Perceptions around English-French Relations in Quebec and in the ROC

May 13, 2025

Not surprisingly the perceived state of relations between English and French speakers in Canada underlie tensions between Quebec and the rest of the country. Amongst several observations, this finding is confirmed in an April 2025 Leger survey for the Association for Canadian Studies which reveals that almost all Quebecers that see relations between Quebec and the rest of Canada as bad also view badly the relationship between English and French speakers across the country. Quebecers feel that relations between (reconciliation) English and French speakers in Canada not as good as relations between indigenous and non-indigenous persons. In the rest of Canada, there is a greater concern over the State of relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, especially on the Prairies. Indeed Quebec francophones don’t see much difference in the state of their relationships with English-speaking Quebecers and English speakers in Canada outside of Quebec as the perception is that relations are worse between English and French speakers in Quebec than they are between English and French speakers in Canada. The survey reveals that young Quebecers are far less likely than others to see the relationship between English and French speakers in the province as good. As PM Mark Carney has reframed the department of Canadian Heritage as “Culture and Identity” it will important to see what measures are introduced to make progress on reconciling divides across language lines. These findings emerge from a survey conducted by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies over the period April 17-19, 2025.with1603 respondents in Canada. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1603 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.