Spreading culture

There’s a saying in French that culture is like jam. The less you have, the more you spread it. (La culture c’est comme les confitures. Moins t’en as, plus tu l’étends.) Quebeckers care a great deal about culture and cultural institutions. It’s something the federal Conservatives learned the hard way during the last federal election. So how culturally involved are Quebeckers? Or put another way: how much jam do they have to spread?

Here’s some data from a Statistics Canada report titled Understanding Culture Consumption in Canada published in 2005. (Catalogue no. 81-595-M No. 066)

The data is presented regionally in relation to Ontario.

Popular music performances

Quebeckers, British Columbians and those who live in the Prairies are more likely than Ontario residents to be frequent attendees.

Historic sites

Quebeckers, British Columbians and residents of the Prairies are more likely to visit historic sites. Conservation areas and nature parks Residents of Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and the Prairies are less likely than Ontario residents to be occasional and regular goers to conservation areas or nature parks. 

Public galleries and art museums

Quebeckers and British Columbians are more likely than residents of Ontario to visit public galleries or art museums occasionally and to do so as regular visitors.

Movies and drive-ins

Quebeckers, Atlantic Canadians, British Columbians and residents of the Prairies are more likely to be regular moviegoers.

Video viewing

Quebeckers are less likely than Ontario residents to watch videos on a regular basis. 

Reading books

British Columbians are more likely, and Quebeckers are less likely than Ontario residents to be frequent book readers.

Books aside, it looks like a fair amount of jam.

Comments

[Allison Hunt, HATCH Research Intelligence Inc.]

So, sounds like Ontario represents a distinct society.