1. Continuing French-English Relations…
The Language Crisis
Bill 101
1980 Referendum
Bringing the Constitution Home

2. The Language Crisis
By 1970, Québec had the lowest birth rate in Canada (before WW2, it was the highest)  why the change?
Increasing number of non-French-speaking immigrants were coming to Québec
Most of them settled in the Montréal area and preferred to educate their children in English

3. The Language Crisis
Québec gov’t became increasingly concerned for the survival of French culture in Québec: must protect the French language to keep the culture alive!
1974: OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT
Proclaimed French the official language of the civil service in Québec

4. The Language Crisis
This new Act limited immigrant parents’ rights to choose the language in which their children would be educated
Only children who passed a test showing that they knew English could attend English schools
All others were required to go to French schools
Widely criticized by non-French Quebeckers (there was quite a few by this time) and by recent immigrants
Many CDNs outside Quebec who were struggling to become bilingual also thought the legislation was unfair
Quebec Premier Bourassa argued that French-speaking Quebeckers were like a tiny island surrounded by an ocean of English-speakers
This Act did not make French the ONLY official language in Québec

5. Le Parti Québécois – Victory!
Nov. 1976: opinion polls stated that René Levesque and the P.Q. could win an election
Outside Québec, few people wanted to believe that a separatist gov’t could achieve this
Le Parti Québécois won 71 of 110 seats – they had a landslide victory
For the first time, Quebeckers had elected a gov’t dedicated to establishign an independent Québec

6. Bill 101
1977: The first step of the P.Q. was to pass this controversial language bill
More restrictions on the use of languages other than French in Québec:
Only French in gov’t, courts, businesses
No business could display a sign in a language other than French
Language of the workplace: Quebeckers given the right to use French on the job
English schools could only be attended by those who:
Were already enrolled in an English school
Had one parent who had attended an English elementary school

7. Bill 101 – Alliance Quebec
English-speaking Quebeckers and immigrants were outraged and formed the Alliance Quebec
Tried to challenge the new law in court
Didn’t work
In the last half of 1977, people left the province!
Many English-speaking companies left Montreal, moving their head offices to Toronto or Calgary
Some English-speaking Quebeckers stayed and began to learn French

8. Bill 101 – CDN Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Supreme Court of Canada later decided that Bill 101 violated the CDN Charter of Rights and Freedoms with its restrictions on education and business signs
Many Quebeckers were angered and demonstrated in support of the Bill
A less restrictive version of the bill (Bill 178) passed in 1989

9. The Referendum of 1980
While the P.Q. had achieved such great success, polls throughout the 1970s showed that less than 20% of Quebeckers actually wanted to separate
Quebeckers feared they would be swamped economically, culturally, and politically if they had to share the continent with the US and Canada
84% of Quebeckers said that they needed some sort of change

10. The Referendum of 1980
By 1980, the P.Q. was ready to give Quebec the opportunity to separate
But he knew that many Quebeckers did not want outright independence, so he proposed SOVEREIGNTY ASSOCIATION
Quebeckers were bombarded with propaganda:
Levesque’s P.Q.s were pushing “oui”
Trudeau’s nationalists were pushing “non”
Both parties wanted to see the other’s goal disintegrate.

11. Sovereignty Association
Sovereignty: politically independent
Collect its own taxes, have its own citizenship
No law passed in Ottawa would be binding in Quebec
Association: close economic ties with Canada – same trade policy
Could share money – have a common market (like in Europe)
Quebec’s gov’t would try to work out a deal with the federal gov’t – Quebeckers would be given the opportunity to vote on a “deal” before it became reality

12. The Referendum of 1980
Trudeau recognized that if he achieved a “non” vote, it did not mean that relations between Québec and the rest of Canada could return to the way things were – CHANGES HAD TO BE MADE
May 15, 1980: Québec votes.
60%...
Non.
40%
Oui.

13. Bringing Home the Constitution
The British North America Act (Canada’s Constitution) was still a British Act
Any changes required the approval of the British gov’t
If a new CDN Constitution could be worked out, then Québec might be persuaded to remain in Canada.
A new federal system would have to recognize French CDNs as equal partners in Confederation
Other provinces also wanted more power to run their own affairs

14. Bringing Home the Constitution
Less than a month after the referendum, Trudeau organizes a conference with the provincial premiers
Premiers couldn’t agree on how to revise the Constitution
At the last possible moment, an agreement with the provincial premiers (minus Quebec) is made with the federal gov’t
Quebec felt as though it had been betrayed – they had been left out of the final meeting
The new Constitution was meant to consider the needs of Quebec, but an agreement had been made without Quebec’s consent (birthday party, anyone?)
“Quebec is alone”

15. Bringing Home the Constitution
Three main points in the agreement:
The power to amend (change) the Constitution would be brought home from Britain
Changes to the Constitution could be made if the federal gov’t and 7 provinces (representing 50% of the pop’n) agreed
A Charter of Rights and Freedoms would be added to the Constitution

16. Bringing Home the Constitution
2 Dec. 1981: Parliament voted in favour of the patriation package (taking the British control out of the CDN Constitution)
In Quebec, the P.Q. flag was flown at half-mast: “insult done to Quebeckers by English Canada”
8 May 1982: the British Parliament approves to change the BNA Act, give Canada her status as a fully independent nation, and rename the Act to be the Constitution Act
Queen Elizabeth II signed the Constitution on 17 April 1982

17. Bringing Home the Constitution
It would take a new gov’t and 5 years before Quebec would sign this Constitution
P.Q. was out of power in Quebec – Liberals under Bourassa were back in power
Trudeau decides in 1984 to retire from public office and return to private life in Montreal
John Turner is elected as the next Liberal leader
Joe Clark is elected as the next Conservative leader
1984 election: The stage is set for CDNs to choose between two new leaders
Joe Clark won with an overwhelming majority – the largest electoral victory in CDN history