère des Transports du Québec and includes approximately 185,000 km of national, regional, local, collector, and forest highways and highways. In addition, Quebec has nearly 12,000 bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, culverts, and other structures, including the Quebec Bridge, Pierre Laporte Bridge, Laviolette Bridge, and Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel.

On the waters of the St. Lawrence there are eight deep-water ports for the transshipment of goods. In 2003, 3,886 freighters and 9.7 million tons transited the Québec portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. In addition, the Société des traversiers du Québec provides a link to land routes by sea, primarily on the St. Lawrence River. The Institut maritime du Québec, in Rimouski, is the leading institution of higher education in maritime navigation and construction.

In terms of rail transport, Quebec has 6,678 km of rail lines integrated into the great North American network. Although it is mainly intended for the transport of goods, mainly through the Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP), the railway network of Quebec takes into account the intercity transport of passengers through Via Rail Canada and Amtrak. Regional rail transport is essentially limited to tour operators, while the territory of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal has a regional commuter rail network, managed by Exo, formerly the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT). Higher education in railway engineering is provided at the École Polytechnique de Montréal.

The superior air network includes 43 airports that offer scheduled daily service. In addition, the Quebec government owns airports and heliports that provide local services to the communities of the Lower North Shore and northern regions. that the École nationale d'aérotechnique at Saint-Hubert airport specializes in aircraft construction and maintenance, the Cégep de Chicoutimi is the only public institution in Quebec that offers advanced pilot training, in collaboration with the Center québécois de formation aéronautique (CQFA) of Saint-Honoré.

Other transportation networks criss-cross the province, including hiking trails, snowmobile trails, and bike lanes, with the Route Verte being the most important, stretching nearly 2,500 miles.

Science and Technology

Montreal Science Center (Montreal Science Center)Centre des sciences de Montréal)

Science and technology are determining factors in Québec's economic positioning. As one of the world leaders in cutting-edge sectors such as aerospace, information technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, Quebec plays an important role in the scientific and technological community. Quebec is also active in developing its energy industries, including renewable energy such as hydroelectricity and wind power.

More than 1.1 million Quebecers work in scientific and technical occupations in the science and technology sector. Research and development (R&D) accounts for about 2.6% of Quebec's GDP and it is one of the highest in the Eurozone, G7 and OECD countries. Additionally, Quebec ranks eleventh in the world for investment in the technology and science sectors.

A key technology sector in Quebec, the aerospace industry is fifth in the world, with annual revenues of $12.4 billion, and alone accounts for 2% of GDP and 12.5% of manufacturing exports of Quebec. It is supported by the Quebec Aerospace Research and Innovation Consortium (CRIAQ), which includes manufacturers such as Bombardier Aerospace, Lockheed Martin Canada and Héroux-Devtek, located primarily in the Montreal Metropolitan Community. Other major organizations Those working in the sector have also made Quebec their home, such as Air Canada and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Quebec alone represents 60% of the Canadian aerospace industry.

Life sciences is another sector Quebec is betting heavily on. Today, more than 32,000 people work in the health sector in Quebec, including more than 13,000 researchers. Montreal, the metropolis of Quebec, is strongly committed to this sector of the economy through the construction of the health district, which includes more than 3,000 establishments and more than 200 research centers. In 2005, Quebec had more than 68% of the drug patents, 42% of research investments related to the pharmaceutical sector and 41% of biotechnology investments in Canada, while its population only represents 23% of the Canadian population. Quebec has more than 450 companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector that employ 25,000 people and 10,000 researchers. The city of Montreal ranks fourth in North America for the number of jobs related to the pharmaceutical sector.

Computer services and software industries, as well as the multimedia industry, are two other important technology-related sectors in Quebec. Especially active in Montreal, the video game industry is booming. In October 2006, the British trade magazine Develop mentioned that the city had experienced the highest growth in this field in the last 10 years. This sector was initially developed by pioneers such as Softimage (founded by Daniel Langlois in 1986) and Discreet Logic, but the presence of the world leader in this particular field, Ubisoft (which arrived in Quebec in 1997), Electronic Arts and Eidos, are not oblivious to this success259. The computer and software services sector is also highly developed in Quebec, employing almost 145,000 people. Several Québec companies, such as OSF Global Services, are experiencing strong international expansion. Quebec City is the second center of creation multimedia and videogames in the province, with 1,630 jobs, including the multimedia artistic studio Ex Machina, by Robert Lepage, and the videogame studios Beenox (Activision), Ubisoft and Sarbakan, as well as the largest videogame company Quebecois-owned Frima Studio.

