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Montreal Gazette
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Josh Freed: Celebrate Canada and Quebec by swatting bugs and jumping in a lake
Our two national holidays have come and gone, but like most Montrealers I hardly noticed them, which is usually a sign that all's well in Quebec. The two days are barometers of our political times, so here's my post-holiday review of Canada Day and St-Jean. Canada Day has never been an overly patriotic or nationalistic day, one of many advantages of being Canadian. Most Canadians traditionally celebrate by going to the country for the long weekend to smack bugs and jump in a lake. But this year Canada Day was on steroids in much of the country as people belted out the anthem, unfurled supersized U.S.-style Canadian flags and wore T-shirts saying 'Canada is not for sale' and 'Never 51!' Here in Montreal, the Canada Day parade was cancelled at the last minute, as usual. But a small informal 'march' happened in Old Montreal that attracted so many sympathetic American and European tourists, they probably outnumbered us locals, who don't always attend these things. Canada's new nationalism has also infected Quebec, where recent polls show most Quebecers are very proud to be Canadian, even more so than people in some other provinces. Many francophones are suddenly feeling sappy about maple syrup, Mounties and moose, while humming the national anthem in the shower. The secret glue that's cementing our country is U.S. President Donald Trump, who's made us all appreciate what he's threatened to take away. From coast-to-coast we're taking pride in boycotting U.S. goods and discussing where in the States we aren't going. 'So where are you NOT going this summer?' 'Oh, we're not going to Vermont or Old Orchard, like we usually do. We'll be staycationing in Snowdon instead. And where WON'T you be going?' Meanwhile, in Ottawa, our new PM, Mark Carney, gave a brief speech on July 1 about Canada being a kind, caring nation, and it rang true given that our southern neighbour has officially abandoned those virtues. Instead, the U.S. has embraced a new motto: 'Nice guys and countries finish last.' As much of the world turns crueller and more selfish, Canada is managing to look good, by just not changing much. Our PM was elected as a Liberal, but he's a former banker who's pushing his party to the centre, talking pipelines, business, and 'Build baby, build,' while still sounding liberal about social policy. So he's kind of a Liberal Conservative. Until a few decades ago, we had a party like that called the Progressive Conservatives, under leaders like Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney. But then Western 'reformers' turned it into the more radical and shrill Conservative party that Pierre Poilievre now incarnates. Lately, with Trump threatening, many Canadians were ready to move to the political centre, so the Liberals did, stealing economic policies from the Tories but staying socially liberal. Thus we elected Carney, an old-fashioned Progressive Conservative. Our new Liberal PM is actually a Red Tory. St-Jean: Canada Day's new patriotism may have stolen some thunder from Quebec's Fête nationale this June 24, though nationalism has been on the decline here for years. There was a big Rachel Ave. parade and hundreds of low-key block parties and concerts, but most Quebecers celebrated the day like other Canadians — by going to the country to swat bugs and jump in a lake. Much of the francophone media's June 24 coverage was about remembering a famous St-Jean night 50 years ago, in 1975, when more than a million people celebrated atop Mount Royal in a great wave of nationalism. One of them was me, curious to see a remarkable event that symbolized the times. I still remember the scene: There were vast mobs of people swathed head-to-toe in fleur-de-lis, and giant bonfires being lit everywhere you looked, occasionally barbecuing Canadian flags. Gilles Vigneault had just written 'Gens du Pays' for the occasion, which quickly became Quebec's unofficial national anthem, and also its Happy Birthday song, even for many anglos. The crowds sang it again and again along with 'le Québec aux Québécois' until dawn, when the police broke up the party. But as usual in Quebec, as an anglo I felt totally welcomed as part of the gang by nationalists delighted I was there to celebrate. The intensity of the nationalism was awesome and remained so for several years. Compare that with more recent St-Jean activities: genteel neighbourhood block parties attended by all ethnicities and outdoor concerts that are dwarfed by the jazz festival, which is practically Quebec's modern national holiday. Like Canada Day, June 24 has become more of a national day off. This St-Jean I didn't even see many fleur-de-lis flying on homes in my Plateau neighbourhood, which was once festooned with them. These days people are proud to be Quebecers, but proud to be Canadians, too. Quebecers aren't heading to Mount Royal in millions, but we are all thrumming proudly, pleased our province and our country feel like a refuge against a threatening world. Quebecers are still fighting for sovereignty, but like most Canadians, that's now sovereignty from the U.S. So let's thank Donald Trump for making our national holidays great again.
Montreal Gazette
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
This year's Fête nationale more meaningful than ever for some Quebecers
A sea of blue and white took centre stage under a blazing sun for the annual St-Jean-Baptiste parade in Montreal on Tuesday as national pride was on full display to mark the provincial holiday. The Fleur-de-lis was out in full force as thousands gathered to watch marchers make their way to Maisonneuve Park. The main concert was set to take place later in the evening. Mathieu Fortier arrived early to secure a good spot. For him, this year's Fête nationale has a special meaning, as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to poke at Canada's sovereignty. 'St-Jean this year has a taste of pride, a taste of celebration, and a taste of purpose,' Fortier said 'For me, personally, (Trump's attacks) have boosted my pride in being a Quebecer and my Quebec identity.' Others were taking in the Montreal festivities for the first time. Claude Turgeon travelled with his wife from Boisbriand to celebrate. 'I've always been proud to be a Quebecer, but this year I wanted to participate,' Turgeon said. There was an obvious political presence at the parade as local, provincial and federal politicians took in the festivities. Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe told reporters the importance of the day is tied in with the importance of ensuring the sustainability of Quebec culture. 'We must always stand up to defend our culture, our language, our identity,' Lacombe said. 'We've been fighting for who we are in Quebec for 250 years, so I think this fight is far from over, especially with the upheavals we're currently experiencing on the international scene with our neighbour to the south, but also in Canada as a whole.' Steven Guilbeault, Canadian identity, culture and official languages minister and MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie, highlighted the national pride that the U.S. threats have brought to light. 'We see it in Quebec and across the country: there's a movement of national pride,' Guilbeault said. 'People want to stand together in the face of what is perceived as an economic attack and also an attack on our identity and our sovereignty, so it's heartwarming to see people come together like this.' Weather was a key player in this year's festivities, no matter where you lived in the province. Some 650 events were planned to mark the day, also known as St-Jean-Baptiste Day, but some fell victim to the weather on Monday. Thunderstorms and heavy rain dampened Fête nationale festivities in Quebec's provincial capital region on Monday, forcing the abrupt cancellation of the marquee concert and leaving thousands without power. About 15 minutes before a concert was set to begin on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, organizers cancelled the event and evacuated the area because of extreme weather that brought thunder, lightning and heavy downpours. Quebec City organizers said it was the right call as there were warnings for 100 km/h winds and torrential rainfall. Mother Nature offered concertgoers in Montreal more favourable — if not considerably hotter — terms. Southern Quebec was enveloped in a 35 C heat that felt more like 45 with the humidity, meaning a hot, muggy evening for the Montreal event on Tuesday. The Maisonneuve Park event was to include artists such as Robert Charlebois and Sara Dufour. This year's celebrations commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first performance of Gilles Vigneault's song 'Gens du pays,' which is often considered the province's unofficial anthem.
