A distinct society in Covid response

The French Canadian consensual instincts triggered by the pandemic was no surprise

“ Down-to-earth, egalitarian, and consensus-driven, the New French have recently been demonstrated by pollsters to be far and away the most liberal people on the continent. Long oppressed by their British overlords, the New French have, since the mid-twentieth century, imparted many of their attitudes to the Canadian federation, where multiculturalism and negotiated consensus are treasured.”

Colin Woodard, American Nations, 2011

This innate openness for novelty and cultural trait for consensus-driven decision-making, as perceptively identified by Woodard here above, provides an interesting framework in understanding Québec’s Covid response.

How come we approached this crisis differently than other jurisdictions ?

Many observers (local and foreign) have noticed since March 2020 that Québec’s government seems to have emulated (some might say tested) every single extreme Covid non pharmaceutical measure experimented around the globe; far more than its immediate neighbours.

• Mask mandates

• Business closures

• Regional blockades

• Travel restrictions

• Private gathering limits

• Curfews

• Police enforcements

• Expensive fines

• Colour coded zones (alert level)

• Public shaming encouraged by the state and through heavily subsidized media outlets

• And now the only vaccine passport coming into effect in all of the Canadian provinces.

Of course, not all of these measures were applied at the same time but the above mentioned examples have all been tried at some point throughout this crisis and were implemented at various stages of the numerous waves of infections.

Regardless of the timeline, compared to the ROC (Rest Of Canada) and many US states, the French Canadian province has distinctly been the most aggressive in implementing strong measures in the hopes of controlling the spread and protecting its already fragile health system.

Once the main political leaders gave the direction to the population - with daily press conference at the beginning - the vast majority jumped on board and quickly expected the same of their fellow Québécois.

In the face of an external menace, Québec’s typical consensual driven politics and public policies was thus in high gear once again.

Even media outlets, normally democracy’s watch dogs, put their guards down and essentially stopped challenging the government decisions. Open debates on TV or in the media in general were basically stifled and rapidly being shut down. Something that was still possible in the US, UK and France.

The various oppositions in parliament basically gave a blank check to the Prime Minister for the first year of the crisis. They were, as we say, MIA (missing in action).

In short, Québec’s civil society incapacity to openly debate tense public issues became obvious once again. Public discourse with an approach of “agree to disagree” has never been a strong quality for French Canadians that are naturally averse to confrontation.

You’ll have to trust me on this one, I’m a home grown child of this culture and that’s just the way it is.

(Subject to be further explored in a future essay)

---

Coming back to the health system, the universal coverage in the province - and the rest of Canada for that matter - has also become such a sacred cow that it is almost impossible to challenge or question its efficiency (or lack thereof).

Some observers, like Robert D. Kaplan (a keen travelling foreign affairs writer), would go as far as including such governmental institutions to be part of our national identity in Canada.

“ Canada has never had a clear-cut historical mission, except, perhaps, providing for its own survival. Polls show that Canada’s identity rests heavily on its social service institutions, such as national health care, which are deteriorating.”

Robert D. Kaplan, An Empire Wilderness, 1998

True, this particular characteristic encompasses most of Canada and as influenced to some extent the Covid response in other provinces too but in Québec however, combined with the above mentioned other cultural traits, it led to an “obsessive” level decision-making process that justified any new Covid rule morally acceptable as long as it was to save (sic) the health system.

In the meantime, no structural and organizational improvement has been proposed by the government. As if fundamentally questioning this institution would be the equivalent of questioning our own identity. Kaplan was unfortunately right on point.

---

With all that has been described above, not surprisingly, others have noticed that the population of the province was also more compliant than other countries when it came to respecting the imposed measures.

See extract from a Canadian media below at the beginning of the crisis:

Given the nature of the political culture in Québec, all of these outcomes were predictable. Not to mention the common assertion that Québécois are politically driven by their emotions, in opposition to reason.

On that claim, we have to turn to Alexis de Tocqueville. During one of his trip to North America back in the 19th century, he eloquently captured the essence of the culture he encountered while travelling in the St-Laurence valley.

Note that “Canadians” at that time referred to French descendants born in New France.

“ On ne sent ici en aucune façon cet esprit mercantile qui paraît dans toutes les actions comme dans tous les discours de l’Américain. La raison des Canadiens est peu cultivée, mais elle est simple et droite, ils ont incontestablement moins d’idées que leurs voisins, mais leur sensibilité paraît plus développée; ils ont une vie de coeur, les autres de tête.”

Alexis de Tocqueville, Regards sur le Bas Canada, 1831

“ We do not feel here in any way this mercantile spirit which appears in all the actions as in all the speeches of the American. The reason of the Canadians is little cultivated, but it is simple and straightforward, they undoubtedly have less ideas than their neighbours, but their sensitivity seems more developed; they have a life of heart, the others of head.”

Alexis de Tocqueville, Views of Lower Canada, 1831

Tocqueville’s perceptions were also a fair assessment and are still valid centuries later.

This short essay must not be taken as a jab towards my fellow compatriots but rather a reminder of who we truly are as a people. A rather open and easy going nation but with a neurotic feeling that we will never fully emancipate ourselves politically.

As a nation, we have accustomed ourselves to this situation in the geopolitical arena while still remaining strangely confident for the future of our people. Since we are a relatively small population (culturally speaking), our historical position of weakness within the continent probably drives us to avoid internal conflicts as something we just can’t afford to pursue, for it could mean the end of our peculiar collective journey.

Thus, our particular brand of response to a crisis.

Looking forward to your comments.

---