FAMILY TRANSFORMATIONS ACROSS THE CANADIAN AMERICAN BORDER - WHEN THELAGGARD BECOMES THE LEADER/

The United States and Canada have experienced similar demographic tren ds over the past 50 years: the decline in fertility observed after the post-war ''baby-boom'', the decrease of nuptiality that began in the 1970s, and the subsequent increases in divortiality and common-law mar riages have significantly altered the conjugal and familial trajectori es of both Canadians and Americans. In spite of these similar trends, certain differences do, to however, separate the two countries. First, the demographic changes began to occur later in Canada, bringing some analysts, such as Ryder, to declare this country to be ''generation b ehind'' its southern neighbor, at least concerning the level of fertil ity. Recently, several of Canada's family life indicators have reverse d the traditional trends, with a surge forward which may bring them cl oser to being ''a generation ahead'' of those in the US, as we show in this article. We also point to the fundamental role of trends in Fren ch-speaking Quebec in distinguishing Canadian demographic indicators; without Quebec's specific conservatism in the past and today's tremend ous reversal of its marital and fertility behaviors, Canada's kinship with the US would be far more obvious.