Where is Quebec?

[retired2]

Where is Quebec?

In a busy Parisian cafe, a tourist is sitting alone, enjoying a creme
caramel. Another tourist approaches:

May I sit here?

No problem...

Thank you, very nice...

Are you on vacation?

Yes, I arrived yesterday...

What country are you from?

Norway. You?

From Quebec.

Quebec? I don't know Quebec...

Quebec... near the Atlantic, next to Ontario, the Great Lakes...

No, I don't know these places.

Never mind then, I'm from Canada...

Ah! Canada! Canada I know! So why you tell me you come from Quebec?

Because, my first country is Quebec!

Oh, you were born in Quebec and immigrated to Canada....

No, no, I was born in Quebec and I stayed in Quebec...

Oh, then your father is from Canada?

No, no, my father, my mother, my wife, my dog, everybody, they come
from Quebec....

So why you say Canada?

For Christ sake, because you say you don't know where is Quebec!

OK, but if you say you not know Norway, I not say that my country is Japan...

Shit! Canada isn't Japan. Canada, it's my country.

Oh, your country not Quebec anymore?...

My country is Quebec. But my country, it can be Canada too,


if the person speak to not know where is Quebec, Tabarnak!

I don't understand...

Look, it's simple: I come from the Province of Quebec, in the country of Canada.

Ok! But I didn't ask you what province you're from, I ask you what
country. Me, I come from Lofoten region in Norway, but I answer you
Norway when you ask me what country I come from...

I know, I'm not stupid, Calisse! But me, when they ask me what country
I come from, I answer Quebec. Even if it's the name of my province.
For me, it's my country.

Oh, now I understand.. You are a separatist, you want your Quebec
province to be your country...

Are you crazy, Hostie? I don't want to know nothing from that shit!

Ido not understand anything anymore.

I tell you before, it's simple! You ask me what country I come from, I
answered Quebec because Quebec is my country, but I don't really want
it to be my country, it would be too much trouble. I just want to say
it. So, why don't you just let me say it?

I'm all mixed up. You have passport from what country: Quebec or Canada?

CANADA, Hostie!

So why you not tell me Canada right away?

Because it don't feel right. For me, Canada is Anne Murray, the
Calgary Stampede, the Mounted Police, SARS, it's not my home all that.
Home, it's La Famille Plouffe, Seraphin Poudrier, La P'tite Vie, Felix
Leclerc, La Poune, Les Canadiens de Montreal, Les Bougons... Do you
understand???

Less and less...

Listen, forget all that shit. Ask me another question.

Ok, what town you come from?

Mmm..., I don't know anymore...

You not know what town you come from?

Yes, yes, I know what town I come from, but my town it merged with
another town, but soon it is going to demerge from the town that was
supposed to be my town...

Oh, that very complicated! When you write your address, what do you write?

I don't know anymore. Before, I used to write Hull, but Hull changed
to Gatineau, but they tell us to wait 3 years before stopping to write
Hull to not mix up the mailman. But now, the Liberals they pass a law
that make it ok for Gatineau to be Hull again, but I don't know if we
have to wait 3 years to be able to write Hull, or when the 3 years
are passed, if we have to write Gatineau for 3 years, and after we
write Hull. Unless, of course, the PQ come back in power and we
remerge with Gatineau, then we'll have to write Gatineau for 3 years.

I'll leave now; I my head hurts...

It's so simple Tabarnak: My town is Hull, my country is Quebec. But
if you prefer, my town is Gatineau and my country is Canada.

OK, I think I understand!

It's about time. Anyway, it was fun talking to you, if you come around
where I live; maybe you come and see me...

OK, but where? Hull in Quebec or Gatineau in Canada?

You're a pain in the ass. Forget the whole thing.

That, my friends, is the portrait of Quebec!