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” 

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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) 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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  

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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 

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October 17: body of Pierre Laporte found in trunk of car near Montréal airport 

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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 

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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    

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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1994: separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) elected provincially 

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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 

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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 

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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 