French-English Relations

French-English Relations The Quiet Revolution, Quebec Separatism & FLQ

Quebec: Before the Quiet Revolution • Union Nationale 1944 – 1959: A Quebec party led by Maurice Duplessis had tight control over Quebec society. • Very strong loyalty to French-Canadian traditions and values. • Quebec government strongly resisted efforts by the federal government to force change. • Roman Catholic Church ran schools, hospitals and has strong political influence.

Union Nationale • French-English Relations

The Quiet Revolution • Lesage took control of the hydroelectric companies giving Quebecers more control over their economic future. • Used slogans “Maitres chez nous” – “masters in our own house”. • Most English speaking Quebecers earned $4940/yr & owned most of the businesses. • Most French speaking Quebecers earned $3185/yr • Government limited power of the Catholic Church in Education. • All of this increased tensions between French and English speaking people in Quebec.

Separatism • During the Quiet Revolution, some Quebecois believed the only solution to Quebec’s problems was to separate from Canada. • As Quebec was a part of Canada, French Canadians would never be equal to English Canadians.

FLQ and Parti Québécois • FLQ (Front de Liberation du Quebec) • Formed in 1963. Radical group of separatists with no specific leader. Planned to use terrorism as a weapon for independence. • Parti Québécois • Formed in 1968. • Led by René Lévesque. • Wanted Quebec to separate but used the democratic process for achieving independence and opposed terrorism.

Tensions Escalate • Expo 1967 – French President Charles De Gaulle shouted a separatist slogan “Vive Le Québec Libre!” • 1963 – 1970 – Somewhere in Quebec a terrorist bomb exploded approximately every 10 days. • October 5, 1970 – a British Diplomat was kidnapped by the FLQ & held for ransom. Government refused to pay. • October 10, 1970 – Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte is kidnapped at gun-point.

Cont… • October 16, 1970 – Government uses War Measures Act. This takes away all civil rights, can be held without charge for 21 days, 90 days without trial, people can be arrested without reason, curfews are imposed. • October 18, 1970 – Laporte is found murdered. • December 4, 1970 – Police find and surround the house where British Diplomat had been held for 59 days. He is returned and, in return, the kidnappers are flown to Cuba.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0

Bi-Bi –Royal Commission • Bilingualism and Biculturalism • established on 19 July 1963 • Under the government of Lester B. Pearson • Basically how to make certain parts of Canada French-Canadian • Throughout the quiet revolution we see Quebec nationalism increasing • The failure of the government to establish equality between English and French languages within the government is one reason

Continued • The recommendations included the following: • Certain parts of Canada become officially bilingual – New Brunswick • Bilingual districts be created in regions – 10% of local population • i.e if are is English bring in French speaking people…

Schooling system • Ottawa become bilingual • English and French be Canada's offical languages • Under Pierre Trudeau the following things take place: • 1969 in the Official Languages Act. • Canada's education system was overhauled and school children across the country were made to learn both language

French-English Relations