When I applied last October, I submitted the entire application to CIC (all at once). Once the CIC approved me for sponsorship they sent the approval letter to us. I then submitted the application for the CSQ and sponsorship approval from Quebec to the MICC and included copies of the CIC sponsorship approval with the application, as was indicated in the instructions. The MICC website is a little confusing and vague. So, I followed the CIC instructions on how to submit the CIC application and the MICC instructions on how to do the MICC application for the CSQ. I did not spend too much time worrying about what the MICC said about how to submit the CIC part of the application since it is not explained as thoroughly or accurately as the CIC instructions. The CIC instruction manual very thoroughly explains how to do the CIC application and has notes for how it is different if you are in Quebec. I printed that and had to read through it a couple of times, putting post-its on the relevant sections and underlining/highlighting until I had a clear understanding of the order of things and the ways in which the application to Quebec was different.
As far as the date for the application for the CSQ.... I just looked at the new 008 form (it was a different version of that form when I applied). On the new 008 form, the first block has you choose the program for which you are applying (family, economic, etc.) People applying to immigrate come via different categories and each category has different processes and a different order of how to do things. A skilled worker does the CSQ part before the main CIC part, for example. It looks like this form can now be filled out by people coming through these different ways, so that's why there is the possibility to write the date you applied. But the family applicant submits the whole CIC part first and then waits for CIC sponsorship approval before submitting the MICC application for the CSQ. It's complicated, for sure, but you just need to go with the order in the instructions for spousal/family applications. Good luck!