Culture

Music

The Rialto Theatre of Montreal (Le Théâtre Rialto)

Québécois music refers to any musical expression produced in Quebec from the time of French colonization to the present day. Aboriginal music is not very present, but it experienced a great boom in the 1990s with the group Kashtin. Most Western musical trends are represented, and several Québec artists are recognized on the international scene. Quebec music is characterized mainly by a strong Francophone and evolutionary leaning, as well as by its folk music, which is still very much alive.

Although it is an independent market, Québec music is known throughout the French-speaking world, especially in Europe. The first artist to achieve "international star" it was Alys Robi, popular in the 1940s.

In the 1950s, Félix Leclerc was the first Quebecois performer to achieve success in France.

Having debuted in the 1980s, Céline Dion launched an international career in the 1990s. Her estimated sales of 250 million albums worldwide make her one of the best-selling singers of all time. In 1995, her album D'eux became the best-selling in the French language, with 10 million copies sold worldwide. From 2002 to 2007, she shows her A New Day. it was a second wind for the Las Vegas economy.

Many French-speaking foreign artists have started their careers in Quebec, one example is Lara Fabian but there are many others.

The Association québécoise de l'industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo (ADISQ) was created in 1978 to promote the music industry in Quebec.

From the Québec musical repertoire, the song À la claire fontaine was the national anthem of New France, the Patriots and the French-Canadians, later replaced by Ô Canada. Today, Gilles Vigneault's Gens du pays is preferred by many Quebecers and is considered the de facto Quebec national anthem. Introduced in 1968, L'Osstidcho revolutionized Québec show business by introducing a youth eager for change. This religious scandal quickly gave the popular language its rightful place in Québec song.

From La Bolduc in the 1920s and 1930s to contemporary artists, Québécois song has introduced many singer-songwriters, variety singers, crooners and musical groups in the French-speaking world and beyond.

Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts of MontrealMusée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal)

Influenced initially, from the time of New France, by the religious cult of Catholicism, with works especially by Brother Luc and more recently by Ozias Leduc and Guido Nincheri, Quebec art developed around the characteristics of its landscapes and cultural, historical, social and political representations.

Thus, the development of Québec masterpieces in painting, engraving and sculpture is marked by the contribution of artists such as Joseph Légaré, Louis-Philippe Hébert, Cornelius Krieghoff, Alfred Laliberté, Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté, Jean Paul Lemieux, Clarence Gagnon, Adrien Dufresne, Alfred Pellan, Jean-Philippe Dallaire, Charles Daudelin, Arthur Villeneuve, Jean-Paul Riopelle, Paul-Émile Borduas, and Marcelle Ferron.

The creations of Québec artists are exhibited at the Quebec National Museum of Fine Arts, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and in art galleries. While many works grace public spaces in Quebec, others are exhibited abroad, such as Charles Daudelin's Embâcle sculpture on the Place du Québec in Paris and the Québec libre! by Armand Vaillancourt in San Francisco. UQAM and Concordia University offer visual arts programs.

Architecture

Several buildings bear witness to the architectural heritage that characterizes Quebec, such as religious buildings, town halls, manor houses, etc.

Joliette Art Museum, Quebec

When the French settlers arrived in New France, they built their houses in the same way as in France, but adapted the architecture to protect them from cold, frost and wind. The poorest wooden houses were built with foundations, the cracks were filled with clay and the outer walls were covered with lime. The richer stone houses have the walls covered with white lime to prevent the masonry from crumbling. In general, the openings of the houses are arranged against the wind and have shutters. The more pointed roofs prevent the accumulation of snow, and the elongated cornice houses a gallery. Large fireplaces are installed. Many heated themselves with iron stoves. The traditional Montreal house is short, massive and deep, built of large black stones embedded in a thick white mortar. This style of house comes directly from Brittany.

