1. Official Power & Countervailing Power
History of Quebec & Canada

2. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Confederation occurs in 1867 with the British North America Act:
Division of power between the federal and provincial governments becomes a major issue
This results in Nationalist movements in Quebec
Industrialization increases the power of financial and industrial groups
Aboriginals, unions and women fought for more rights
These interest groups forced the government to become more involved

3. MAP BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT - 1867

4. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
The roles of the Federal Government include:
Jurisdiction over trade, defence, diplomacy, currency and banking
The right to collect various types of taxes
Enact laws (in emergencies, they could be provincial laws)
Disallow any provincial law that is contrary to national interests

5. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
The roles of the Provincial Government include:
Education
Health
Roads
Natural resources
During the first 30 years, the rights of the Federal Government were diminishing and infringements were only made in crisis situations. More tax revenues were given to the provinces:
The government was becoming decentralized and provinces were gaining more sovereignty.

6. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
French Canadien Nationalism increased after Confederation:
In 1885, the hanging of Louis Riel ( a Metis leader) was interpreted by many as an anti-French and anti-Catholic gesture
French felt that the Federal Government did not protect the rights of Franco-Catholic minorities
French Canadians wanted more autonomy

7. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
World War I had major consequences for Federal-Provincial relations:
War Measures Act in 1914 – Ottawa took ultimate control over the provinces
Provincial tax revenues were reduced
Conscription Crisis in 1917 – Caused relations between French and English Canadians to deteriorate (French felt that it was not their war to fight)
About 40,000 French Canadian conscripts refused to serve
These events further encouraged the emergence of French Canadian Nationalism

8. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Changes in Power for the Natives:
The Metis people led by Louis Riel protested against the Federal government and demanded more rights.
The rebellions prompted the Government to take action to prevent this from happening in the other provinces.
The Federal Government encouraged natives to give up their lands, for the establishment of reserves.
This allowed for further expansion and colonization in the West
In 1876 the Canadian Government adopted the Indian Act which considered native people to be minors and took away most of their rights and influence

9. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Changes in Power for Industrialists and workers:
Economy and industrialization is essential for increasing a country’s wealth
Governments supported initiatives to improve business:
Subsides
Laws
Infrastructure development
The National Policy in 1879: promoted industrialization

10. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
But workers were fighting for better conditions and wages:
Previously workers had little or no means to improve their working conditions
After Confederation, the number of unions increased drastically and workers demanded:
Better wages
Shorter work week
Better safety conditions
Child labour laws
Protection against unemployment
Capitalists attempted to prevent the creation of unions and laid off striking workers or those who were involved

11. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Increasing pressure was being put on employers and the Government:
Government did not want to support workers, because of the important contributions of capitalist employers, but could not ignore the workers because of their voting powers.
Various acts are introduced over the years to improve conditions, but they were not always enforced
Governments tended to repress strike movements by force and still sided with the employers

12. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Changes for the power of women:
In 1918 all women were granted the right to vote in Federal elections
This was a direct result of the imposition of the Conscription Crisis (PM, Robert Borden used women’s suffrage to increase his popularity )
In Quebec, political and religious leaders opposed the feminist movements
Women in Quebec only gain the right to vote in provincial election in 1940

13. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
The Great Depression and WWII:
The depression and WWII required greater state intervention in areas of health, welfare, and education
Most provinces support this, but Quebec did not
The second conscription crisis in 1944 made matters worse
Prime Minister Mackenzie King promised not to enforce Conscription and won because of this promise
Eventually though, conscription was necessary
Quebec members of Parliament resigned in protest and formed their own party, Bloc Populaire

14. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
Duplessis (Union Nationale) and the “La Grande NOIRCEUR”:
After the War, the state continued to intervene in the provincial economy:
Duplessis refused Federal funding for major projects
He encouraged traditional society through the spread of Catholicism and agriculture
This caused Quebec society to remain backwards with respect to other provinces and support for him diminished:
Intellectuals, unions, feminists opposed Duplessis’ policies
Duplessis died in 1959, and soon after Jean Lesage and the Liberals took over

15. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
Jean Lesage and the Quiet Revolution:
Transforms power relationships in the province
More government involvement and funding
Government becomes a major employer (public service sector)
New ministries and institutions (health care and insurance systems, Ministere de la Culture, Ministere de L’Education)
Catholic Church looses most of its power
Emergence of a powerful Francophone business class
Unions exercise more influence over the government

16. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
Quebec Nationalism and the Linguistic Crisis:
In the 1960s the average salary of a French Quebecer was 65% less than that of Anglophone Quebecers
Immigrants were adopting the English language rather than French, and sending their children to English Schools
Language legislation tried to prevent Quebec from becoming Anglicized
Bill 22 (Robert Bourassa): French official language of Quebec
Bill 101 (Rene Levesque): Immigrants had to attend French schools, companies had to adopt French, French on all signs
Language laws were not met without controversy and caused many Anglophones to leave Quebec in fear of separation

17. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
Quebec Nationalism and the Linguistic Crisis:
Many nationalists began to think that the only way to preserve the French culture was through sovereignty
Three separatist groups joined forces in 1968 to form the Parti Quebecois (came to power in 1976)
FLQ and the October Crisis (powerful demonstrations for sovereignty)
Trudeau’s invocation of the War Measures Act further infuriated Nationalist who felt it was unnecessary for the Federal Government to intervene in such a way

18. THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD – SINCE 1867
Some Important Events
Quebec Nationalism and the Linguistic Crisis:
A Referendum was called in 1980 splitting Quebec’s population
No side won with 59.56% of the vote
Yes side had 40.46% of the vote
The close call fuelled more Nationalist debates, but there would not be another referendum until 1995
No side won again with only 50.6% of the vote