This article will be published in an upcoming issue of The Source newspaper.

The French are coming, the French are coming! Having lived and worked in Ottawa, Ontario for many years, previously married to a Montreal native, I have been intimately familiar with the Quebecer. Down to earth, fun-loving, in-your-face authenticity, these people, with prejudices and all the same baggage we lug around, some have treated me well and some have treated me poorly. With Francophone Week upon us, I set out to meet new French speaking people here in Vancouver. Stopping every pedestrian would be laborious so I visited Educacentre, a French language education centre to better enable the francophone population to contribute to the broader community. I met a variety of global souls, surprised to only encounter one Quebecer, excluding staff.

In the computer lab, we gathered around to discuss the French experience arriving, living, and integrating in Canada. In audience was a Vietnamese Parisian who grew up in Paris, a French speaking Moroccan, a Canadian born Parisian, a Parisian woman whose parents immigrated to France from Algeria, and a full-fledged Quebecer. My first thought was astonishment that the French language extends far beyond Quebec and France, something Canadian Anglophones tend to forget. It was a good reminder to not make assumptions about the origins of French speaking people.

The second thought was curiosity about the love-hate relationship between the European French and the Quebecois. The charming and unassuming nature of our resident Quebecer undermined my attempts at stirring the pot to draw out the underlying cultural influence that creates so much discomfort for the European French immigrant arriving and integrating into Quebec society. This allows for the truth that my next broad-brush stroke doesn’t speak to all Quebecer attitudes.

The European French see Canada as a French speaking country, rarely realizing the extent and diversity of this country beyond Quebec. The French dream is to come to Canada and realize the “Canadian dream” akin to the American dream. Nonetheless, the French foreigner arriving in Quebec is surprised by the poor reception and continued discrimination of Quebecers. This is prompting a number of the French Europeans to settle elsewhere in English Canada where they have a better experience of acceptance.

Yves, born in Rimouski, Quebec, grew up in France from the age of eight after his parents unsuccessful attempt at integrating into the French-Canadian culture from the late 60’s to the late 70’s. His parents experience resulted in his decision to come directly to Vancouver and skip the hardships of Quebec. Malika, the Algerian descendant born in France, lived in Quebec for a year. With her limited English, she struggled with the tale of discrimination. She felt that the tension stemmed from a perceived Quebecer inferiority complex and a perceived superiority complex of Parisians. She admits that Parisians have a certain “air” about them that can appear snobbish; similar to the perception many world-citizens have of the Americans. Even amongst the European French, there exists a dislike of the Parisian attitude.

Much conversation ensued as to the cause for conflict without any clear answers. Je me souviens is the phrase on Quebec license plates; it means, I remember. Some Quebecers have suggested it remembers the abandonment of French Canadians when France signed the treaty with the English hundreds of years ago. A Parisian’s research indicated it is in remembrance of soldiers whose lives were lost during WWII. Our resident Quebecer didn’t really know. He was pretty comfortable with expanding his world beyond his province’s borders and doesn’t concern himself with trivial bickering; his love is sports. The Vietnamese Parisian, Alex, also felt the same frustrations Malika spoke of, relating stories of cultural segregation of pocket-communities. No surprise really; that has existed and still exists everywhere, including Vancouver.

As I continue to delve into the mysteries that keep us apart due to our cultural history, I always discover the same thing: We’re all the same. At our core, we’re looking for adventure, achievement, excitement, love, and community. We want to belong and have a purpose. We enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. With that in mind, it’s time to get out and enjoy more of the Francophone Week and the cultural experience that has to offer.