In a province where the vast majority of francophones view the Royal Family with indifference, and a vocal minority treat it with outright hostility, Mr. Boisvert says the monarchy has been the great non-partisan, unifying force in the country. It is those monarchs, he says, who nurtured democracy and individual freedom in Canada, including the province of Quebec.
“We’ve come to see these things as Western values, but the concept of liberty and democracy are, at their origins and at our origins, fundamentally British,” says Mr. Boisvert, just starting his pitch at his mom’s kitchen table.
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“In a republic like the United States, objects like the flag and the constitution are held sacred. In our system, we make our rallying point human beings, the Royal Family, the Queen,” Mr. Boisvert says.
“For 60 years, the Queen has been a model of devotion to duty. Would you prefer to pledge allegiance to a piece of fabric?”
Dieu protège la reine!
Wanted: More french-speaking Quebeckers like Étienne Boisvert.