Catholic Majority Largely Isolated

September 9, 2007

Author: JEFF HEINRICH

Source: The Gazette

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=7851eec4-c1aa-448b-8a65-fafd6eb38a7b&p=2

"It depends where you live in Quebec. If you want to meet Protestants, it's practically only possible in the Eastern Townships, Montreal, the Gaspé or the Outaouais. For Jews, it's mostly in the Montreal region, and the same for Muslims. That's where people are concentrated."

The other factor limiting contact is sheer numbers - of the 7.7 million people in Quebec, there simply aren't all that many who aren't of French-Canadian and Catholic stock, Proulx added.

"You've got 300,000 Protestants, 98,000 Jews and about 120,000 Muslims. Add to that the linguistic factor, the number who don't speak French, and you can see why contact is going to be limited."

"It's rather surprising that the percentages of people in the poll who said they're in touch with Jews and Muslims is so high," he said. "To me, that's a positive sign, because despite what we think the majority is saying, it actually has quite a bit of contact with these tiny minorities."