Québec After WWII
Ch. 8 (p. 191-204)
The Duplessis Era
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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
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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
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Maurice Duplessis
The Quiet Revolution
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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”
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Flags
Trudeau’s Response
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Pierre Trudeau becomes PM in 1968
Continues Pearson’s work to keep Québec in Canada
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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1980: Lévesque calls a referendum
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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”
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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)
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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
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Patriating the Constitution
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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
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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
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4 Nov. 1981: final desperate attempt to come to
agreement at hotel in Ottawa
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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
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Further Constitutional Debate
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Meech Lake Accord requires all provinces to agree to
it within three years before it becomes law
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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
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Meech Lake Accord
Further Constitutional Debate
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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
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Québec to be recognized as a “distinct society”
 Senate to be elected
 Supported Aboriginal self-government
 “Canada Clause” – proposed official Canadian values
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Charlottetown Accord
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5uLPu4G
TUQ
Further Constitutional Debate
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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
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Charlottetown Accord
Resurgence of Separatism
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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
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Parizeau and Bouchard
Resurgence of Separatism
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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
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50.6% “non”, 49.4% “oui”
1995 Referendum
Resurgence of Separatism
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Aftermath
Extremely narrow margin devastating for “oui” side,
shocking for “non” side
 PM Chrétien and Liberals pass the Clarity Bill
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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
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