| When the French first arrived in North | | | | colonial history of which runs so deep |
| America with designs on creating a 'New | | | | that its underground crypt is currently |
| France', they observed the native tribes | | | | the site of an archeological excavation! |
| of the Algonquian, Iroquoian and Inuit, | | | | Another building of historical and |
| and built their first colonies based on | | | | architectural interest is the vast |
| the fur-trading tradition of these | | | | Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal, |
| indigenous peoples. This was the | | | | designed by Irish-American architect |
| beginning of Canada's own grand | | | | James O'Donnel, whose Gothic Revivalist |
| tradition of integration, of the | | | | style again highlights the coming |
| acceptance of different cultures; a | | | | together of older European themes in a |
| tradition that - like the language | | | | more modern, North American setting. It |
| spoken by those colonizers - is still | | | | is said that O'Donnel, a Protestant, was |
| very much alive in Quebec today. | | | | so distraught at the idea of not being |
| What Canada's province of Quebec | | | | entombed in this beautiful basilica that |
| represents, then, as its French | | | | he converted to Catholocism on his |
| mother-tongue proudly proclaims, is an | | | | deathbed! |
| area of North America that, rather than | | | | Today, the city's more modern take on |
| striving for identity, has instead | | | | Quebec's tradition of multiculturalism |
| gained identity through an amalgamation | | | | is in evidence wherever you look, and |
| of other identities and cultures - a | | | | expresses itself frequently through |
| province that gains uniqueness by | | | | artistic performances and festivals, |
| mingling great aspects from many | | | | from the elegant pirouettes of Les |
| different cultures; a province that | | | | Grands Ballets Canadiens to the |
| stands singular in its multiculturalism. | | | | acrobatic barrel jumps of the |
| A great example of Quebec's | | | | avant-garde La La La Human Steps; from |
| multiculturalism can be found in its | | | | the world's largest gay-benefit dance |
| largest city, Montreal, that can be seen | | | | festival Black and Blue, to the blue |
| as a city made from cities; a place | | | | notes of the Montreal International Jazz |
| grafted from lots of different cultures, | | | | Festival. |
| from its original foundation as part of | | | | Other more modern sights include the |
| 'New France', right through its British | | | | Olympic Stadium built for the 1976 games |
| rule and development alongside the | | | | - which boasts the tallest slanted tower |
| United States, to the Montreal we see | | | | in the world - and the Underground City, |
| today - a city with enough influences | | | | the largest underground complex in the |
| and culture for three cities. | | | | world, which is home to many of the |
| As well as its language, Montreal still | | | | shopping malls, museums and hotels in |
| shows the influence of the original | | | | Montreal although surface dwellers are |
| European settlers in the part of the | | | | well catered for in this department too! |
| city known as Vieux-Montreal, or Old | | | | This majestic city, then, can boast a |
| Montreal. Some of the buildings in this | | | | level of multiculturalism most cities |
| part of the city date right back to the | | | | cannot, for Montreal has not only |
| seventeenth century, like the colonial | | | | adapted to new cultures, but its entire |
| mansion Chateau Ramezay, and the | | | | history, its charm, and its success have |
| Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel - the | | | | all relied on cultural acceptance. |