Linguistic Dimension of Quebec Paradiplomacy

Abstract

The article examines the foreign activity of the Canadian Frenchspeaking province of Quebec, aimed at protecting and promoting the French language in the world. It is noted that it was significantly influenced by a specific linguistic situation in Quebec, whose inhabitants had for a long time been fighting for their linguistic rights. Of particular importance was the proclamation of the French language as the sole official language of the province of Quebec. In 1974 and 1977, respective laws have been adopted in Quebec, and the policy of francisation and aménagement linguistique has been launched. There is also a link between the process of national building that has been developing in Quebec since the early 1960s and the development of its external relations, which were aimed not only at achieving material benefits from cooperation with foreign partners (economic paradigm), but also at promoting the Quebec culture, identity and the French language (identification paradigm) on the international arena. The driving force behind the latter was Franco-Canadian / Quebec nationalism. The article focuses on the linguistic component of the Quebec-French “privileged partnership”, which has been carried on for more than half a century. It considers both separate programs aimed at solving specific  problems (developing common terminology, common norms, etc.), and the role of the language in bilateral Quebec-French contacts in general. The author also focuses on the relations between Quebec and other French-speaking countries and regions and its activities in the bodies of La Francophonie. The article analyzes the Quebec perception of international francophone cooperation. It is shown that Quebec consistently goes in for overcoming its francocentric  character, treating French as an asset of the whole world, and not as an instrument of French politics. It is concluded that for Québec the protection of the French language and its promotion in the world are of much greater importance than for France.