INTRODUCTION

Cultural politics. Although Montreal is recognized worldwide as the “City of Creativity”, Americans are slow to benefit from their geographical proximity because of the misconceived similarity between the US and Canada. The coexistence of two languages (thus two dominant cultures) within one country introduces subtle tension at all levels of daily life, which plays out culturally between the Québécois and the Anglo-Montrealers and the Néo-Québécois. Montreal is the most cosmopolitan city of French-speaking Canada, a society that is at the crossroads of North American and European cultures. Outside of Montreal, however, Quebec has a very traditional society, descending from French explorers, farmers and colonials. When history turned the Québécois into English colonial subjects, their stubborn sense of origin served to oppose the dominant English culture, while it also defined them as a people of the New World. With a 95% French-speaking population, Quebec is thus an island within Canada, and Montreal, a city whose population is about 28% immigrants, is an island within Quebec. Considering this context, what is it like for the Anglo-Montrealers who have been there since the 18th century, who live in English-speaking neighborhoods within the French-speaking majority who is itself nestled in Canada’s English-speaking majority? And what about the immigrants, how much French do they use? And what about their children? Which language do Canada’s Native Peoples speak on their reservations and in their autonomous government? All of Canada is officially bilingual; therefore, proficiency in French is not required to participate in this program.