It is the morning of our last day in Quebec City. We are in the car, on our way out of town.
Tristan asks, not for the first time, if we are going back to Canada today. “We are in Canada,” I reassure him. He has not asked this question when we have visited Toronto or Kingston or any other city. I launch into a lengthy explanation about cities, provinces and countries, which takes most of the drive to the outskirts of town.
We cross the soaring Pierre Laporte bridge in silence, and as we gain terra firma on the other side, Tristan asks brightly, “Are we in Canada yet?”
How is this possible? I am fervent federalist, and yet I have given birth to a separatist.
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It must have been the bridge, either that or he overheard someone talking separatist talk
You did sorta kinda left Canada and returned. Tristan is right. In fact, I think he left his passport at our place.
I LOLed…we often get same result after very carefully thought out explanation to a question, only to hear that very same question again. I love it.
Vivre le Québec libre! Just kidding. I grew up in Montreal and seperatism is one of the major reasons I left. Yet I admit, as much as Montreal feels like home, when I moved to Ottawa I felt like I was moving to Canada.
Maybe the bridge is a visible divider for him? Or maybe he is predicting the future -have him buy some lottery tickets!
Ok, this is kind of bumming me out. I’ve been to Montreal (and loved it) but does this mean I can’t say I’ve been to Canada? Can I only say I’ve been to Quebec?