Gastronomy

The early settlers of New France prepared large meals to better withstand the rigors of the climate and daily work. According to the testimonies of travelers who visited New France, the physical condition of the Canadian seems to be better than that of the French peasant of the time. Thus, they ate tourtière, eggs, fish, farm or game meat, raspberries, blueberries, pumpkin, wild berries and strawberries. While corn was unknown in France, it was widely eaten in New France; people also ate more meat but less bread.

Metéorite a type of cheese made in Saint-Raymond, Quebec

A family kitchen, based on the French tradition, developed over the centuries, which integrates fish, game, vegetables and fresh fruit. Tourtière, cipaille, baked beans, pea soup, roast pork, cretonnes, sugar cake and buckwheat pancakes are some examples of these traditional dishes. Some remain on restaurant menus, while others are served on special occasions, such as traditional holiday meals. In spring, these dishes can be served in sugar shacks. Traditional recipes are also reinterpreted to the taste of the day by the chefs of Quebec's best restaurants, which also offer a host of fine Quebec products such as foie gras, duck breast, whitefish caviar (a fish from the waters from Abitibi), ice cider and ice wine.

As for fast food, guédille and poutine are typical Quebec dishes, usually served in local canteens. Poutine is a dish of French fries and cheese curds (fresh cheddar), usually covered in a brown sauce. Its origin is not exactly known and there are many variations: different sauces, cheeses, addition of other ingredients, etc. (or, chip stands).

In addition, Quebec accounts for 80% of the world's production of maple syrup. Deriving from Amerindian traditions, adapted and modified by the colonists of New France, the production of maple syrup consists, first of all, in taking advantage of sugar maples during the spring thaw. The collected sap is reduced by evaporation until a delicious sweet syrup is obtained, ideal for pancakes, waffles, French toast and a multitude of dishes.

In 2007, Le Devoir identified shepherd's pie, a typical Quebec dish, as "the national dish of Quebecers." advantages, such as its familiar and comforting side, its low cost and its historical roots linked to economic crises. Originally a simple dish prepared from "leftover meat and cheap vegetables", it is "reshaping itself and entering the world of gastronomy". It is worth mentioning that this aspect is shared with Canada, where, at the time of the construction of the East-West railway, this dish was served throughout the country to workers, among whom there was also a significant Chinese immigrant workforce, from hence the name Shepherd's Pie.

Literature

Public Library of VarennesBibliothèque publique de Varennes)

From New France, Québec literature first developed in the travelogues of explorers such as Jacques Cartier, Jean de Brébeuf, the Baron de La Hontan, and Nicolas Perrot, describing their relationships with Aboriginal peoples. The Moulin à Paroles covers the great texts that have marked the history of Quebec from its founding in 1534 to the modern era.

François-Xavier Garneau is considered the first author to carry out a true historical synthesis that foregrounds the experience of the French-Canadian people, overwhelmed by the defeat of the Patriot rebellion of 1837-1838 and the injustice of the Union Act. Published between 1845 and 1852, the four volumes of the History of Canada had the merit, in the eyes of his contemporaries, of "structuring his social memory into a national novel, to relate his historical experience as an incessant struggle, if not to govern oneself, at least to be respected".

Oral tradition has various tales and stories, such as the legends of Bonhomme Sept Heures, the Chasse-galerie, the Cheval noir des Trois-Pistoles, the Complainte de Cadieux, La Corriveau, the Diable qui danse à Saint-Ambroise, the Géant Beaupré, the monsters of the Pohénégamook and Memphrémagog lakes, the Pont de Québec (aka the Devil's Bridge), the Rocher Percé and Rose Latulipe, for example.

Eminent Québec poets and authors marked their time and remain anchored in the current collective imagination, such as Philippe Aubert de Gaspé, Octave Crémazie, Honoré Beaugrand, Émile Nelligan, Lionel Groulx, Gabrielle Roy, Hubert Aquin, Anne Hébert, Hector de Saint -Denys Garneau -the first modern poet from Quebec-, Félix Leclerc, Gaston Miron, Michel Tremblay and Fred Pellerin.

