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| | '''Québec''', formerly known as [[Lower Canada]], is the largest [[province]] in [[Canada]] geographically, and the second most populous after [[Ontario]]. The [[capital]] of Québec is [[Québec City]] with the largest city being [[Montreal|Montréal]]. Quebec entered Confederation in 1867 and has a total area of 1,540,680 km<sup>2</sup>. The population of Quebec was 7,546,131 in 2006, approximately 23.4% of the national total.<ref>[http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/provinces/p/quebecfacts.htm Canadaonline]</ref> | | '''Québec''', formerly known as [[Lower Canada]], is the largest [[province]] in [[Canada]] geographically, and the second most populous after [[Ontario]]. The [[capital]] of Québec is [[Québec City]] with the largest city being [[Montreal|Montréal]]. Quebec entered Confederation in 1867 and has a total area of 1,540,680 km<sup>2</sup>. The population of Quebec was 7,546,131 in 2006, approximately 23.4% of the national total.<ref>[http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/provinces/p/quebecfacts.htm Canadaonline]</ref> |
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| − | Quebec traces its roots to [[France|French]] colonization of North America prior to the [[British|English]] conquest of Canada during the French in the [[French and Indian Wars]]. Quebec still retains much of the unique French culture, although this has become distinct from the culture of France. | + | Quebec traces its roots to [[France|French]] colonization of North America prior to the [[British|English]] conquest of Canada during the [[French and Indian Wars]]. Quebec still retains much of the unique French culture, although this has become distinct from the culture of France. |
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| | The official language of the province is [[French]], although many residents are bilingual, speaking both French and [[English]]. | | The official language of the province is [[French]], although many residents are bilingual, speaking both French and [[English]]. |
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| | ==Economy== | | ==Economy== |
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| − | The per capita provincial income in 2001 was $28,756 (Cdn).<ref>[http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/Complements/Publications/ADT2003/en/2.html The Economy of Quebec and it's Regions]</ref>. This has lagged behind the overall growth of Canada, in part because of the successive seperatist governments who did not create a stable environment and their policies of large government intervention. The economy has a large aerospace and manufacturing sector, however mineral extraction and forestry also play a large role. | + | The per capita provincial income in 2001 was $28,756 (Cdn).<ref>[http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/Complements/Publications/ADT2003/en/2.html The Economy of Quebec and its Regions]</ref>. This has lagged behind the overall growth of Canada, in part because of the successive separatist governments who did not create a stable environment and their policies of large government intervention. The economy has a large aerospace and manufacturing sector, however mineral extraction and forestry also play a large role. |
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| | ==Politics and Government== | | ==Politics and Government== |
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| − | On May 20th, 1980 a seperatist government held a referendum on declaring independance from Canada. This was defeated by a 60% to 40% vote. A second referendum was held on October 31st, 1995 and saw the separatist side lose again, but by less than two percentage points. | + | On May 20th, 1980 a separatist government held a referendum on declaring independence from Canada. This was defeated by a 60% to 40% vote. A second referendum was held on October 31st, 1995 and saw the separatist side lose again, but by less than two percentage points. |
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| − | The seperatist movement has wained recently, and since 2003 Québec has been governed by a Pro-Federalist Party. On March 26, 2007, the Liberal Party of Québec, led by [[Jean Charest]], was elected to a minority government, with Mario Dumont's Action Démocratique Québec forming the official opposition. The former official opposition, the Parti Québecois led by André Boisclair, finished the election in third place. | + | The separatist movement has waned recently, and since 2003 Québec has been governed by a pro-federalist Party. On March 26, 2007, the Liberal Party of Québec, led by [[Jean Charest]], was elected to a minority government, with Mario Dumont's Action Démocratique Québec forming the official opposition. The former official opposition, the Parti Québecois led by André Boisclair, finished the election in third place. |
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| | [[Category:Canada]] | | [[Category:Canada]] |