The War of 1812 is one of the first battles in which francophones, anglophones and first peoples came together to defend what we now call Canada.
Quebec played a pivotal role. As our program shows, we will be looking at the war from the perspective of each of the four central actors. Quebec will be especially highlighted in two of those four perspectives.
The British felt that Quebec had the strongest and most dangerous fortifications when they tried to cross the border. The exhibit will show reproductions of Quebec's fortifications at the time. This may be an excellent chance for Quebeckers to learn something new about an event they may not be familiar with.
We have found that there is a genuine need to educate people around the country when it comes to this war, and that is what we plan to do.
In the portion of the exhibit dedicated to the Canadian perspective, once again, Quebec is given special attention. The battles at Châteauguay, for instance, and the history surrounding Salaberry will have a prominent role in the exhibit.
Francophones will obviously be a very significant part of this exhibit. We are hopeful that Quebeckers will be interested in learning a bit about their own specific heritage related to this war.