• Nationalism of French Canadians based
on long standing belief that French
language and culture were threatened
•Alberta made French illegal in
business, education and the court
system
• Conscription crises

many historians believe the death of Maurice
Duplessis (1959) was beginning of the Quiet
Revolution

Premier of Quebec and known as “le chef”

Union Nationale controlled the province
 support Catholic Church
 support the French language
 promote rural culture
 rejected “progressive” ideas

social conditions in Quebec had fallen behind the rest
of the country
 women couldn’t vote

less than a year later Liberal leader Jean Lesage
became premier
 society became more secular
 people openly questioned social standards
 education & healthcare transformed
 labour groups played a more important role
 provincial pension plan introduced

As a result of these changes, Lesage became one of the
“fathers of the Quiet Revolution”

Lesage also encouraged francophones to play a
larger role in the economy
 created Hydro-Quebec
 symbol of new Quebec
 source of pride

period of change encouraged Quebecois to
question their province’s role in Canada
 equal status in Confederation
 greater autonomy for Que.
 1962
election slogan = “Maîtres chez nous”
 Lesage’s
changes were expensive
 taxes very high
 some
felt changes too much, some felt not
enough
 1966 Union National back in power

developing sense of French nationalism
becoming “separatism”

led PM Pearson to act on the suggestion
of Andre Laurendeau (writer for Le
Devoir)

1963 Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (B&B)



found out that:




opportunities for Francophones were limited
federal civil servants knew little/no French
private businesses offered no services in French
recommended that:





examine state of French and English languages in Canada
recommendations to ensure both languages remained vital
Both English and French be declared official languages
Ontario and New Brunswick should becoming officially bilingual
Regions with at least 10% francophone population should be declared bilingual
parents should have the right choose education in either language
Report introduced the idea of Quebec as “a distinct society”
Many francophones
believed focus on
language hid bigger
issues
 Some anglophones felt
that bilingualism was
being forced on them
 some allophones felt that
they were pushed to the
side
 Canadians eventually
accepted the concept of
language equality

How important is it to you that your
children/children in your community
learn to speak a language other than
English (French in Quebec)?
• 83%
important
How important is it to you that your children/children in your
community learn to speak a language other than English (French
in Quebec)?
• 83%
important
Q.7 - If your children / children in your community
were to learn to speak another language, which
language other than English (French in Quebec)
would it be most important for them to learn?
Please note: For this question, Quebec numbers
are based on Francophone respondents only.
Those saying French in:
 Atlantic Canada: 90%
 ON: 71% (Spanish: 5%, Chinese: 7%)
 MB/SK: 64% (Spanish: 6%, Chinese: 5%)
 AB: 57% (Spanish: 15%, Chinese: 6%)
 BC: 44% (Chinese: 13%, Spanish: 7%)






The Quiet Revolution
inspired some Quebecois to
embrace the idea of Quebec
becoming an independent
state.
Most wanted to do this
peacefully but others
advocated the use of
violence to separate
1963 – the Front de
liberation du Quebec (FLQ)
launched a campaign of
terror in Quebec
Carried out bombings and
bank robberies, most in
Montreal
Targeted English owned
businesses and homes
Bombed Montreal Stock
Exchange, McGill U and
threatened Queen Elizabeth
II before royal visit

Official Languages Act, 1969
 French and English had equal status
 Government services must be
offered in either language
 federal laws provided in both
 Parliamentary debates to be
translated

Commissioner of official languages
appointed
 hear complaints
 enforce the Act

Civil servants encouraged to become bilingual

Education was key, but under provincial
jurisdiction

New Brunswick was the only officially bilingual
province in Canada

Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, 1974
 product info. must be in both languages

Parti Quebec formed in
1968 by Rene Levesque

Gradually gained
support in Quebec

Goal was to run Quebec
for Quebecois and
separate from Canada

Came to power in 1976
after corruption and
scandal discredited the
ruling Liberals
1974 French declared only official language in Quebec
 After PQ came to power they passed Bill 101 which
went further – only French was to be used in
workplaces and schools






Many in Quebec wanted a new
relationship with Canada but
not outright separation
Levesque proposed
sovereignty-association
Quebec keep Canadian currency
and trade agreements but have
own laws, citizenship and
immigration policies
PQ had promised a referendum
on sovereignty-association if
elected
P.E.Trudeau defeated by Joe
Clark in ’79, without
P.E.Trudeau to oppose the idea
Levesque thinks the time is
right for a referendum
Referendum question carefully
crafted - asked voters if they
would agree to a give the
Quebec government “a
mandate to negotiate
sovereignty-association with
Canada”
 Made to convince voters that
independent would be slow and
cautious


After 6 months out of office, P.E.Trudeau is voted back in as PM –
Levesque very disappointed

P.E.Trudeau launches a massive appeal to Quebec to stay in Canada –
promises to bring home constitution from Britain if Quebec rejects
separation

May 20,1980 – 85% of eligible voters turn out for vote

Results:

NO: wins just under 60% of vote (almost 50-50 for Fr. Speakers only)

Avoid separation

Quebec becoming prominent in Canadian affairs

P.E.Trudeau must keep promise to Quebec