Quebec – A question of Separation:
Quebec – A question of Separation:
• The relationship between Canada and Quebec is one of the most fundamental issues facing Canada today.
Background:
• The 1960’s a time of tension and unease in Canada.
• The visit of France’s President, CHARLES De GAULLE, created an incident that rocked the Centennial celebrations. (pg. 283)
• He came to Canada at the invitation of the Quebec Government.
• At a reception held by the city of Montreal, he appeared on a balcony to address a wildly cheering crowd.
• He told the people that he felt that day as he had on the day France was liberated from the Nazi’s in 1944.
• He ended his speech with the resounding cry. “VIVE le QUEBEC LIBRE!” (“LONG LIVE FREE QUEBEC!”)
• This was a well known slogan of Quebec separatists since 1963.
• De Gaulle seemed to be giving his enthusiastic support to the separatists in their struggle for “LIBERATION” of Quebec.
Quebec before the Quiet Revolution:
• The SEPARATISTS were a small group in 1967, but feelings of loyalty to French Canadian traditions and values among Quebeckers were strong.
• MAURICE DUPLESSIS was Premier of Quebec from 1936-1939, and again from 1944-1959.
• He dominated his UNION NATIONALE Government.
• He was determined to stop any federal government interference in Quebec’s affairs and to develop Quebec’s resources.
• He refused some federal programs and grants for education and healthcare that would affect traditional life and values in Quebec.
• Under him Quebec became more urban and industrialized.
• BUT he emphasized traditional ways and values.
• Quebec society was largely closed to outside influences.
• In 1959, he died, and his “iron hand” rule was over.
• Pressures for change were almost immediate.
• But the real change came when JEAN LESAGE was elected in 1960 this was the beginning of the QUIET REVOLUTION.
The Quiet Revolution: (pg. 280)
• This new government promised to do 2 main things:
1. Improve the economic and social standards of the people of Quebec.
2. To win greater recognition for ALL French-speaking people and give them greater control over their own futures.
• These changes under Lesage became known as the Quiet Revolution.
• Actions:
a. Take control of the hydro-electric companies.
b. Build a huge Power Dam, to bring back engineers.
c. “MAITRES CHEZ NOUS” – “Masters in our own house.”
d. Replace programs that use to be run by the church – hospital insurance, etc
e. Modernization of the school system.
• These actions created a lot of tenses between French and English speaking people in Quebec.
Separatism Movement: (pg. 281-282)
• Some Quebeckers suggested that the only solution was SEPARATISM.
• This means “the desire of a province to break away from the Canadian union.”
• During the Revolution, a small but influential group began to talk seriously about separation.
• They demanded immediate independence for Quebec.
• They argued that as long as Quebec was associated with the rest of Canada, French Canadians would NEVER be treated as equals.
• FLQ – FRONT de LIBERATION du QUEBEC was founded in 1963, a radical group of separatists.
• They had no leader, but were a collection of separate cells or groups.
• Their idea was to use terrorism as a weapon to achieve independence. They killed at least 1 person in bombings in Montreal.
• In 1963, DANIEL JOHNSON was elected as leader of the Union Nationale.
• He warned Ottawa that unless Quebec was given “Special Status” in Confederation, it would have no choice to go its own way.
• The independence movement continued to gain momentum.
• In 1968, RENE LEVESQUE formed the PARTI QUEBECOIS.
• He spoke about Quebec’s rights and the wrongs that had been done to the French Canadians.
• He proposed SOVEREIGNTY for Quebec.
• This means “the future for Quebec was as an independent country, running its own affairs without interference from the rest of Canada.”
Responses to the Independence Movement:
• The Canadian government realized that Quebec was changing dramatically during the Quiet Revolution.
• There were new ideas and attitudes in Quebec that had to be addressed by the federal government.
The October Crisis, 1970: (pg. 328-329)
• By 1970, the FLQ had committed dozens of robberies to get money, dynamite, and weapons to support its cause.
