It is widely known that Canadian provinces possess a large set of individual characteristics and enjoy a high level of autonomy from the federal government and from each other. It is understandable in case one looks in more detail at the history of their formation and inclusion in the territory of Canada. Each province is highly specific regarding people inhabiting It, which often influences the political structure they have:
“Political scientist Steven Ullman observes that while a homogeneous political culture is detectable across a wide range of Canadian political behavior, regional political cultures can also be identified. In some instances political cultures appear along provincial and territorial boundaries, as well as in regions that may consist of one or more provinces”.
However, despite the recorded differences across Canadian provinces in terms of political culture, there is a clear Canadian National Political Culture, a common set of values, traditions and attitudes that unites the whole country. As with every political culture, the Canadian one also includes attitudes, expectations, beliefs, customers, skills, etc.
For example, the political values of the Canadian political culture mean that Canadians consider it proper and logical to pursue their own goals and interests as individuals under Canadian law. Canadian political traditions include customs legitimated by long and continued practices, like appointing Canadians as governor-general since 1952 and alternating an English-speaking and a French-speaking Canadian in that office.
As for the political culture of Quebec, it is certainly worth separate consideration. Quebec’s population is dominantly French-speaking, and the province is known for its violently negative attitude to English-speaking Canadians. This was the influential factor that shaped the unique political culture of Quebec, making it purely individualistic and separatist. Since the 1960s the struggle for the separation of Quebec from Canada has been going on intensely, though several referenda dedicated to this issue failed.
In 1982 the Quebec official authorities refused to accept the new Canadian Constitution, and later the province was recognized as a “distinct society” due to its language and community composition. The province was granted the right to veto constitutional amendments, which shows the distinct nature of the political culture of Quebec. Nowadays, however, Quebec is pursuing a much more moderate policy regarding separation, and the course of action is more focused on autonomy than independence.