Quebec, Post WWIII

Assume some political catastrophe in the mid-twenty first century leads to nuclear war on the North American continent, wiping out most of the already-fragile power grid for both the US and Canada.

I'm working on a story that involves a timeline suggesting that Canada's province of Quebec holds the ability to turn the power back on sooner than others, due to its investment in hydroelectricity, and cities in Quebec were not seen as strategic targets of nuclear missiles. Due to the province's newly-found dominance , it quickly secedes from Canada and emerges as the dominant North American post-war nation.

Thoughts? I could use some constructive criticism. :biggrin:

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With 1950's nor early 1960's nuclear war you don't ruin North America so badly that USA and Canada would collapse. And you hardly even need WW3 getting independent Quebec.

And on you scenario Quebec should anyway deal with radiation and nuclear winter. If Canada and USA are ruined, Quebec hadly is on very good condition too.
 
You'll need a less vague PoD for it to work if you look into Quebec history. From 1944 to 1959, the province is under Duplessis and seriously ultraconservative. The nassive Hydro projects happen in the 1960s all the way to the 90s. It took serious time and investment for Quebec to build the infrastructure needed to be near-fully dependent on hydro power. A mid-20th century 'event' is far too early.

Plus, and as much as it hurts me to say since I'm from around there, Montreal wouldn't survive a nuclear war. It was far too important to ignore as basically Canada's second (and later third) capital.

Also why the PoD is important: before the 1960s, separatist movements were weak and lacked popular support. A post-war state, regardless if it is controlled by Quebec or anglophones, will be called Canada. Before the sovereignty movement took off, French Canadian nationalism was more prevalent, which entailed that French Canadians were the 'true' Canadians. That was before modern Canadian nationalism took off, of course.

Why is Toronto that capital, anyways?

Finally, I have to say that your French is great with a couple of exceptions:

Province de l'Ontario
Province de l'Illinois
Province de l'Ohio
Province de la Nouvelle Écosse
Province de l'Île de Rhode

The l' is important when the name starts with a vowel and some names require le or la, but I'm not sure why. Of course, the la at the beginning of the name is fine and needed in speech, but usually omitted on maps.

I'm done nitpicking, now. :oops: I like that flag, though I usually suggest the Patriotes' flag for independent French Canadas/Quebec pre-1948.
 
Even in a more limited WWIII, Canada is still a member of NATO and ergo a likely target of nuclear strike by the Soviets. Montreal, Halifax and Toronto are marked for death. New York, Boston and Philadelphia would be hit at a minimum anyway out of that newer, bigger Quebec. And even if nothing hit Quebec itself radiation and fallout would be an issue.

Might I suggest a POD that has the US collapsing for some reason and Canada occupies the northeast? You may need to take it back before 1900 though.
 
In a major nuclear exchange you'll have massive fallout across Quebec from hits in the upper midwest on cities, as well as the tail end of fallout from the minuteman fields in the Dakotas. Of course a number of Canadian cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal will be vaporized. Assuming you'll get some level of nuclear winter, much of the OTL Province of Quebec will have an already short growing season reduced to the point where only greenhouse crops will make it. Having a reliable food supply is something any country needs to survive, let alone expand.

Tant pis, mais c'est la vie, c'est la verité. I'm afraid the motto will change to nous nous oublions.
 
You'll need a less vague PoD for it to work if you look into Quebec history. From 1944 to 1959, the province is under Duplessis and seriously ultraconservative. The nassive Hydro projects happen in the 1960s all the way to the 90s. It took serious time and investment for Quebec to build the infrastructure needed to be near-fully dependent on hydro power. A mid-20th century 'event' is far too early.=

What if low range nuclear weapons were used, like in Jericho? The event would be in a future timeline, probably occurring in the 2050s or 2060s. (I'm a noob.)
 
What if low range nuclear weapons were used, like in Jericho? The event would be in a future timeline, probably occurring in the 2050s or 2060s. (I'm a noob.)
Well, then, the question becomes: if the nukes dropped and Canada was a target, why wouldn't they try to destroy the power infrastructure? Bombing the hydro plants in the north would completely destroy Ontario, Quebec and cripple the US Northeast?

Of course, if the bombs don't drop in Canada at all, they have a massive advantage, but it would be nigh-impossible for Quebec to split away. If anything, unity in the face of the world ending would be strenghtened.

And hey, dom't worry, we were all noobs at one point.
 
If the nuclear war is bad enough that America is beaten that badly then it's also bad enough that Montreal, Gatineau and Quebec City don't make it either. And without them there's hardly a Quebec left.
 
Assume some political catastrophe in the mid-twenty first century leads to nuclear war on the North American continent, wiping out most of the already-fragile power grid for both the US and Canada.

I'm working on a story that involves a timeline suggesting that Canada's province of Quebec holds the ability to turn the power back on sooner than others, due to its investment in hydroelectricity, and cities in Quebec were not seen as strategic targets of nuclear missiles. Due to the province's newly-found dominance , it quickly secedes from Canada and emerges as the dominant North American post-war nation.

Thoughts? I could use some constructive criticism

Congrats Quebec is now Defacto American as the Americans compose 90% of the population
 
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