10 Quebec After WWII
Download
Report
Transcript 10 Quebec After WWII
Québec After WWII
Ch. 8 (p. 191-204)
The Duplessis Era
From Great Depression to 1959, Québec controlled
by Premier Maurice Duplessis and his Union
Nationale government
Believed in Québec nationalism, not just another province
Ruled Québec with an iron fist
Strongly anti-union, anti-communist (Padlock Law)
Encouraged foreign/outside investment in Québec
Much bribery and corruption, “kickbacks”
Defender of traditional French culture
Roman Catholic Church ran most hospitals and schools
Québec fell behind in fields of science, engineering, business
Maurice Duplessis
The Quiet Revolution
1960: Liberal Jean Lesage becomes Premier after
Duplessis dies
Election slogan: “Time for a change”
Promises to get rid of government corruption
Restrictions lifted on unions, wages go up
Modernization of Québec – “The Quiet Revolution”
Government takes control of social services and schools
Catholic Church less influential
Quebec economy increasingly controlled by Québec, specifically
Francophones (French speakers)
Gov. buys out (nationalizes) power companies, creates Hydro-Québec
Maitres chez nous – “Masters in our own house”
The Birth of Separatism
As the Quiet Revolution progressed, some
Québecois became angry over the influence of
English-speakers in Québec, and the lack of
influence Québecois had in the federal government
Not many Québec MPs in federal cabinet
Many English schools in Québec, few French schools in
rest of Canada
Québecois expected to speak English at work, in stores
Some Québecois believed separation from Canada
was the answer
The Birth of Separatism
Some young extremists join separatist terrorist groups
Felt change moving too slowly
Most prominent was Front de libération du Québec (FLQ)
1960s: Bombed mailboxes, office buildings, Montreal stock
exchange (English symbols); robbed banks; several people
killed, dozens injured
Most Québecois disapproved of actions
1968: MLA René Lévesque leaves Liberals (unhappy
with refusal to discuss separatism), forms provincial
separatist party Parti Québecois (PQ)
FLQ
p. 193
René Lévesque
Pearson’s Response
PM Pearson moved to avoid a separatist crisis
1963: Appointed Royal Commission on Bilingualism
and Biculturalism
Recommended Canada should become officially bilingual
1965: Replaced old Canadian flag based on British
Union Jack with maple leaf flag
Many English-Canadians saw this as pandering to Québec
Québecois still preferred provincial fleur-de-lis flag
Flags
Trudeau’s Response
Pierre Trudeau becomes PM in 1968
Continues Pearson’s work to keep Québec in Canada
1969: Passes Official Languages Act, making Canada officially
bilingual
Government must provide services in both English and French
French-immersion schools available across country
Appointed more French-speaking MPs to cabinet
Encourages English-Canadians to learn about Québec culture
Some Canadians in favour of bilingualism, others not
(especially in western provinces)
Many did not believe French useful to them
Felt gov. focusing too much on Québec, ignoring rest of Canada
Some Québecois felt policies not enough, wanted Québec given
“special status”, but Trudeau refused
Bilingualism
The October Crisis
October 1970: FLQ in Montréal kidnaps James Cross,
a British diplomat
Demand as ransom release of FLQ members in prison
Federal and provincial governments refuse to release FLQ
prisoners
FLQ kidnap Pierre Laporte, Québec Minister of Labour
PM Trudeau invokes War Measures Act
Believed violent revolution beginning
First time War Measures Act used when not at war
Allows police to arrest and jail suspects without warrants or trials
FLQ outlawed, troops patrol Ottawa and Montréal
450 suspects arrested during crisis, most released without charges
The October Crisis
The October Crisis
The October Crisis
The October Crisis
Much controversy over Trudeau’s use of the War
Measures Act
Many believed it went too far in taking away civil rights
PM Trudeau said it was necessary to fight terrorism
October 17: body of Pierre Laporte found in trunk
of car near Montréal airport
PM Trudeau gets more support for War Measures Act
Dec. 1970: kidnappers of James Cross found, his
release traded for safe passage to Cuba
Kidnappers of Laporte later found, convicted of
kidnapping and murder
The October Crisis
The PQ in Power
1976: PQ win Québec election, Lévesque premier
Lévesque promises to hold a referendum (vote on an issue)
on whether to separate from Canada or not
In the meantime, PQ pass Bill 101
Made French the only official language in Québec
All signs must be in French only
Provincial employees must work in French
Kids must go to French schools, unless they have an Englishspeaking parent
French-speakers in favour of Bill, felt French culture slipping away
English-speakers disagree with Bill, felt it was oppressive
The 1980 Referendum
1980: Lévesque calls a referendum
Asks for support to negotiate a sovereigntyassociation with federal government
Québec would be politically separate from Canada, but
remain linked economically
PM Trudeau against Québec separatism
Campaigns for the “non” side
Promises to negotiate a new Constitution if Québec stays
Result: 40% vote “oui” to separate, 60% vote “non”
Lévesque accepts defeat, but encourages separatists not to
give up
The 1980 Referendum
Patriating the Constitution
PM Trudeau keeps his promise, begins negotiating an
updated Constitution
Canada still governed by BNA Act (1867)
Could not be changed without permission from British
Parliament
