"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."
Unlock Montreal’s stories. Join The Main community.
Read this story free.
Enter your email to unlock your first article and get The Bulletin — our weekly roundup of food, art, and local culture.
- 5 free articles per month
- Save your favourite places & guides
- Weekly newsletter The Bulletin
- Stay connected to Montreal culture
Become an Insider.
Join a community that supports independent Montreal stories and celebrates the people shaping its culture.
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










