2010 pt 2: Quebec Lec 7 Flashcards
What does Quebec rank?
Second among the six regions in terms of economic output and population
How big is Quebec?
Largest province in area
St Lawrence River
prominent in Quebec’s history and economy
What does Quebecs culture come from
derives from the historical experience of Francophones living in the area for over 400 years
What percentage of residents declare French as their mother tongue?
83%: these are historically been known as Quebecois
Quebecois
this term has evolved to now include all residents
Non Francophones
this residents cluster in specific parts of the province
Language laws in quebec
these laws require businesses to use French, these laws have helped maintain French as the primary language in the region
What percentage of newcomers today speak neither French nor English and chose to learn French
74%
Anglophones
english speakers: generally concentrated in Montreal, the Eastern townships, and the Ottawa River valley
Allophones
neither French nor English: concentrated in Montreal
Aboriginal peoples
cree and Inuit form the majority of the population in Northern Quebec
St Lawrence River
Essential part of North Americas transportation system because it connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean
Dredging
was required to prevent large freighters from running aground
Canals
were constructed to allow ships to pass around rapids or waterfalls: these were part of the construction of the St Lawrence Seaway - opening in 1959
Quebecs Growth
Quebec is growing at a slower rate than the rest of Canada
birth rate in Quebec
low in all areas and the immigration rate is low in all areas except for Montreal
in 1871 Quebec was how much of Canadas population
32%: however since it has shrunk to 24%
what has caused Quebecs decline in Canadian population share?
1 - expansion of the Canadian West
2 - relocation of businesses and corporate headquarters to Ontario
As Quebec Separatism movements gained momentum…
in the 1970s: the Anglophone business and corporations left the province
The canadian shield extends over how much of Quebec
90%
Where is Quebecs best land?
along the St Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City
the Gaspe region
of Quebec is very rugged and confines settlements to its coastline
Precipitation?
in this province is relatively high due to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean
Mining Waste?
is an environmental issue: waste is evident within the Cdn Shield
Where is toxic chemicals?
parts of the st lawrence river still contains high levels of toxic chemicals, lead and mercury, from older industrial processes
Zebra mussel
the introduction of the zebra mussel has negatively impacted aquatic ecosystems
what is a zebra mussel
a small mollusk that lives in freshwater: it was introduced to the St Lawrence River by attaching to ships that originated in Europe
It has blocked hundred of pipelines and water intakes
Improving the Environment
all of the energy in Quebec is generated from hydroelectric plants
Quebecs greenhouse gasses?
Quebec is the lowest per capita emitter of greenhouse gasses of any province (along with PEI)
Motorists?
charged an extra 0.8 cent per L on gas
What are the revenue from this used for?
to fund maintenance of the hydroelectric energy system
Green house gas?
a gas that allows solar radiation to transmit through but absorbs in fared radiation from Earth (e.g. carbon dioxide)
Timeline
area was originally known as New France
1534
Cartier sailed into Chaleur Bay and claimed the land for France. He discovered the mouth of the St. Lawrence River the following year.
1608
Champlain founded a fur trading post at the current site of Quebec City. He became known as the father of New France
1642
Maisonneuve established Ville-Marie, located at the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers. Ville-Marie was later renamed Montreal
1759
The British defeated the French army on the Plains of Abraham.
Led to Canada becoming an English speaking country – Quebec licene plate – “I remember” probably refers to this
what happened after this defeat
British ruled Quebec for over 100 years
1763
The Treaty of Paris formally awarded New France to Britain.
1774
Britain passed the Quebec Act recognizing that citizens have special rights: use of French language, the Catholic religion, and the French civil law
1791
Britain approved the Constitutional Act creating two colonies: Upper Canada and Lower Canada
1841
The Durham report suggested Britain unite the two colonies into the Province of Canada( Act of Union)
Durham
Durham believed that French assimilation was possible. He recommended English to be the sole language and to launch massive immigration of British settlers
How was French culture able to survive after the Act of Union of 1841?
- A strong will to remain French speaking
- Support from the Catholic church
- The critical mas needed for survival was evident
- High birth rate
- The rural nature of the population isolated them from English speaking residents
Benefits of Confederation (1867) for Quebec?
- Union with the three other colonies would strengthen the overall economy
- Catholicism and the French language were guaranteed protection by Ottawa
- Provinces were given control over education and language laws
- Working with Ontario, Quebec could influence federal politics and shape the future of Canada
Geographic Expansion: 1898
Ottawa extends Quebec’s northern boundary well beyond the St. Lawrence region into the Canadian Shield
Geographic Expansion: 1912
Quebec nearly doubles in size when the boundary is expanded to include the Inuit lands of Nunavik
Geographic Expansion: 1927
Britain declared the boundary between Quebec and Labrador should follow the drainage divide. Quebec does not recognize this decision to this day.
Quebec Economy
spatial aspects of the economy are similar to those in ON since the region can be divided into 2 economic areas
2 economic areas
- a manufacturing and agricultural core (south)
- a resource based periphery (north)
Differences compared to Ontario
- The growing season in Quebec is relatively short
- Quebec has better natural conditions for hydroelectricity development
Manufacturing in Quebec?
has declined during the past 10 years but remains a viable industry.