Trudeau wants to “patriate” the Constitution (bring it
home to Canada), be able to make changes without British
permission
Wants to clarify the basic rights of Canadians
Needs support of provinces, though
Patriating the Constitution
Amending formula and rules of the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms must first be agreed upon
Provinces want more say over changing of
Constitution, possible veto-power
Provinces want to be able to opt-out of Charter
Worried that courts would become more powerful than
provincial governments
Québec afraid that Charter would be used to weaken Bill 101
1980-81: Extended negotiations between provincial
premiers and federal government largely unsuccessful
Constitutional Negotiations
Patriating the Constitution
4 Nov. 1981: final desperate attempt to come to
agreement at hotel in Ottawa
Federal Minister of Justice Jean Chrétien and a couple
provincial politicians hammer out a final agreement
between federal gov. and provinces
Called “Kitchen Compromise” or “Kitchen Accord” because
written in hotel kitchen in middle of the night
Provincial premiers woken up in hotel to sign the deal
Québec premier Lévesque staying at other hotel, surprised by deal in the
morning, refuses to agree to it, wants referendum on Constitution
Referred to as “Night of the Long Knives” in Québec
Compromise includes current amending formula and the
notwithstanding clause, allowing provinces to opt-out of
Charter
Kitchen Compromise
Patriating the Constitution
PM Trudeau goes ahead with new Constitution
without Québec’s agreement
17 April 1982: Constitution Act signed by
Queen Elizabeth II and PM Trudeau in Ottawa
Canada now completely independent, last step in
gaining autonomy from Great Britain
Many in Québec feel betrayed by federal
government and other provinces
Patriating the Constitution
Further Constitution Debate
1984: Brian Mulroney, campaigning to become next
PM, promises to “fix” Constitution so Québec would
sign it
1987: PM Mulroney holds conference with premiers
at Meech Lake, Québec, come up with several
changes to the Constitution – Meech Lake Accord
Québec to be recognized as a “distinct society”
Change to amending formula to allow provincial vetoes
More provincial control over immigration, more input in
appointment of senators and Supreme Court judges
Further Constitutional Debate
Meech Lake Accord requires all provinces to agree to
it within three years before it becomes law
Much debate over the Accord
Trudeau against the Accord, “distinct society” would isolate
Québec
First Nations argue that they should be recognized as a distinct
society as well
Many Canadians want more input into the Accord
1990: deadline to agree to the Accord passes without
Manitoba and Newfoundland agreeing, Accord fails
Many in Québec feel betrayed again, more support for separatism
MP Lucien Bouchard leaves Conservative Party and forms the
Bloc Québécois (BQ), a federal separatist party
Meech Lake Accord
Further Constitutional Debate
PM Mulroney tries again to amend the Constitution
Learned from mistakes of Meech Lake Accord
Seeks out input from Canadians on Constitutional
changes in meetings across the country
With recommendations from citizens and premiers,
comes up with the Charlottetown Accord
Québec to be recognized as a “distinct society”
Senate to be elected
Supported Aboriginal self-government
“Canada Clause” – proposed official Canadian values
Charlottetown Accord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5uLPu4G
TUQ
Further Constitutional Debate
Charlottetown Accord to be decided upon in a
national referendum in October 1992
54.5% of Canadian vote against it
Many clauses in the Accord, easy to find something to
disagree with
BC: 68.3% vote against it
Felt would give Québec too much power (min. 25% of MPs)
Québec: 56.7% vote against it
Not happy with many Senate seats going to Western provinces
Aboriginal self-government would limit power in N. Québec
Charlottetown Accord
Resurgence of Separatism
Québec frustrated with Constitution developments
Rise in support for separatism
1993: separatist Bloc Québécois (BQ) win second most
seats in federal election, becomes official opposition
1994: separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) elected provincially
Leader Lucien Bouchard
Premier Jacques Parizeau promises referendum on full
sovereignty (political independence), not sovereignty-association
1995: referendum called for October
PM Chrétien campaigns strongly for “non” side
Bouchard and Parizeau lead “oui” side
Parizeau and Bouchard
Resurgence of Separatism
Large rallies and ad campaigns held for both sides
Debate over wording of referendum question:
Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign
after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new
economic and political partnership within the scope
of the bill respecting the future of Québec and of the
agreement signed on June 12, 1995?
“Non” side believes question is confusing, unclear
Oct. 1995: “Non” side barely wins
50.6% “non”, 49.4% “oui”
1995 Referendum
Resurgence of Separatism
Aftermath
Extremely narrow margin devastating for “oui” side,
shocking for “non” side
PM Chrétien and Liberals pass the Clarity Bill
Would require a very clear question in any future referendum
on separatism
Separatism would require a “clear majority”, not just 50% + 1
What is a “clear majority”?
Support in Québec for separatism has decreased
Québec Liberal Party in power since 2003
BQ still popular in Québec, but not focused on separatism