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