Chapter 8 Flashcards
1
Q
Duplessis Era
A
- 1936 to 1939 and from 1944 to 1959 quebec was controlled by Duplessis
- Union nationale party
- strong quebec nationalist who was devoted to the idea of Quebec as a distinctive society/nation rather than another canadain province
- emphazied point by introducing a new quebec flag, opposed federal powers in gov.
- Roman catholic church was the main defender of Quebec culture;
- tried to keep out the influence of foreign culture but encouraged foreign investment
2
Q
How did the roman catholic church promote quebec culture
A
- priests encouraged people to turn on the materialism of english speaking north america
- praised old quebec traditions of farm faith and family
- ran quebec’s hospitals and schools
3
Q
why were businesses and industries from ontario and the US attracted to quebec?
what did they have to give up in return?
How was there corruption?
A
- gauranteed cheap labour (union activity discouraged or banned)
- promised low taxes
give up: - expected to contribute generously to the Union Nationale
Corruption - in return for gov jobs or liscences, businesses were expected to give ‘kicbacks’ or gifts to the Union Nationale
4
Q
The quiet revolution - immediatly after Duplessis
A
- 1960 after Duplessis died, Jean Lesage and the liberals came to power
- got rid of corruption, began a peaceful movement to modernize the province’s economy, politics, education and culture
- role of the roman catholic church declined as attitudes shifted
5
Q
What did Lesage do first?
A
got rid of corruption, jobs awared according to merit, wages and pensions increased and restrictions on trade unionism removed
6
Q
the birth of separatism
A
- french canada became proud of their acomplishments and angrier at what they percieved as injustices at the hands of english spreaking canadians
- for some solution = a quebec controlled entirely by Quebekers in seperation from Canada
- radicals w/ extreme views joined terrorist groups like the FLQ and fought in the name of a ‘free’ quebec
- most nationalists disaproved of these tactics but thee was general discontent in the province, Parti Québecois formed
7
Q
What does the FLQ stand for and what did they do
A
Front de libération du Quebec
- groups used firebombs and explosives to attack symobls of english canada, early 1960’s royal canadian mailboxes and downtown offices belonging to the CNR wee attacked
8
Q
Ottawa’s response
A
- Lester Pearson became PM in the middle of the quiet revolution he was convinced that the french needed to feel more at home to avoid crisis
- appointed the Royal Commission on bilingualism and biculturalism, commission recommended that Canada become bilingual
- changed our flag from very english to maple leaf to represent all canadians; actually increased tensions
9
Q
The October Crisis
A
oct 1970 members of the FLQ kidnapped James Cross a british diplomat in exchange for his release the FLQ made several demands including the release of FLQ members in prision
- most fed & quebec authorites agreed to most demands they refused to release prisoners
- in response the FLQ kidnapped labour minister Pierre Laporte
- Trudeau asked parliment to impose the War Measures Act, membership in the FLQ became a crime
- federal troops sent in to patrol streets and make arrests, Laporte found dead after being strangled, increased pressure to crack down on the FLQ
- two months later the police found the group holding Cross and in exchange for his release the kidnappers were permitted safe passage to cuba
10
Q
Trudeau and Quebec
A
- Trudeau determined that the fed gov should do more to persade Quebec people to stay with Canada
- acted on advice of the Bi and Bi commission, made Canada billingual - gov agencies required to provide services in both languages
- western canada felt that the fed gov was foccusing all attention on quebec and ignoring the west
- francophones in quebec were unimpressed; wanted ‘special status’ for quebec in confederation
11
Q
PQ in Power
A
- 1976 Parti Quebecois became prov. gov on the premise that a vote for PQ would not atomatically mean seperation from Canada and that he would hold a referndum before moving forward
- top priority of the new gov was to strengthen the status of the french language did this by passing bill 101 “Charter of the French Language” made the french the only official language of Quebec
12
Q
1980 Referendum
A
- 1980 gov called a referendum to determine Quebec’s political future, Levesque asked Quebeckers to vote ‘yes’ to giving his gov a mandate to negotiate a new agreement with Canada based on soverignty - association
- PM Trudeau made passionate speeches urging Quebec to stay united, he also promised to negotiate a new constittution; swayed many people
- 40% voted yes, 60%no
13
Q
Patriating the Constitutuion
A
- Trudeau annonced plans to revise the BNA - no changes could be made without the british parliment’s approval
- Trudeau wanted to bring the constitution home so that canada gov could make changes; he wanted to include a charter of rights and feedoms
- had to come up with an amending formula, all provinces especially quebec were pushing for more power
- debates, kitchin compromise, insert of a not with standing clause
- quebec pro. gov refused to sign the new constitution, still Trudeau went ahead
14
Q
The constitution debate
A
- by 1984 most canadians outside quebec thought the issues had been setttled
- PM Turner called election, conservative opponent Mulroney retourned to the issue of the constitution to win support of sepratists in quebec he promised to repair damages
- one elected he began negotiations w/ pro-federalist Bourassa (liberal in quebec), first priority to reach an agreement by which Quebec would sign the BNA
- now other provinces had their own demands and Reform party was formed to give a voice to the western provinces
15
Q
examples of province’s own demands during the constitution reform/debate
A
newfoundland & alberta - more control of their own resources
- stronger reforms to give their province a voice
