Surfing some threads today, I found myself on this ancient thread, which led me to this post. In this post, absoul claims that his experience with people from Quebec City is that they are rude and aggressive. This reminded me that it is not the first time I read something like this, on this board and others, and not only about people from the city of Quebec but the province in general (presumably French speakers): apparently we are rude and don’t seem to treat other people with respect. And this led me to wonder: is it true?
I mean, in all my dealings with my fellow Québec citizens, I have never experienced something like this. There are jerks everywhere, of course, but most of the time I’ve been treated with respect. But of course, I’m not an English Canadian or an American. So I will ask you the question, English Canadians (or Americans, or anyone else who has something to say): are we jerks? Do keep in mind that, given that the relations between French and English Canadians are strained at times, your perception of the experience you have had with us may be tainted by your expectations. When you think that someone hates you, you’re likely to very easily find hints that “prove” this feeling, even though the person may have nothing against you.
This brings me to my second point: I don’t want to look like someone who’s obsessed with what people from around the world think of my province, even though they’ve probably never heard of it. That would be rather arrogant. But I remember reading on a travel-related message board some old American woman saying she was afraid to go to the Maritimes because she’d have to pass through Québec, and she thought there was a risk the people there would see her American plates and destroy her car. So I think I am justified in asking this question: is this view common? For those who have heard of the province of Québec, what did you hear and what would you expect to happen if you came here or met someone from here?
I’m interested in your responses. Oh, and about the people from Quebec City: that city is typically seen as more “closed” and more conservative than other cities in the province. For example, it is very ethnically homogeneous, much more than Montreal. I don’t know if it may explain something, but people from there tend to be stereotyped as less tolerant.
I spent almost a week in Montreal last summer; it sounds like a cliche, but the honest truth is that the people just seemed normal – most minded their own business, some seemed friendlier than others, some seemed a bit abrupt. All in all nothing that would make me think one way or another about their politeness level. Granted, I do not speak French, and I was staying with friends who were showing me around, so my interactions with the local population were limited. (The city itself was great though – wonderful place; I’d love to go back.)
I do remember getting a smoked meat sandwich at a diner, and the waiter being very friendly. I was trying my very best to order in my non-existant French, and he was extremely encouraging about it and praised me up and down for my weak attempt. Then again, he spoke English without an accent, so I’m not sure if he was a native Quebecer.
I flew into Montreal London on what I think is a Quebecois airline – AirTransat. The people I spoke to on there were noticeably friendly. The Quebecois woman I was sitting next to recognized the stewardess as having been in her third grade class – they chatted a bit and caught up. It was probably just a coincidence, but I took it as a sign of the famous sense of community in Quebec. Also, everyone on the plane clapped enthusiastically when we landed, and seemed genuinely happy to be back in Quebec. I took that as a very positive sign.
All in all I had a great time in Quebec, and have been recommending it to all my friends. Next time I’ll make it up to Quebec City.
A guy at Bromont was pretty pissed off at first when he asked me for the time and found out I didn’t speak French, (note: I’m learning!!) but when I told him I’m from the US, he kind of went, “Oh.”
Are they? I don’t know. I doubt it. I will just relate me personal experinces:
Down here it’s New Yorkers who are consided rude. As a former/future New Yorker I don’t think so. Their just a bit abrupt. Curt. But a lot more genuninly polite and decent than a lot of outer borough* folks I know. In a big city you have to be a bit abrupt. But you can’t be rude…someone will kill you I would trust myself with a New Yorker over many a “polite” person.
*the rest of the world
Second point, the woman I work with. From Russia. The New York City of the East. A very decent woman who will (I have seen ) go well out of her way for her patients but comes off as very rude. Often. It’s a question of manner.
So I’m saying the Quebec manner might well come off that way to others. Not uncommon.
And of course there’s the rude way you have of speaking something other than English!!! You bastards!!!
Dealing with them on the phone, I’d would say more are rude then not. The same with those in Don Mills. But I don’t know if it’s necessarily an east coat CA thing, but more of an east coast mentality in general. I’d group them with those in NY.
Now, if you want to see a Quebecer and a New Yorker BOTH getting rude, set them off on the debate about which city has the better bagels! Just stand back and watch the sparks fly!
I stayed in Québec City for a couple of days in 2002. I thought that the people were very friendly. Patient too while I stumbled over my French. I remember one example especially. My guide book mentioned a beautiful chapel in one of the convents. When I got to the convent, the chapel was closed. I knocked on the front door of the convent and started into my spiel: “Bonjour ma soeur. Je suis Australien et je suis en vacances…” and before I knew it I was in the chapel while the nuns sang Vespers and then treated to afternoon tea afterwards.
I wonder how much regional rivalries play into it?
I mean, I know a lot of awesome Quebecers here, and I’ve only very rarely heard people whine about Quebecers. My parents were in Montreal in the summer and raved about how friendly everyone was. But we’re all too busy out here getting our hate on with Toronto, so we don’t really care too much about other cities or provinces.
I wonder if the snobby frenchman stereotype could play into it, maybe?
Are Quebeckers rude? It’s tough to answer questions like this since everybody has different experiences. I would answer “yes”, with several caveats. I like the French and Quebeckers, and admire many of their values and priorities.
I grew up in Ontario, took French through high school, and moved to Montreal for five years to go to McGill, between 1991-96. On areriving to Montreal, one quickly learned high school French allows you to read French without speaking Quebecois French. I also took French through university and spoke French well, although not fully fluently.
