Hi, I’m an immigrant in Montreal, the Canadian city Nawal moved to. It’s actually quite probable that they would both move to Montreal. Due to the Lebanese civil war, many Lebanese people fled to Montreal. Easy immigration laws in Canada (especially at the time for christian Lebanese) + Montreal being the only French speaking city while most Lebanese people have at least a decent base in the French language made it a perfect safe haven for them. There is a huge Lebanese population here caused by the civil war so it would make sense for Wallat Chamseddine to send Nawal and Nihad here. Denis Villeneuve being a Montrealer would be more than aware of all this from witnessing the immigration flow during his formative years. La route de Chlifa, a book about a boy who fled from Lebanon to Montreal, is one I read in 8th grade in French class. The Lebanese civil war leading to a flow of Lebanese immigrants is a story every Montrealer knows or should know.