1. Quebec: The Quiet Revolution

2. Multiculturalism Act (1988)
Preserves multicultural heritage
Recognizes Aboriginal rights
French/English official languages, but other languages may be used
Equality rights regardless of ethnicity, religion, etc
Minorities enjoy their culture

3. Some Background
Throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries, the French language had some setbacks in Canada
Prairie province schools, strong ties to Britain, English became the common language outside of Quebec and some parts of NB and Ontario

4. A Quote from Sir Wilfrid Laurier
"I am accused in Quebec of having betrayed the French, and in Ontario of having betrayed the English ... In Quebec I am attacked as an Imperialist, and in Ontario as an anti-imperialist. I am neither ... I am a Canadian. Canada has been the inspiration of my life."
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier
From the end of his career as PM (1911)
Nationalism versus imperialism

5. Problems in Quebec after WW1
Unemployment the highest in Canada
English-speakers had the better jobs and held a lot of the wealth
Birth rates were falling and new immigrants wanted to learn English

6. Union Nationale 1936, beat the Liberals in the provincial election
Conscription Crisis during WW2
Industrial boom post-WW2
Lost the 1939 election, but came back into power because of the conscription crisis. Were in power for 15 years afterwards

7. La Grande Noirceur / Great Darkness
Maurice Duplessis, leader of the Union Nationale from & 1944 to criticized due to the following :
Support for rural areas
Support for the Church
Anti-communism
Anti-unionism
Patronage and corruption
Did not support unions and responded with force, using the provincial police to disperse picketers
Dup created anti-union legislation as he feared it would deter investments from the US
People were discouraged from questioning traditional authority
Accused of keeping conditions poor in some areas so that he could promise fixing of the system in order to get himself re-elected.

8. Activity
In groups of 4, read through the primary source information and find the following:
Do you agree that this time should be called “The Great Darkness”? Why? Give at least 3 points to support your argument
Why do you think these reactions occurred? Was it just in the name of cultural preservation?

9. Duplessis Introduced the idea of separation
Introduced the fleur-de-lis flag
When he died in 1959, the Union Nationale was not re-elected
“Maitres chez nous” – masters of our own house (write on the board)
Quebec was the first province to fly its own flag

10. The Quiet Revolution
1960: Liberal Party elected in Quebec, Jean Lesage becomes Premier
Made a lot of changes to try to catch up to the ideologies, technologies and economics of the rest of Canada
Formally announced the change of a traditional clerical society
Privatized Crown corporations like Hydro Quebec leading to an increase in the economic progress for the next 2 decades
Granted union rights to workers
Increased taxes: nicknamed “Ti-jean La Taxe”
Built the confidence of Francophones and challenged them to face the inequalities they felt from the rest of Canada

11. Lesage & Ottawa
Wanted the province to have more control over things like education and health care
Wanted a greater share of tax revenue from Ottawa

12. A video from 1966
parties-leaders/rene-levesques-separatist-fight- 1/dont-speak-to-me-in-french.html

13. Rene Levesque
In 1967 Rene Levesque created the provincial party: the “Parti Quebecois”
Its goals included political, economic and social autonomy for Quebec

14. “Vive Le Quebec Libre!”
“Long Live Free Quebec” was a phrase in a speech by French President Charles de Gaulle at a visit to Montreal in 1967
es/categories/politics/lan guage-culture/language- culture-general/vive-le- quebec-libre.html
DeGaulle in Quebec
Lesage was defeated in 1966

15. Responses Lester Pearson: “Canadians do not need to be liberated”
Daniel Johnson (Union Nationale; current Premier of Quebec) created closer ties with France
Imagine how the rest of Canada felt about this – a notable world leader was giving his support for Quebec to become a country of its own

16. Escalating violence
Starting in 1963, there was an increased trend in radical groups who were arming themselves in protest
Bombs were planted and military equipment stolen

17. Ottawa Responds All provinces granted greater autonomy
New Canadian Flag adopted in 1965
The Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism was established in 1963
Autonomy – more money to run their own systems
Flag controversy:

18. “Bi and Bi Commission” Recommended:
That Ontario and New Brunswick become officially bilingual.
That bilingual districts be created in regions of Canada where members of the minority community, either French or English, made up 10% or more of the local population.
That parents be able to have their children attend schools in the language of their choice in regions where there is sufficient demand.
That Ottawa become a bilingual city.
That English and French be declared official languages of Canada.

19. Official Languages Act
1969: Trudeau introduces the Official Languages Act giving French and English equal status in Canada
Caused an increase in bilingualism across the country including most predominantly in Federal jobs
Examples: that Canadians have the right to receive services from federal departments and from Crown corporations in both official languages;
that Canadians will be able to be heard before federal courts in the official language of their choice;
Public servants speak French in Quebec and English elsewhere
1970 – Federal job bilingualism = 70% in 2004 = 86%
Provinces like Manitoba did not react well – refused to overturn its ban on French in the legislature and and courts until a supreme court verdict came out in 1985 that forced them to do so.