The roman du terroir is a Québec literary tradition dating back to the mid-19th century; It was in vogue until World War II. The genre addresses three main themes: the settlement of settlers in new and unexplored regions, the succession of paternal land, and the defense of the agricultural way of life that ensures the socioeconomic survival of the "French-Canadian race." Works such as Maria Chapdelaine, by Louis Hémon, Trente arpents, by Ringuet, and Le Survenant, by Germaine Guèvremont, are representative of this trend.

Works like Les Belles-sœurs and Broue were also successful.

Theater

Notable theater groups include Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Théâtre du Trident, Compagnie Jean-Duceppe, Théâtre La Rubrique, Théâtre Le Grenier, etc. In addition to Quebec's network of cultural centers, the theaters are the Monument-National, the Théâtre de Quat'Sous and the Théâtre du Rideau vert in Montreal, the Théâtre du Trident in Quebec City, etc. The National Theater School of Canada and the Quebec Conservatory of Music and Dramatic Art train future actors.

Theatral improvisation league of MontrealLigue d'improvisation montréalaise)

The summer theater is a true symbol of Québec literature. Presented during the summer season, it offers various shows, often musicals or humorous dramas, sometimes outdoors, in rural and semi-rural regions of Quebec, such as the Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur in Upton, Montérégie, the Théâtre des Grands Chênes in Kingsey Falls, Centre-du-Québec, the Théâtre de la Marjolaine in Eastman, Estrie, etc.

The Académie québécoise du théâtre and the Association québécoise des auteurs dramatiques (AQAD) are the main organizations promoting Québec literature and theater. Québec's literary awards, including the Quebec Academy of Letters medal, and the Soirée des Masques honor personalities.

Cinema Television and Radio

The Cinémathèque québécoise is mandated to promote Quebec's film and television heritage. Similarly, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), a federal Crown corporation, fulfills this same mission in Quebec.

Similarly, the Association des producteurs de film et de télévision du Québec (APFTQ) promotes "independent film and television production ", while the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ) represents professionals in film and television production, the Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec (ARCQ) represents independent radio stations.

Several movie theaters throughout Quebec guarantee the diffusion of Québec cinema.

With its film facilities, such as the Cité du cinéma and the Mel Studios, the city of Montreal hosts the filming of various productions.

La Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma is a festival around the Soirée des Jutra ceremony that rewards the works and personalities of Québec cinema. The Festival regard sur le court métrage de Saguenay, the Festival des films du monde and the Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montreal, the Festival du cinéma international in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as the Festival du documenteur de Rouyn-Noranda are other annual events around the Quebec film industry.

The public company Télé-Québec, the federal public company Radio-Canada, private, general and specialized channels, radio networks, as well as independent and community stations, broadcast the various Québec soap operas, national and regional news, interactive and spoken programs, etc. The Artis Gala and the Ontario Industry Gala are two other events that take place in Quebec.

The Artis Gala and the Gemini Awards recognize personalities from the television and radio industry in Quebec and French-Canadian.

Cultural heritage

Basilica of Santa Ana de Beaupré, important sanctuary of Catholicism, with about half a million pilgrims visiting it every year

The Québec Cultural Heritage Fund is a program of the Government of Québec aimed at the conservation and development of Québec's heritage, in accordance with various laws. Several organizations participate in this same mission, both in the field of traditions social and cultural as well as heritage landscapes and buildings, such as the Conseil du patrimoine culturel du Québec, the Fondation québécoise du patrimoine, the Center de conservation du Québec, the Center de valorisation du patrimoine vivant, the Conseil québécois du patrimoine vivant, the Association québécoise d'interprétation du patrimoine, etc.

Very marked by the presence of the Catholic Church, the promotion of Quebec's religious history is ensured by organizations such as the Quebec Religious Heritage Council. Since 2007, the Government has promoted, with the different actors in the sector, the signing of agreements for the use of the assets of the factories and of the episcopal corporations in order to establish associations for the financing of restoration and renovation of religious buildings".

Many historic sites, houses and structures are part of Quebec's cultural heritage, such as the Village québécois d'antan, the historic village of Val-Jalbert, Fort Chambly, the national home of the Patriots, the pasta factory of Chicoutimi paper, the Lachine canal, the Victoria bridge, etc.

Many artifacts are kept in various museums and tell the cultural history of Quebec, such as the Museum of Civilization, the Museum of French America, the McCord Museum, the Montreal Museum of Archeology and History, Pointe-à-Callière, etc.

