1. AIM: how has the separatist movement in Quebec developed in the 1960s?
DO NOW: review Meech Lake & Charlottetown assignment
HAVE THIS OUT FOR A SPOT CHECK

2. Vive le Quebec libre!

3. motivations
Preservation of unique culture, perceived as threatened by extinction via assimilation
78% of the province speaks French as their first language
Unlike the rest of Canada, Quebec is mostly Catholic

4. motivations
Separatists claim that Quebec has been “occupied” by Anglophone Canada since 1763, when…
The movement was initially influenced by the decolonization of Africa & Asia during the 50s & 60s

5. Front de libération du Québec (FLQ)
Est. 1964
Marxist
Used terrorism to promote independence
Disbanded after the October Crisis (1970)

6. 1967 Charles de Gaulle visits Canada

7. Rene Levesque Quebec Premier 1976-85 Founder of Parti Qubecois
Architect of the 1980 sovereignty referendum

8. Trudeau & the 1982 constitution
One reason for the defeat of the 1980 referendum was that many Quebec voters believed that Trudeau would negotiate a “special status” for the province in the 1982 constitution
this promise was not kept (Quebec was excluded from the negotiations between Ottawa & the other nine provinces)
Quebec nationalists were angered. Support for separation rose.

9. …even in their moments of greatest mistrust, the Québécois never imagined that the pact of 1867 could ever be changed without their consent. Hence the impression they had in 1982 of a breach of trust, of a violation of the national bond's integrity. The descendants of George-Étienne Cartier did not expect this from the descendants of John Macdonald. Perceived as trickery in Quebec, the repatriation [sic] of 1982 has placed a time bomb in the political dynamics of this country". — Lucien Bouchard, former leader of the Bloc Québécois

10. Mulroney’s attempted constitutional reform
Meech Lake Accords were an effort to do what Trudeau had not-- convince Quebec to ratify the 1982 constitution-- by offering concessions & exemptions
Meech Lake was rejected by the other provinces mostly because it did exactly this.
This further inflamed separatist opinion in Quebec

11. Bloc Quebecois
National version of Parti Quebecois, organized to win seats in Ottawa (as opposed to fighting provincial elections)
Formed in the aftermath of Meech Lake & Charlottetown fiascos

12. 1995 referendum
Originated in the sore feelings arising from the rejection of Meech Lake by the Anglophone provinces
The “YES” side still lost, but only barely

13. 21st century
The pro-independence side seems to lack the unity necessary to win a referendum
2009 poll results:
32% believe Quebec has enough sovereignty and should remain part of Canada
28% thought they should separate
30% say they believe that Quebec does need greater sovereignty but should remain part of Canada