 Louis
Hébert came to New France in 1617 with his wife and three children.
He was ceded 10 arpents of land near the site of the present cathedral
of Québec and became known as the first farmer to cultivate
land in the colony.
Throughout the history
of New France, agriculture traditionally took second priority to
establishing trade. Nevertheless, immigrants over the years have
continued to take up farming the land as their way of life.
In 1929, Jean Roussel's
father wanted to immigrate from France to farm in Canada. But he
couldn't leave because his mother was too old. Jean took up his
father's dream and came to Canada when he was twenty years old.
The farm he bought in 1971 measured 90 acres and the soil hadn't
been tilled for fifteen years. He had to clear the land and level
the land, gradually building up his farm, much like Louis Hébert
would have done centuries ago. Now his roots are in Québec
and his farm is thriving, ready for his children to take it over.
What role has agriculture
played as a running motif in Canadian immigration?
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