How many firms in the Montreal area produce automobile parts?
20
Where are parts shipped
to assembly plants in ON and the US
Research and tech industries?
have fared well in Quebec with the support of Montreals universities
Hydro Quebec
a sense of pride among Quebec residents and has become a symbol of its economic prominence
When was Hydro Quebec created
1944: but was a minor force until premier Jean Lesage came to power in 1960. at that time, Quebec announced it would purchase all private electrical utilities in the province : this created a monopoly to generate and distribute electricity both within the province and for export
Objectives of Hydro Quebec
- Stimulate economic growth through government intervention
- Undertake construction of massive hydroelectric projects in the Canadian Shield
- Develop high voltage transmission lines to transport electricity
- Sell power to the northeastern states of the US
- These strategies were highly successful
Possible Expansions of Hydro Quebec
In 2009: Hydro Quebec was seeking to purchase New Brunswick Power but the deal feel through
Negotiations?
are ongoing to take over electrical utilities in Nova Scotia
Strategy?
gain control of the power grid in the Maritimes to achieve complete dominance of the area as well as the US market in the 6 New England states
Hydroelectricity
these developments depend on 3 factors
what three factors?
precipitation, topography, and access to markets
Precipitation
is abundant in Quebec
Variable topography
with entrenched river valleys ensure a steady flow for the power plants
What connects the plants in the north to the populated markets in the south
high voltage transmission lines
Advantages of hydroelectric developments
- Renewable energy
- Long life of the facilities
- Relatively low operating costs
- Job creation during construction
- Renewable, no greenhouse gas initiatives
Attracting Industry
Hydro-Quebec has indirectly improved Quebec’s economy by attracting large-scale industrial development. Hydro Quebec is able to offer power to these industrial firms at a low cost
how is hydro quebec able to offer low energy prices to industrial firms?
- Norhern Quebec can produce vast amounts of power
- Hydro-Quebec has a long-term contract to buy power from Churchill Falls in Labrador at 1969 prices.
- As a monopoly, Hydro Quebec is free to control its own price structure
the James Bay Project
It involves the production of hydroelectricity from all 20 rivers that flow into James Bay from Quebec.
The first phase (La Grande) began in 1972 and was completed 10 years later at a cost of $15 billion.
Construction required a new highway to northern Quebec and the creation of a new community (Radisson)
Controversy of James Bay Project
The project was one of the few hydroelectric developments that created controversy.
Aboriginal peoples and environmental organizations were the most outspoken against the project
Problems Associated with the James Bay Project
- Flooding caused by dams
- Loss of habitat
- Loss of timber
- Chemicals in the reservoirs affected fish that were eaten by Cree people
- Impact on Cree hunting grounds
Response to Controversy
Opposition from the Cree and Sierra Club influenced public opinion in the U.S.
A settlement was reached between the Cree and the Inuit and Hydro Quebec
This was referred to as the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
Geography of Northern Quebec
this part of the province occupies the Canadian Shield and the Hudson Bay Lowlands.
The economy is based on mining and forestry
The area is too remote to attract tourists
Political opportunities are currently growing for the northern Quebec region of Nunavik
Characteristics of Northern Quebec
- An aging population
- Net out migration especially younger people
- Few immigrants
- Growing Inuit and Cree populations
Nunavik
90% of the population in this area is Inuit.
Almost all residents live in one of the 14 settlements along the coast.
Negotiations are underway to establish a regional government
Regional Government in Nunavik
This would be an elected parliamentary-style cabinet and council.
A public service would be responsible for delivering health care and education.
The government centre would be in Kuujaaq
Quebec would maintain jurisdiction over the area and provide funding
Forestry in Quebec
Quebec is Canada’s leading producer of paper and newsprint. Much of it is exported to the U.S.
Demand for Quebec’s softwood lumber has been consistently higher than U.S. softwood lumber.
Why? Quebec cold climate results in slower tree growth which increases the strength of the wood
Mining in Quebec
Mining is a key component of the economy in northern Quebec.
The annual value of mineral production in northern Quebec is over $4 billon.
Iron ore is the most common type of mine followed by copper, and gold
Tourism in Quebec
Quebec attracts tourists for its natural beauty, historic past, and francophone culture.
It is within a days drive of tens of millions of people.
Threats to Tourism
- Canadian dollar at parity
- Global economic uncertainty
- Thickening US border
Urbanization in Quebec: how much
80% of Quebecs population is urbanized
70% of the population live in one of 6 cities:
1) montreal
2) quebec city
3) sherbrooke
4) gatineau
5) trois rivières
6) saguenay
Saguenay
the name of the two cities that merged together in 2002 (Chicoutimi and Jonquiere)
Montreal
Montreal is the commercial, cultural, and industrial centre of Quebec. Its name is French for Royal Mountain (a large hill in the centre of the city).
The city is located on an island.
It serves as a major port and trans-shipment point between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean
Quebec City
Quebec City is the capital and the oldest city in Canada.
It is the only walled city in North America and features buildings over 300 years old
The economy is dependent on provincial government jobs and tourism.
The Eastern Townships (estrie)
This is a scenic region east of Montreal abutting the Appalachian Mountains.
Sherbrooke is the largest city in this region