• In October they began kidnapping important English speaking people and sending out lists of demands.
• The Quebec government asked the Federal government to send in support.
• The response was heavily armed soldiers occupying the streets of Montreal.
• The government also used the WAR MEASURES ACT to deal with would be suspects.
• Crisis over.
• Many Quebeckers supported the steps Ottawa had taken in the heat of the crisis, but the idea that Canadian soldiers had to move in to keep the peace was disturbing.
• Bitterness still lingers among hundreds of people who were arrested during the crisis for nothing more than their nationalistic beliefs.
The Language Crisis: (pg.330-331)
• Quebec was facing another crisis in the 1970’s.
• Before W.W.II the birth rate among French Canadians had been the highest in Canada.
• By 1970, it was the lowest. At the same time, an increasing number of non-speaking immigrants were coming to Quebec.
• Most of these people settled around Montreal, and preferred to educate their children in English.
• The Quebec government became increasingly concerned about the survival of French culture.
• They believed protecting the French language was the most important way to keep French culture alive.
• In 1974, BILL 22 was introduced. It proclaimed FRENCH the official language of the civil service in Quebec.
• This Bill was brought in by ROBERT BOURASSA.
• Some people in Quebec felt that this did not go far enough, they felt FRENCH should be the only language in Quebec.
Parti Quebecois Victory: (pg. 331-332)
• By 1976, Levesque and the Parti Quebecois won the provincial election.
• This marked for the 1st time; Quebeckers had an elected government dedicated to establishing an independent Quebec.
• This also marked a challenge to the Canadian union.
• Once in power they scraped BILL 22 and replaced it with BILL 101.
• This Bill went even further than Bourassa’s; more restrictions were placed on the use of languages other than French in Quebec.
The Referendum of 1980: (pg.376-377)
• Levesque promised that his government would hold a referendum before making any move toward independence.
• By 1980, the Parti Quebecois was ready to give Quebeckers a chance to vote on their future.
• Levesque knew that only a minority wanted outright independence, so he proposed the SOVEREIGNTY ASSOCIATION.
• Quebeckers were asked to vote “oui” or “non” to giving the Quebec government a “mandate to negotiate sovereignty association with Canada.”
• The campaign was intense.
• On MAY 15th, 1980, Canada held its breath as Quebec voted.
• 60% voted “non,” and 40% voted “oui.”
• Sovereignty association had been rejected, at least for the time being.
Meech Lake Accord, 1987: (pg.378-379)
• When he came to power in 1984, BRIAN MULRONEY vowed to end the bitterness between Quebec and the rest of Canada over the Constitution.
• In 1987, he persuaded all the premiers, meeting at MEECH LAKE, to hammer out a new constitutional agreement.
• It failed horribly, still problems between English and French Canada’s.
The Charlottetown Accord, 1992: (pg.380)
• Many Quebeckers interpreted the defeat of the Meech Lake Accord as a rejection of Quebec by the rest of Canada.
• Premier Bourassa decided he would a referendum on independence in 1992, if Canada did not accept Quebec’s proposals.
• In October 1992, the CHARLOTTETOWN ACCORD was presented to the people of Canada.
• The people of Canada defeated this Accord in a Referendum in 1992.
The Quebec Referendum of 1995: (pg.381-382)
• Another referendum on separation.
• The closest yet to sovereignty for Quebec.
• The results:
➢ 94% voter turnout.
➢ 2 362 648 voted “non”
➢ 2308360 voted “oui”
➢ “Non” won by 1.2%.
Which Way Are We Going – One Nation or Two?
• Since 1995, we have seen the formation of a new Federal Separatist Party known as the BLOC QUEBECOIS.
• For a period of time they become the official opposition in Ottawa. This gave them a platform for making Quebec’s demands heard across the country.
• Like the Parti Quebecois they are fighting for sovereignty for Quebec.
• In 2007, this party is still around today, but their impact is starting to diminish.
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