The Quebec
Question
Why is Quebec’s relationship
with the rest of Canada so
important?
Learning goals:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:


describe the changes made during the Quiet
Revolution in Quebec
assess the positive and negative effects of the
Quiet Revolution
First, a video clip
 http://www.nfb.ca/fil
m/sweater/
The Hockey Sweater
The ‘Rocket’




Maurice ‘Rocket’
Richard was captain and
scoring leader of the
Montreal Canadiens
considered a hero to
Quebecers
his suspension by English
NHL president Campbell
caused a riot in Montreal
(March 17, 1955)
Became a symbol of the
struggle of French
Canadians in Canada
Duplessis’ Quebec

Quebec Premier 1936-1939,
1944-1959 until he died
(Union Nationale)

wanted traditional life and
values

kept federal government
interference to a minimum

allowed English investment in
Quebec – controlled good
paying jobs
Results of Duplessis’ rule

French Canadians did not
get the education needed to
be competitive in the postwar era (ex. science,
engineering…)

big business belonged to
English speaking
Canadians

French Canadians felt like
2nd class citizens in their
own country
The Quiet Revolution


by 1960, Jean Lesage and the Liberals
promised a ‘Quiet Revolution’ in
Quebec
Lesage introduces key changes:






modernized education system
joined Canada’s Medicare program
limited influence of Catholic Church on
education
nationalized companies (ex. Hydro
Quebec)
made French the language of the
workplace
used key slogans to gain support:

‘maitres chez nous’ (masters in our
own house, je me souviens (I will
remember), la survivance (survival of
French)
Outcomes of the Quiet
Revolution



French Canadians realized
the extent of the
discrimination they had
endured.
French Canadian and
English Canadian
relations now tense
Some felt he didn’t do
enough – rise of
separatist groups (FLQ
bombings 1960’s)
Quebec Part
2
The rise of the Separatist Movement(the 1960’s and 70’s)
- wanting to make
Quebec an
independent country
- from ‘separate’ = to
divide into parts
SEPARATIST
- wanting to leave a
union or
confederation
- noun is ‘separatism’
Events leading
to the
Separatist
Movement
Quebec in the 1960’s present
Expo 67

Canada (Montreal) hosts the World
Fair - celebrates our centenary (100
years)

50 million visitors from 60
countries visited

French president Charles DeGaulle
delivers a speech to a roaring
enthusiastic crowd
 “vive le Quebec libre”
 viewed as a rallying cry
for Quebec separation
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE:
Royal Commission Bilingualism and
Biculturalism
Recommendations


Canada should be a billingual country
Eng & Fr. Official languages of parliament and
federal courts
Results:



Suggestions are adopted, and become official
1968: The Official Languages Act-Canada is officially
bilingual (civil service, signage, packaging, etc)
STILL NOT ENOUGH!!!
The October Crisis!!!




a radical separatist group called
the FLQ (Front de Liberation du
Quebec) demands action in 1970!
kidnapped political figures
(British Diplomat and Quebec
Cabinet Minister)
resort to murder when demands
not met
Trudeau invokes War Measures
Act to stop them!
A Brief History
Rise of the Parti Quebecois
 Rene
Levesque forms a new
party (PQ) and becomes
Premier of QUE. in 1976
 promises major changes!
 introduces Bill 101 – the
‘sign law’
 holds a referendum on
Quebec sovereignty –
Trudeau fights for Canada!
Result of 1980 Referendum
 Levesque’s
Yes side 40%
 Trudeau’s No side wins 60% of the vote
 Referendum:
process that allows every
citizen say on some question of
importance to a nation or community.
Other events in the Separatist
Movement
 1982
Constitution debate (Que. Doesn’t sign it)
 1990 Meech Lake Accord - conference (try to change the
Constitution)
 1992 Charlottetown Accord - conference (same as above)
 1995 Referendum on separation – so close!!! (49.4% YES
and 50.6% NO)