Interesting you should mention the two French islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. After the French lost the French & Indian War they ceded all of their remaining terrrotory to the British. They were allowed to keep two small islands, so that, according to my college History prof, they would have some land to support their fisheries. French fisherman would catch cod and be able to land them on their islands so that the fish could be dried, salted, and packed for shipment back to France.
If you're interested in those islands there's a french movie called The Widow of St Pierre. Didn't care for the movie much except it had the absolutely delicious Juliette Binoche in it.