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For people who don't know, there are close to 1 million Canadians who are French-speaking and live in the 9 provinces other than Quebec. Their proportions are generally around 5% or less of the population of their provinces, except for New Brunswick (a relatively small province) where they are 33%.
As for English speakers in Quebec, they number roughly 700,000 and make up 8% of the province's population.
What do people think or know of their relative situations?
This will be discussion number 67,547 for me personally on this topic, but I will be interested to read the views, both informed and non-informed.
I will also be unplugged for a while on a short trip so I will let the discussion happen without me for a few days.
Is it the case that the Quebec communities close to NY/VT are predominantly anglophone, while those bordering New Hampshire and Maine are mostly francophone?
Is it the case that the Quebec communities close to NY/VT are predominantly anglophone, while those bordering New Hampshire and Maine are mostly francophone?
I am still around for a few hours...
All of the border areas used to be quite predominantly anglo but now they are for the most part predominantly francophone. You will find every now and then a small town with more anglos (sometimes even a slight majority) in the region but I have never really heard it mentioned that there are more anglos along the NY-VT border as opposed to NH-ME.
Just my opinion but i think a good portion of the french speakers in Ontario are near the Quebec border.
Ottawa would have a lot as most government offices need to be able support both official languages.
I know at least 50 percent in Cornwall speak french.
If you are saying the western provinces have 5 percent french speakers that surprises me. I'd have expected lower.
Just my opinion but i think a good portion of the french speakers in Ontario are near the Quebec border.
Also alot of Francophones in the Eastern parts of Northern Ontario who settled the area in the 19th century as loggers and mill workers, for the most part.
Ottawa would have a lot as most government offices need to be able support both official languages.
I know at least 50 percent in Cornwall speak french..
Probably closer to 25-35%. People of French Canadian origin are the majority in Cornwall but quite a few of them no longer speak much French.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marc3565
If you are saying the western provinces have 5 percent french speakers that surprises me. I'd have expected lower.
I actually said 5% or less. Manitoba in the West is around 5% though I'd say. The others are lower than that.
Also alot of Francophones in the Eastern parts of Northern Ontario who settled the area in the 19th century as loggers and mill workers, for the most part.
These guys are concentrated not too far from the Quebec as well, spreading out westwards from there but trickling out relatively quickly as you move west from Sudbury, Hearst and Timmins. By the time you get to Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay francophones are few and far between. (Even though the Soo was founded by francophones obviously - hence the name.)
Historically, was there an effort to forcibly assimilate Francophones by punishing them for speaking French?
There will likely be some disagreement among posters but the only honest answer to this is yes. Both my parents were exposed to it (one more strenuously than the other) to some degree.
Historically, was there an effort to forcibly assimilate Francophones by punishing them for speaking French?
Yup, and it was worst in Manitoba, which I consider a damn shame considering the history of that place.
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