The Tragedy of Quebec

The government of Quebec is concerned about its language and culture and remains ever vigilant in its protection from the dominant English culture of North America. Because of this all pervasive concern, the province has refused to cooperate with many, if not most of the federal-provincial programs, fiercely fighting them off as a federal intrusion into provincial affairs.

While the Quebec government has been noisily engaging in these battles with the federal government, the tragedy of Quebec is that it has already lost the battle for its language and culture because it is bleeding internally from a tremendous loss of population. There are now far more coffins than cradles in Quebec. This ticking time bomb is rendering a once fertile land barren and with it, is destroying the province's culture and language. In the next century Quebec will experience problems, as early as 2006, when the population will not just slow down, but will actually start to drop.

In the short run, as well, Quebec's dwindling population is severely compromising its ability to function.

For example, in the federal budget in February, Finance Minister, Paul Martin, reported that the Canada Health and Social Transfers (CHST) will be doled out, for the first time in years, strictly on the basis of population. Previously, the pay-out to Canada's so-called "have" provinces of Ontario, Alberta and BC was limited, in spite of their populations, by capping their payments each year at 5%. As a result, payments to these provinces were much below the national average and well below those of Quebec, which had been enjoying more money per person from CHST than the other provinces. With the new policy of doling out funds out strictly according to population, beginning in the 2001-02 fiscal year, every province will receive a flat $960 a head, rising to $985 in 2003-4. This means that Ontario, which has 40% of Canada's population, and which has been underfunded for years, will receive $1 billion in cash payments. Quebec, on the other hand, with its declining population, will get $90 million less in 2001-02 than it receives now.

The population drain in Quebec has been caused, not so much by people leaving, which has been a factor, but mainly because of its rock bottom birth rate, which is one of the lowest in the world. In 1997, the birth rate was only 1.5 children per woman of childbearing age, while experts believe a nation's population stays stable only if couples have an average of 2.1 children. Added to this low fertility rate is the fact that Quebec has the highest rate of suicide of any province: 80% of the suicides are men -- the majority being between the age of 35 to 50 years. Abortions have also skyrocketed in Quebec: in 1997 there were 28,000, with 35 for every 100 births with women in the 20-24 age group leading the way. Ten years ago, there were 19 abortions for every 100 births. In the 20 - 24 age group, the prime time for marriage and family, 78% of men and 72% of women in Quebec were living together without marriage. Statistics indicate that common-law relationships are far less stable than those of the legally married and they also produce fewer offspring.

Quebec's main hope is immigration, but according to Statistics Canada, in 1996, immigrants accounted for only 17.4% of the total Canadian population. Quebec now requires that all immigrant children be educated at French schools which is a deterrent to immigrants choosing Quebec as a place to settle.

These changes are a sad commentary on the state of Quebec since the 1960s. Prior to that time, Quebec was a province centered in its Roman Catholic faith. Huge families were not unusual (Prime Minister Chrétien is one of 16 children and popular singer, Céline Dion, is the youngest in a family of 14 children). However, during the 1960s and 1970s, Quebecers decided they could live without the Church. Instead, Quebecers have emulated the materialism and hedonism prevalent in some parts of English-speaking Canada. A result of Quebec's present barren state will surely be a serious diminution of its language and culture. This will be a genuine loss for Canada, since Quebec's culture and language is an important part of our heritage and our uniqueness as a nation.

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