The%20Quebec%20Question

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The Quebec Question

• Part 1 The Duplessis Era
• 1940s and 50s

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Learning goals

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able
  to
• identify the reasons for Quebecs discontent in
  the 1940s and 1950s
• assess the effectiveness of the Quiet Revolution
• trace the origins of the Quebec separatist
  movement

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Key Questions

• Did the Quiet Revolution help or hurt Quebec?
• Was the separatist movement avoidable? Or was it
  a natural evolution in French/English relations

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Minds On The Hockey Sweater

• What can we learn about Quebec society from this
  story?
• What do these images suggests about their
  values/beliefs?

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Duplessis Quebec

• Quebec Premier 1936-1939, 1944-1959 when he died
  (Party Union Nationale)
• Wanted traditional life and values for Quebecers
  
• back to the farm / simple country life
• Kept federal government interference to a minimum
• Refused federal government money and grants for
  education logical?

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Duplessis Quebec continued

• PROBLEMS
• Delayed needed reform
• modernization, industrialization on hold
• Controlled unions and kept wages and benefits low
  for workers
• Encouraged Eng. Canadian and American investment
  in Quebec factories, businesses and natural
  resources

Montreal 1950
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How did Duplessis stay in power?

• Weak opposition
• Was supported by the Catholic Church
• Was a good speaker convinced Quebecers that he
  was the champion Quebecs survival
• Ridings were rewarded with new roads, hospitals
  and other services if they supported him
  coersion, rigged elections
• Unions were squashed believed to be communistic
  inspired
• Big Business (English Canadian and American)
  supported him in return for business
  opportunities in Quebec

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Results of the Duplessis Era

• French Canadians did not get the education needed
  to be competitive in the post-war era
• Big business belonged to English speaking
  Canadians
• French Canadians felt like 2nd class citizens in
  their own country
• Great resentment towards English Canada

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Quebec Part 2

• Jean Lesage and the Quiet Revolution

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Lesage and the Quiet Revolution

• Duplessis dies 1959, Jean Lesage becomes Que.
  Premier
• Lesage promises
• improved social standards
• improved economic standards
• win greater recognition for Fr. Cdns.
• Uses campaign slogans Maitres chez nous /
  masters in our own house la survivance / the
  survival je me souviens / I will remember

Video Peoples History 1964-76 Maitre Chez Nous
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Quiet Revolution continued

• Education
• give control to province rather than church
• Curriculum focus on business, technology, science
  and engineering tools to function in the
  industrial world
• Social Programs
• Shift from Roman Catholic Church to govt
  controlled
• Economic Standards
• Private companies (in foreign hands) were brought
  by the state and became public (ex. Hydro Quebec
  symbol of economic liberation)
• Language
• made working language French, not English
• Culture
• Pro French political themes and messages emerged
  in new freedoms of expression books, film, art,
  music.

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Outcome of the Quiet Revolutionnot enough!

• French Canadians realized the extent of the
  discrimination they had endured.
• new middle-class of elite emerged that challenged
  Quebecs position in Confederation
• 3 Wise Men (Trudeau, Pelletier, Marchand) rise
  to prominence
• French Canadian and English Canadian relations
  becoming tense
• Rise of separatist groups - FLQ bombings 1960
• (CAPH 3603)

3 Wise Men
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Expo 67

• Canada (Montreal) hosts the World Fair part of
  our centenary celebrations!
• 50 million visitors from 60 countries visited
• Butsour ending
• French president Charles DeGaulle delivers a
  speech to a roaring enthusiastic crowd Vive le
  Quebec libre!
• viewed as a rallying cry for Quebec separation
• P.M. Pearson not impressed!!!
• (CAPH 4540)

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P.M. Pearsons Federal Response Royal
Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism

• Purpose To examine the state of Fr. /Eng.
  relations in Canada and make recommendations

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Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism

• Findings
• Strong regionalism everywhere in Canada
• Rise of radical separatist groups in Que.
• Recommendations
• Canada should be a bilingual country
• Eng Fr. Official languages of parliament and
  federal courts
• Government services should all be offered both
  languages anywhere in Canada
• CAPH (10814)

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Words become actions . . .

• All 3 recommendations carried out in the Official
  Languages Act, 1969 By the Trudeau Government.
• But . . .still not enough!!!
• FLQ October Crisis 1970

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Your task

• Refer back to the Key Questions and answer them
  each in short paragraphs, using specific examples
  from this note to back up your opinions.