“Je me souviens” the emotive and powerful motto of Quebec is inextricably linked to its Coat of Arms. These defining artefacts of the nation have permeated Quebecois daily life they are not only prominent features on the façade of public buildings, official communications, publications and letterheads they are the slogans on motorcar licence plates, used by the independence movement and on Quebecois plastic-water-bottles. They continue to shape the narrative of the Quebecois nation. These artefacts are integral elements of the Quebecois ‘imagined community’.
How does it shape the Nation? How does the Nation shape it?
“Je me souviens” and the Coat of arms have been pivotal in shaping the Quebecois nation. They have adorned the façade of Quebec’s National Assembly since is creation to serve the Province as a symbol of unity, that draws on a French and British past.
The Motto of the coat of arms is “I remember” which is to remind Quebecois of the good and less good past. The French independence movement occasionally uses the Motto to remind Quebecois that the British disenfranchised French settlers of their territories a fact that remains an uncomfortable memory in the minds of many. The motto rekindled the passion of the Quebecoise in 1978 when the Lévesque government replaced the “La belle province” slogan on all motorcar license plates of the province.[i] This daily reminder, to remember the past, the colonial and cultural divide of ‘us’ and ‘them’, highlights the role the Nation has in shaping the use and effect of such a motto on populations. In so doing creating an imagined community.
Eugène-Étienne Taché, the architect of Quebec’s Parliament Building invented and immortalised the motto by placing it on the coat of arms above the main entrance for all to see,[ii] the very coat of arms granted by Queen Victoria in 1868. He reported in 1883 to the deputy-minister of Public Works, that the motto was designed to evoke “all the memories” and he wanted to create a Pantheon to commemorate the heroes of Quebec’s history;[iii] his motto urges Quebecois to remember them.
This highlights the importance of each individual in the construction and plot of the national narrative.[iv] Narratives evolve over time, and the act of remembering ensures this evolution. It was not until 1939 when the motto was officially included in the heraldic description of the coat of arms, by Sir Thomas Chapais by order-in-council. Chapais remarked:
“The province of Quebec has a motto of which it is proud, Je me souviens yes, we remember we remember the past and its lessons, the past and its misfortunes, the past and its glory.” [v]
It highlights the relevance of ‘imagined communities and imagined nationalism’.[vi] The motto and coat of arms have been a ‘logo’ for the nation as a means of uniting the Quebecois to share a ‘common community’.
Does it say anything about the First Nations?
The artefacts kindle a strong sense of belonging and pride among the Quebecois. But the motto fails to “remember” the total narrative, and the Coat of Arms also remains silent on the importance of the First Nations. The First nations of Quebec, mostly Algonquian and Iroquois, sacrificed their lives in wars for Canada, whilst the Algonquian also fought with the French against the British.[vii] The Nations provided invaluable assistance to the first fishermen settlers teaching them survival techniques in the harsh Canadian climate, hunting and navigational skills as well as educating the settlers about native flora and fauna.[viii]
It appears to the casual observer that the Nations did not figure as a cultural entity that deserved public recognition in their own right unlike Colonials yet Quebec derives its name from an Algonquian word meaning ”narrow passage".
Today many people overlook the fact that the First Nations made important contributions which impact upon the original formation of Québec life. This underscores Dittmer’s notion of ‘constructed reality’[ix] through the inclusion and exclusion of events in the Quebecois narrative. “Je me souviens” commands people to remember the past however the narrative has been constructed to remember the colonial past, the British victory over the French forgetting the integral importance of the first Nations.
Was it shaped by the colonial history?
The shield features three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue background, a reminder of Royal France, which once ruled Quebec. Queen Victoria granted the coat of arms in 1868 then featuring only two blue fleurs-de-lis on a gold background of the English insignias.[x] The colours were later revised in 1939[xi] and the shield now features three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue background. The gold background reminded Quebecois too much of the British colours defeating the French Army at which point the French King was forced to surrender his territory of New France to the British Crown. “Je me souviens”- aims to ensure that this event is never forgotten. The gold lion in the shield's centre represents the British Crown that granted the shield.
Is it shaped by systems of differences?
The Constitutional Act of 1791, created two provinces, Ontario, mostly Anglophone, and Quebec, Francophone.[xii] Agnew notes that nationalism took root in 19th century Europe, which spread via colonialism[xiii] to Quebec with the coat of arms and motto underscoring nationalistic sentiments.
The Quebec Parliament governs a politically volatile and divided people with the French speakers longing to be free from British influence[xiv] to become what Cartier originally intended, a free and independent New France. Therefore the modern state is founded upon past events[xv] with the artefacts serving to emphasise this.
Quebec Cultures
The Quebec coat of arms with its simple straightforward yet compelling motto “I REMEMBER” encourages Quebecoise never to forget the journey from humble beginnings into a diverse melting pot of many cultures. The First Nations, the English and the French, as well as the many immigrants who brought with them traditions, music, food, architecture and theatre influenced its development and ‘imagined community’. The French brought with them their customs and language, which developed as the glue of the nation. The English brought with them their own style of music, dance and architecture, particularly the many Victorian style buildings.
“Je me souviens”
By Carla Rosenkotter
[i] Leib, Jonathan. "Identity, banal nationalism, contestation, and North American license plates." The Geographical Review 101.1 (2011).
[ii] Deschênes, Gaston. "Gaston Deschênes on the motto mystery: deciphering the true meaning of Quebec's famous slogan, Je me souviens." The Beaver: Exploring Canada's History Feb.-Mar. (2008)
[iii] Deschênes, Gaston. “The Motto of Quebec: ‘Je me souviens’.” Encylcopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America (2007). Canadian Government. Web. 25.09.14.
