[1945-1980] The Modernization of Québec & The Quiet Revolution

  • Period: to

    Baby Boom

    Who in power: Duplessis
    Major changes:
    -Increased birth rate,
    -lower infant mortality rate (more babies delivered in hospitals)
    Significance:
    -a larger population emerging. In the early 1950s, 1/4 of the population were children under 10 years old
    -there was better care for babies Reflections, p. 218
  • Period: to

    Maurice Duplessis era

    *Cause: The Union National elected.
    -After WWII
    -Interventionist Federal Government-- equalization payments
    - provinces angry about lost power
    *Who: Duplessis
    *Changes: economic liberalism, provincial autonomy + clericalism. traditional way of life -- encouraged agriculture -- electricity to farmers,
    -church involvement: healthcare + education
    -American companies exploit natural resources
    *Result: Quebec more independent, more religion. (class notes 9+10
  • Period: to

    The Cold War

    Who was in power in Canada: William Lyon Mackenzie King, Louis St. Laurent, John Diefenbaker, Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Joe Clark
    Main situation: USA and USSR are engaged in an ideological standoff + arms race.
    Major changes:
    -Increased investment in Canada
    -increased exploitation of raw materials, (primarily ore)
    -Increased exports to USA (38.9% to 65.1% from 1946 to 1950) Reflections Textbook p.207, Timetoast Assignment document
  • Refus Global Manifesto

    Refus Global Manifesto
    *Cause: Artists + intellectuals wanted secularism
    -Duplessis had put church in charge of edu, + health which pushed social conservatism
    -People's reaction to clericalism
    *what: Borduas, Riopelle + 15 others wrote secular
    manifesto "Refus Global"
    *Effect: More people against Duplessis' gov
  • Adoption of the Quebec flag

    Adoption of the Quebec flag
    *Cause: Duplessis wants provincial power-- Independent of Federal Gov
    -He criticized equalization system
    *Result:
    -creation of flag (fleurdelisé)
    -Made it clear to the federal government the values of Duplessis
    *Impact: Later premiers would continue vouching for Quebec independence + identity
    -eventually creates more distinct Quebecquois culture (Class notes, slide 10)
  • Asbestos Strike

    Asbestos Strike
    *cause: Workers want better conditions, more $
    -Duplessis against unions-- thinks them communist
    -Duplessis supports Employers
    *What: strike, police violently acted to suppress it
    *Impact: Common workers treated badly, led to more protests + hatred of Duplessis (class notes 14+16)
  • Arrival of Television in Québec

    Arrival of Television in Québec
    Cause:
    -Higher wages-- More purchasing power-- more people buying TVs
    -work hours had decreased-- more time for leisure
    Effect:
    -More people bought + watched TV
    Impact:
    - TV causes society to start to become mass consumers due to advertisements + more purchasing power
    -Quebecers gained increasing exposure to American shows which promoted the "American Lifestyle" (values: freedom, economic success, individualism)-- Americanism
    -change in the lifestyle of families Textbook p.217+218
  • Increase in Accessibility to Contraception

    Increase in Accessibility to Contraception
    Cause:
    -There were already tensions where Women wanted to work and not have large families that they would have to manage
    -beginning of new values (less important to have large families)
    -Women wanted a choice
    Immediate Effect:
    -More women took contraceptives
    -Fertility rate decreased
    Long-term Impact
    -Birth rate decreased (Decreased by 10 births per 1000 of a population from 1961 to 1971)
    -People had smaller families Textbook p.240
  • Period: to

    Lesage Govornment

    *Who is in power: Jean Lesage, Parti Liberal
    *Major changes: Welfare state, interventionist, secular, economic nationalism
    *Significance:
    -more educated people
    -people are healthier-- accessible free health care
    -workers are supported via pension plan (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Quebec ) + labour code
    -Crown corporations-- French Businesses-- Fewer American businesses have power.
    -More Quebequois identity ( Affirmation mesures)
    -Increase civil service class notes (28,30,31,34)
  • Nationalization of Electricity

