Beer! Well, ba-god-damn eh! Je suis un demi-Acadian. LeBlanc-Melanson on my other's side. Goes back at least six generations.

Re the success of the French culture in Canada. In Quebec, they retained the Civil Code, etc, etc, etc, and there was a lot of them. In Acadie, they were tread upon right up until about 50 years ago... ask my mother... ask any Acadian. They have a vibrant culture, against all odds.

I live in Moncton, New Brunswick, which is about 35% Acadian and 35% Irish descent.

I won't lecture about the expulsion (BTW... the expulsion was 1755.) Anyone can Google that. Google Colonel Monkton (Monckton) and read about his systematic slaughter, his razing of properties, and other atrocities on the Rivers Petitcodiac and St. John and their tributaries. Oh yeah, he wasn't too awful friendly to some of the Natives either.

Just one more thing for those not aware... most Acadians are first and foremost Canadians and they don't like Quebecois.