[iv] Dittmer, Jason. 2010. Chapter 4: “Narration of Nation in the Post WWII US”, in Popular Culture, Geopolitics, and Identity. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
[v] Deschênes, Gaston. “The Motto of Quebec: ‘Je me souviens’.”
[vi] Anderson, Benedict R. O'G. “Imagined Communities: Reflections On the Origin and Spread of Nationalism.” 2006.
[vii] The Algonquian also taught the French Guerrilla warfare. Nester, William R. “The Great Frontier War: Britain, France and the Imperial Struggle for North America, 1607-1755.”; Kohn, George C. “Dictionary of Wars.”
[viii] Grunert, Jeanne “Quebec Cultures”
[ix] Dittmer, Jason. 2010. Chapter 4
[x] Canadian Government. “Canadian Heritage – Quebec.” 25.09.14
[xi] By Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council
[xii] Canadian Government. “Canadian Heritage – Quebec.”
[xiii] Agnew, John. 2012. “Nationalism.” in Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Cultural Geography. Edited by Nuala Johnson, Richard Schein & Jamie Winders. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 130-145.
[xiv] In the 1950s and 1960s, the francophone majority felt like second-class citizens with little political influence, a marginalized language, living a different philosophy. These differences encouraged by the motto and coat of arms, to remember the past, have resulted in numerous advances for independence. Ljunggren, David. “Quebec tensions rise as separatists headed for election win.” Reuters. Tue Aug 28,2012.
[xv] Painter, Joe, and Alex Jeffrey. 2009. Chapter 2: State Formation, in Political Geography. 2nd ed. London: Sage. p. 19-43
References:
Anderson, Benedict R. O'G. “Imagined Communities: Reflections On the Origin and Spread of Nationalism.” American Council of Learned Societies - York University, and American Council of Learned Societies. Rev. ed. London; New York: Verso, 2006.
Agnew, John. 2012. “Nationalism.” in Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Cultural Geography. Edited by Nuala Johnson, Richard Schein & Jamie Winders. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 130-145.
Bourdeau, Valerie “How to tell if you're from Quebec” http://www.zompist.com/quebec.html viewed 25.09.14
Canadian Government. “Canadian Heritage – Quebec.” 25.09.14 http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1363282447158
Caulfield, Jon. “Visual Sociology and Sociological Vision, Revisited.” The American Sociologist 27.3 (Fall, 1996) Published
Deschênes, Gaston. "Gaston Deschênes on the motto mystery: deciphering the true meaning of Quebec's famous slogan, Je me souviens." The Beaver: Exploring Canada's History Feb.-Mar. (2008). Academic OneFile. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A177057159&v=2.1&u=monash&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=9a96db019d865043fe25c3df306a1773
Deschênes, Gaston. “The Motto of Quebec: ‘Je me souviens’.” Encylcopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America (2007). Canadian Government. Web. 25.09.14 http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/article-579/The_Motto_of_Quebec:_“Je_me_souviens”_.html
Dittmer, Jason. 2010. Chapter 4: “Narration of Nation in the Post WWII US”, in Popular Culture, Geopolitics, and Identity. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 69-90.
Gade, Daniel W. "Language, identity, and the scriptorial landscape in Quebec and Catalonia*." The Geographical Review 93.4 (2003). Academic OneFile. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A129704495&v=2.1&u=monash&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=0eed6a832e459602cdf96b7b8b1b9900
Godin, Richard. “The Parliament Building of Quebec: A Place of Memory.” Encylcopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America (2007). Canadian Government. Web. 25.09.14
Grunert, Jeanne “Quebec Cultures” http://french.lovetoknow.com/Quebec_Cultures
Grunert, Jeanne “Quebecois” http://french.lovetoknow.com/Quebecois
Kohn, George C. “Dictionary of Wars.” USA, Routledge, 2013. Print.
Leib, Jonathan. "Identity, banal nationalism, contestation, and North American license plates." The Geographical Review 101.1 (2011) Academic OneFile. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A247973044&v=2.1&u=monash&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=50a74e457149b3053abf43d06722abd3
Ljunggren, David. “Quebec tensions rise as separatists headed for election win.” Reuters. Tue Aug 28,2012. Web. 25.09.14 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/28/us-quebec-idUSBRE87R04H20120828
Nester, William R. “The Great Frontier War: Britain, France and the Imperial Struggle for North America, 1607-1755.” Westport, Conn: Praeger, 2000. Print.
Painter, Joe, and Alex Jeffrey. 2009. Chapter 2: State Formation, in Political Geography. 2nd ed. London: Sage. p. 19-43
i find it very interesting and thought provoking that they changed the original statement to something different but invoking the same action; "Remembering" the past and learning from the bad and also remembering the good. i wonder why some did not vote to change the statement to something that maybe makes them look forward to the future instead of remembering the mistakes they have made, but i do however thin this statement is much more powerful than any other would have been.
Yes Carla! There is no doubt about the irony of having a provincial motto about remembrance which clearly forgets the important contributions from the First Nations people to forming Quebec. Thank you for deciding to include their sacrifices in your description of the artifact.
Good job Carla! You did extensive research I see. Thank you for talking about an artifact that stems from Canada's past. It was truly nice to see light being shed on this motto and how you felt about the motto's implications to Quebecois daily life. I agree robert95, that although it is important for a province to remember its past, for a province like Quebec, notions of the future are just as important.