    Nationalization of Electricity
    Cause:
    -private (usually American) companies formally in charge of hydroelectricity -- gov not in control of economy (economic liberalism)
    Effect: make electricity government owned + operated by buying all electricity companies to become Hydro Quebec
    Impact:
    -reliable supply of electricity (even remote regions)
    -many new jobs for Quebecers
    -increased revenue for the state
    -gov more in charge of the economy (interventionist) via economic nationalism Class slides: 31
  • Bill 16 – Married Women Gain Legal Independence

    Bill 16 – Married Women Gain Legal Independence
    Cause:
    -Women were previously not allowed to carry out financial transactions or sign legal documents without getting their husband's consent -- this is unjust, and Women demanded this change
    Effect:
    -Marie-Claire Kirkland-Casgrain got bill 16 passed Act Respecting the Legal Capacity of Married Women which allowed them to to carry out their own financial transactions + sign legal documents
    Impact:
    -Women have more rights, + more autonomy textbook p.250
  • Creation of the Ministry of Education (Parent Report Recommendations)

    Creation of the Ministry of Education (Parent Report Recommendations)
    Cause:
    -Previously, education was the church's jusristdiction, and it needed major reforms -- education was not free, and children left school at a young age to work
    -wanted more standardized edu.
    -part of the Quiet Revolution
    Effect:
    -create high quality + accessible public system regardless of social class
    -co-ed to promote girl's education
    -compulsory attendance to 15
    impact:
    -More people get education
    -Higher levels of education overall class slides 28
  • Expo 67

    Expo 67
    Cause in Quebec:
    -Wanted to be part of Expo 67
    Effect:
    -MTL metro opens
    -arts and cultural vitality ( a result of the quiet revolution) at Place des arts
    -shows off Quebec's industrial progress (ex. metro)
    Impact:
    -Puts Quebec on world map
    -Continues to build Quebec identity (Quebec nationalism) class slides 37
  • October Crisis

    October Crisis
    Cause:
    -FLQ becoming more radical in their separatism -- targeting Anglophone power (eg. bombs in Westmount mailboxes + stock exchange)
    -More separatism overall
    Effect:
    -The kidnapping of British diplomat James Cross and Liberal minister Pierre Laporte,
    -The killing of Laporte
    -The Invocation of the War Measures act
    Impact:
    leads to the rise of the parti Quebecois (continued and increased separatist beliefs) class slides slide 46
  • Bill 22 – French as Québec’s Official Language

    Bill 22 – French as Québec’s Official Language
    Cause:
    - allophone's children would go to English school instead of French school - English = language of trade
    - Francophones worried that french was losing ground to English Effect:
    - French=only official language of Quebec
    - restricted access to English School Impact:
    • reinforced French identity in Quebec
    • since allophone's children went to french school- increased francophones
    • lingual separation from Canada: Canada=French and English while Quebec=French only
    Class slides 53
  • James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement

    James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement
    Cause:
    -Quebec gov wants to continue developing hydroelectricity
    -building -- disrupt indigenous land
    Effect:
    -treaty signed between Quebec gov + Inuit + Cree to:
    -Protect the land, fishing and hunting rights
    -grant the indigenous people monetary compensation for the hydroelectric development
    Impact:
    -move to respect the indigenous people more ( gov previously exploited whatever land they wanted without consulting + agreeing on terms with indigenous) class slide 47
  • Period: to

    René Lévesque and the parti Québecois are in office

    Who: René Levesque
    Major changes:
    -Charter of the French Language
    -Act to Govern the Financing of Political Parties
    -Act Respecting the Preservation of Agricultural Land
    -The prioritization of francophone immigrants
    -Rand Formula
    -Act respecting Labour Standards
    Significance:
    -The first time the Parti Quebecois is elected -- a party more focused on Quebec sovereignty and Quebecois identity Class slides: 55, 56, 58, 59 and 60
  • Bill 101 – The Charter of the French Language

    Bill 101 – The Charter of the French Language
    Cause:
    - Continuation of bill 22
    - Francophones continues to want to make Quebec more French (protect and promote it) Effect:
    - like bill 22: children of immigrants attend francophone school until end of high school
    - pubic and commercial signs in French only Impact
    - Quebec more Francophone
    - French more present in society
    - Anglophones leave for Ontario (90,000 over 5 years)