Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month

InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
|
Advertise
The Main Logo
Magazine
Categories
  • Arts & Culture

    Creativity, heritage, and expression.

  • Beyond Montreal

    Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

  • Design

    The best of Montreal design.

  • Food & Drink

    La bonne bouffe.

  • History

    Stories, lessons, and context.

  • Bulletin

    Our weekly newsletter.

  • See all original stories
City Guides
Popular Guides
  • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
  • Best NEW Restaurants
  • Best Cafés
  • Unique Boutiques
  • Romantic Restaurants
  • Best Bookstores
  • See all Guides
Directory
Neighbourhood
  • Downtown
  • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
  • Mile End
  • Mile-Ex
  • Saint-Henri
  • See All
Business Type
  • Restaurant
  • Café
  • Boutique / Store
  • Bar
  • Bakery
  • See All
Near the Metro
  • Peel
  • Mont-Royal
  • Place-Saint-Henri
  • Place-d'Armes
  • Jarry
  • View all
Shop
Subscribe
Subscribe

Montreal's Cultural Directory

Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

Leave feedback

For partnerships and collaborations:

partnerships@themain.com

Explore

  • About us
  • Shop
  • Advertise
  • Pitch us

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tiktok
  • Linkedin

Resources

  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy

The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    1. Articles
    2. Arts & Culture

    Esti d'franglais podcast captures Montreal's bilingual reality the way politicians won't

    Putting the city's code-switching culture on record, one episode's sparked more honest conversation about Quebec identity than most news panels can manage in a season.

    By J.P. KarwackiMarch 27, 2025 - Read time: 6 min
    Esti d'franglais podcast captures Montreal's bilingual reality the way politicians won'tJulien Corrado (left) and Kyle Christopher Smith (right), hosts of the Esti d'franglais podcast. | Photograph: @villedupluie

    "Do you consider yourself Québécois, even though you're anglophone and your family has been here for at least three generations?" Julien Corrado asks, his question cutting straight to the identity anxiety that haunts many Montreal anglophones.

    "I want to be," Kyle Christopher Smith responds without hesitation. Born at the legacy site of Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital, he grapples openly with the question that many avoid. "I was living in Calgary, then I moved back and was struggling (with it): Is my identity Canadian or Québécois?"

    "I speak French, but with a really anglophone accent," Kyle continues in French, switching seamlessly before going back to English. "Do I identify as a Québécois? I truly want to be, but does Québec want me to identify (myself that way)? I'm not sure."

    Must be logged in

    Join The Main free and keep reading.

    Create a free account.

    Create a free account to unlock this story and get 3 articles a month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

    • 3 free articles per month
    • Save your favourite places & guides
    • Weekly newsletter The Bulletin
    • Stay connected to Montreal culture

    Become an Insider.

    Unlock unlimited access, exclusive guides, and member perks — and help support the independent Montreal stories we publish every week.

    Subscribe
    • Unlimited access to all stories
    • Exclusive features & local insights
    • Special offers and event invites
    • 10% off in our shop
    • Support local storytelling

    Already a member? Sign in

    Latest Stories

    Opinion

    Letter from the Editor: Favourite stories from 2025

    JAN 1
    Letter from the Editor: Favourite stories from 2025
    Newsletter

    The Bulletin: Welcome to a brand new year, Montreal [Issue #162]

    JAN 1
    The Bulletin: Welcome to a brand new year, Montreal [Issue #162]
    Arts & Culture

    The best things to do this weekend (Jan 1 to 4, 2026)

    DEC 31
    The best things to do this weekend (Jan 1 to 4, 2026)
    Food & Drink

    What defined Montreal's dining scene in 2025, and what's coming in 2026

    DEC 30
    What defined Montreal's dining scene in 2025, and what's coming in 2026
    Food & Drink

    Montreal's most exciting openings and heartbreaking closures of 2025

    DEC 29
    Montreal's most exciting openings and heartbreaking closures of 2025
    logo

    Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.

    Mr. Sign x The Main "Dep" Bundle

    Mr. Sign x The Main "Dep" Bundle

    $50.00

    Mr. Sign x The Main “Dep” Tee

    Mr. Sign x The Main “Dep” Tee

    $30.00

    Mr. Sign x The Main “Dep” Tote

    Mr. Sign x The Main “Dep” Tote

    $30.00

    Support local

    Shop All Merch
    The Bulletin: The raw energy of collisions, crossovers, and reinventions [Issue #122]

    Previous

    The Bulletin: The raw energy of collisions, crossovers, and reinventions [Issue #122]

    Next

    The dining theatrics and dark history of Montreal's infamous restaurant Au Lutin qui Bouffe

    The dining theatrics and dark history of Montreal's infamous restaurant Au Lutin qui Bouffe