The threat of separation may have increased the stresses of living in Montreal. During my stay, I met plenty of “Anglos” who would refuse to speak French and pretty much acted like elistist jerks (maybe one would expect this at McGill). I got to know many francophones (friends/roommates/classmates/lovers), many of whom were wonderful and admirable people. I also met many rude Quebeckers who would think nothing about insulting people they didn’t think could understand them, would refuse to speak English (unless addressed in French), were exceedingly arrogant or astonishingly dishonest.
I have had very few negative experiences in Quebec City or outside of Montreal. I have heard the tourist stories and never had a negative tourist experience in Quebec – lots of good food and friendly people. Americans in particular seem to be surprised when French (and by their extension, Quebecois) don’t spit in their food – I think these stereotypes are untrue or grossly outdated. I am well travelled, still, the place where people tried to rip me off the most was Paris.
I have met a number of Quebecois when travelling and working. Quebeckers I meet during my job tend to be polite. Quebeckers I have met travelling share “perceived French” traits of being astonishingly direct and to the point (in a way some folks would consider undiplomatic) and not putting up with any crap (not a bad thing, but can rub some the wrong way).
I think some French are perceived to act in a somewhat amoral fashion, speak their minds very directly (are the Dutch rude? they do this too), tend to be proud of their language and traditions. Rude – maybe. Is this a bad thing? Sometimes.
Oddly, Quebecois who visit France tend to perceive the French as rude, from my limited experience. Folks who visit Quebec from France always seem to describe (to me) the language as “medieval” and tend to see the Quebeckers in a condescending and provincial way. Quebecois sometimes to this to Ontario and Toronto, perhaps more so in 1995 than 2005.
I think the mover in Montreal who tried to steal my stuff was rude, yeah. I’ve met plenty of rude Quebeckers. Politesse isn’t everything though – even many rude Quebeckers I know are pretty good people once you get beyond this. And many of the nicest people I know are Quebecois. But there is also a reason “shock jock” radio is more popular in Quebec than Kelowna.
I did my undergrad at McGill, so I lived in Montreal for four years (1996-2000, so just after Dr_Paprika), but in this weird little anglo/student bubble. My experience was that the people there are no more rude than the people in any big city. The only complaint I had was that most people were a little too “helpful” when I spoke French - I can speak it reasonably fluently, but my accent is atrocious if I haven’t been using it on a regular basis, so pretty much everyone tended to answer me in English. This, of course, led to me rarely getting a chance to speak French for more than a couple of minutes at a time, since almost all of my friends were also out-of-province students, and never getting up to speed enough to actually sound fluent.
I should also add that I spend three months in Drummondville on an exchange in high school, and with the usual exceptions you’ll find anywhere, the people there were lovely.
Most of the people I’ve met who swear up and down that Quebecers are intolerably rude are from Alberta. Many Albertans have a bit of a chip on their shoulders with regards to Central Canada (Ontario and Quebec), so that’s likely to be a large factor.
Now you’ve done it. From the Fairmount Bagel site:
Now I will not be able to rest until I find out where I can actually get them here. I can get Montreal-style bagels, which are good, but not quite the same.
Urban Quebecers may not tend to be instantly warm or friendly the way people from other cities in Canada might, but I’ve never felt a particular sentiment of snobbery or snot - it’s perfectly polite, just not effusive.
I would have to say that, at least in the circles where I hang out, the language/sovereignty thing has greatly weakened on an interpersonal level. People still have their convictions but they seem less inclined to take it out on one another based on their ethnicity. I think we’ve more or less gotten used to the way things are and have kind of tumbled to the notion that we may as well not make life difficult for each other.
Québécois often don’t like it when you just bulldoze into the conversation taking it as obvious they’ll speak English and acting startled that they wouldn’t – there are behaviour nuances to this. I haven’t seen anyone react sharply, but direct provocation gathers a hostile response (“Bonjour, comment puis-je vous aider?” “SPEAK ENGLISH!” “Bon ben, va chier, osti…”)
On the contrary, though, often you’ll see an interesting sort of over-solicitousness, where people go through a whole conversation with the Anglo speaking French and the francophone speaking English.
I’ve been screamed at on three occasions for speaking English or having a Canadian flag, and in all cases the person was suffering from some combination of mental upset, extreme drunkenness, and severe testosterone poisoning. I’ve only been upbraided once by an Anglo for having a Quebec flag, but in that case the person was quite sober, so I’d say it’s just about even.
It’s so funny to me how the first-level Quebec stereotype is the hon-hon sank-eaven-for-leetle-girls baguette-eating Maurice Chevalier thing, when French people and Québécois are so completely different it’s not even funny.
In my experience, folks in Montreal are comparable to NYC-ers as far as rudeness/friendliness towards strangers. Plus, add a language difference with many of them, and it feels even more cold. This stands in contrast to time I’ve spent in Toronto and felt the people there were very warm and inviting.
To specifically address the OP, I spent a few days in Quebec City (coincidentally on Jean Baptiste day) a few years back, and really liked it. I felt very welcome, despite the fact that in Quebec City there was a true language barrier (it seemed that most people did not speak english, while in Montreal it seems like almost everyone speaks it at least partially).
But, of course, it all hinges on a few experiences. But, if someone asks me to describe my neighbors to the north, “rude” is not usually the adjective that springs to mind.
My experience has been limited to one confrontation on an airplane and to several instances in SouthEast Florida; based on those encounters, I would put a bounty on the folks in question. The airplane thing could have happened with anyone. The Forida incidents stem from what is apparently the attitude that they have graced us by shining their light upon us so that everyone who lives in Florida should be properly subservient. I’m not the only Floridian who has expressed a similar sentiment.
I would trust myself with a New Yorker over many a “polite” person.