Flag Display and Precedence in Québec

Abstract

Raven, Vol. 13, 2006, pp. 41–58 ISSN 1071-0043 ©2006 NAVA Québec is the largest Canadian province and the only one with French as the sole official language. Originally part of the French colony of “New France”, after the defeat of French troops on the Plains of Abraham it was ceded to the British Crown under the Treaty of Paris in 1763, eventually becoming part of Canada. Its size (24% of the country’s population) and unique historical origins have led many to consider the province a “nation within a nation” and some to propose complete separation from Canada. In fact, Québec’s import-export performance would place it among the world’s top 20 economies if it were a separate country, and it often seeks bilateral relations with other countries or sub-national entities. As the largest French-speaking society in North America, Québec is deeply attached to its culture, and often uses its cultural symbols and practices to distinguish its relationship to and status within the country of Canada.