“Anglo Reality Check” was Global News’ four-part series looking into the reality of life for Anglophones in Quebec. The series aired in November 2012.
MONTREAL – Despite being born and raised in Quebec, Jane Wheeler has no family left here – her siblings and parents are scattered across North America. She comes from a large family and is the youngest of four children.
“My mother is on the West Coast, my brother’s on the West Coast, I have a sister in Ontario, a sister in the States, and my father in the States now as well.”
The separation of families isn’t unique to Quebec, in fact it is a North American reality but what is unique here is the reason why many Anglophones leave.
Uncertainty caused by Quebec politics and the language fallout.
The exodus
The exodus of English-speaking Quebecers began when the Parti Quebecois first came to power in 1976, when the community lost more than 150,000 people in just four years.
“Between 76 and 80 head offices were moving and a lot of Anglos left . . . Oh ya, it was a tough time.”
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Satirical cartoonist, Terry Mosher has watched the osmosis of the Anglo community from the unique perspective of journalist and cartoonist, and has seen first-hand the community’s evolution.
“Anglos don’t get a lot of credit for fact that a lot of them stayed. Our kids are 80 per cent bilingual and that must be the highest percentage in the world.”
Two languages
This high level of bilingualism often just isn’t enough.
Many younger people continue to leave, in part because they feel language laws are too restrictive.
Families divided
Older Anglos who raised their families in Quebec have also left, afraid of ageing in a language they can’t fully grasp.
A case in point is Wheeler’s mother.
“She was worried that as she aged she might not have the services she needed,” Wheeler said.
“Would she be able to go to Emergency and get service? Would she able to get driver’s licence and speak English doing so? It’s hard for people of a certain age to improve their language skills.”
This forced division means ageing parents are often living in the province on their own, without their children and grandchildren.
Last year, Wheeler’s mother had a cancer scare, and the distance between the two added an extra level of stress.
“It drove me crazy that I was this far away from her, although what can I do?”
“I can’t stay there long-term because I have a family here that needs me and I can’t bring her here because all of her resources are there.”
Another exodus?
The recent election campaign saw the subject of leaving return to Anglo conversations.
“I don’t know anybody leaving yet – although a lot of people threatened they’d leave if the PQ had gotten a majority government.” said Josh Freed, a Montreal-based journalist who often writes about life in Quebec. “We would have lost a lot of people.”
If the PQ does win a majority in the next election, the Anglophone community may find itself in the midst of another exodus.
SOUND OFF: Is your family scattered across North America? What would it take for you to leave Quebec? Let us know on Facebook.
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