Several literary works reproduce the daily life of the past, thus integrating themselves into the social and cultural tradition of Quebec soap operas of yesteryear, such as Pierre Gauvreau's trilogy (Le Temps d'une paix, Cormoran and Le Volcan tranquille) as well as La Famille Plouffe, Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut, La Petite Patrie, Entre chien et loup, Les Filles de Caleb, Blanche, Au nom du père et du fils, Marguerite Volant, Nos étés, Musée eden etc

The Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec provides access to detailed information on the elements that make up Québec's heritage, on all types of heritage recognized by the Loi sur la conservation du patrimoine du Québec (real estate, intangibles, furniture, events, historical figures, etc.).

Parties

Symbols

• Tree: yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis).
• Bird: owl nival (Bubo scandiacus).
• Flower: Iris versicolor.
• Insect: the butterfly Basilarchia arthemis.

The Pepsi Colosseum (Colisée Pepsi) during an ice hockey game

Sports

Ice Hockey

As Canada's national sport, ice hockey holds a special place in the lives of many Quebecers.

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional club in the National Hockey League (NHL). The club, founded in 1909, plays its home games at the Bell Center in Montreal, which has the largest capacity in the NHL with 21,273 seats. The club has played in 34 NHL tournaments. The club has reached the Stanley Cup Final 34 times and has won it a league record 24 times.

The Nordiques de Quebec, meanwhile, are a former NHL club that played at the Coliseum in Quebec City (with a seating capacity of 15,399). This team left its mark on the history and sports culture of Quebec, and contributed to the natural rivalry between Quebec and Montreal, before moving to Colorado (United States) in 1995. Today, the hope of returning to the NHL it is still present, as the city has built a new stadium with 18,259 seats, the Center Vidéotron.

Canadian Soccer

Since 1996, the Montreal Alouettes have played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club was founded in 1946, but after several difficult years, the team dissolved in 1983. In 1996 the Montreal Stallions were formed. In 1996, the Baltimore Stallions moved to Montreal, to Percival-Molson Stadium, and were renamed the Alouettes.

Quebec City Baseball Stadium

Baseball

Until 2004, the Montreal Expos played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Created in 1968, the team had its headquarters in the Montreal Olympic Stadium (with a capacity for 43,739 spectators in baseball mode). Awarded on May 27, 1968, the team was named after the Montreal World's Fair (Terre des Hommes), which had taken place the previous year. At the end of the 2004 season, the team moved to Washington.

Formula 1

The Canadian Grand Prix, a Formula 1 race, has been held in Quebec since 1978 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, located on Montreal's Notre-Dame Island. Quebec-born driver Gilles Villeneuve won the first race there with a Ferrari in 1978. He died in 1982 after an accident on the last qualifying lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, failing to win a world championship title. His son Jacques will fulfill this dream in 1997.

Football

The Montreal Impact, which has played in Montreal's Saputo Stadium since 2008, is Quebec's top soccer team. Founded in 1992, the team has won three United Soccer Leagues (USL) titles and has represented Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2008, 2013 and 2014, where the Montreal team reached a historic final. Québec women's participation in sports is manifested in several high-level women's teams: the Montreal Canadians in hockey, the Laval Comets, and the Quebec Admiral SC in soccer.

Montreal Olympic Stadium

Other winter sports

The winter season in Quebec lasts almost half the year, from November to April, with exceptional snow conditions (3 to 15 meters of snow per winter, depending on the region). Quebec's main alpine ski centers are located in the municipalities of the East, the Laurentians, the Capitale-Nationale and the Gaspé.

Snowmobiling is another popular winter activity. In 2008, the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec had nearly 90,000 members. These members use 33,500 km of trails that are prepared and patrolled by police and volunteers from 208 local clubs.

At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Quebec athletes performed exceptionally, winning nearly half of all Canadian medals (a record 12 of 29); being Quebec one of the states of the Canadian federation. At the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, Quebec athletes won 9 of Canada's 26 medals. At the 2014 Sochi Games, they won 10 out of 25 medals.

Twinnings

• State of Nuevo León, Mexico
• State of Mexico, Mexico