Quebecois Nationalism The history of the struggle.

A Brief Timeline French spend the winter on an island in the St. Croix River between present day New Brunswick and Maine Port Royal founded by Champlain fortified trading post at Quebec Acadia (modern day Nova Scotia & New Brunswick) was a very French nation which frequently changed hands between France and Britain.

The Treaty of Utrecht, 1712, put an end to the question of ownership, with Britain having control of Acadia. In 1754, when war broke out in America, the Acadians were forced out of Nova Scotia - communities were broken up and closely knit families were dispersed - many died.

In 1756, the Seven Years War (a worldwide series of wars for control of Germany and the North American colonies) began Treaty of Paris was signed and New France becomes British. Quebeckers witnessed the destruction of the Acadian society and feared they would be next. Chief Pontiac and the Great Lakes Native peoples wage an unsuccessful war against British rule. Over the next few years, Britain tries unsuccessfully to assimilate the Quebeckers.

With growing unrest in the American colonies, Britain needs to have the Quebeckers on their side. They pass the Quebec Act in 1774, which guarantees French civil law and the Roman Catholic religion in the St. Lawrence valley to 1783 the Americans are fighting the British for independence and control over North America. The Americans got their independence with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

Quebec, a society culturally and linguistically unique in North America, changed dramatically after the provincial Liberal party took power in 1960 and began the “Quite Revolution”. During the period 1945 to 1960, Quebec changed in many respects: –The population increased by 30% in the 1950s –Quebec underwent rapid economic growth as investment increased. –People were prosperous and employed. –Maurice Duplessis, Premier, Leader of the Union National, had lead Quebec until his death in 1959.

Duplessis’s opposition became quite vocal. There were accusations of corruption and his policies alienated Quebeckers who were committed to social change. –Government opposed militant union activity as it deterred economic investment. –It designed labour legistlation to limit strikes. –Labour boards generally showed a pro-employer bias. –The government set a low minimum wage, which affected a large number of women and immigrants. –The average wages of French Canadians as a group were lower than those of most other ethnic groups in the province.

After Dulpessis left power, Liberal leader, Jean Lesage was premier (1960 to 1966). –In his dealings with Ottawa, Lesage took an aggressive stance. –The Caisse sponsored the expansion of a number of frrancophone-controlled firms in Quebec and purchased shared in Canadian corporations. –It helped to promote French Canadians to the board of directors of these corporations. –By 1994, the Caisse, Canada’s largest investment fund, had a portfolio of $47 million.