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Dec 20, 1500
First occupants
There is no elected central governing body, however Iroquois follow a patriarchy and Algonquians follow a matriarchy. -
Brandy Trade
Brandy Trade was between the French and the Natives during the fur trade in the French Regime. Churched banned it because when the Natives would drink the Brandy and they wouldn’t want to convert to Catholicism. -
Collaboration between state and Catholic Church
Church was automatically involved in political decisions because of its role in the sovereign council Priests acted as missionaries and were in charge of the parishes Nuns worked in the hospitals and some education In effect the church had a monopoly on religious matters expected to be a Catholic and practice was obligatory
Church would encourage population to listen to the governor and intendant in exchange the church was allowed the tithe and had insurance that religious matter were respected -
The Power of The State
After chartered companies period (1608-1663), the French monarchy took back control of its American colonies. The young King Louis XIV set to making his kingdom absolutist. From 1663 to 1760, Canada lived under the Royal Administration. -
Great Peace of Montreal
Signed between French colonial authorities 40 aboriginal nations to have peace between one another. 40 aboriginal nations agreed to consider the king of France their father and allowed the governor general to resolve their disputes and help France in wars. -
Articles of Capitulation
The 7 years war in Europe broke out in the colonies as well
France focuses its efforts in Europe so NF is left to defend itself. French Militia (regular people who are given guns to fight) could return home, no one would lose their property. -
Articles of Capitulation
The French military would lay down their arms and leave.
The people could still practice their R.C. religion but the Bishop would have to leave. The people who stayed would become British subjects. The French Elite left because they could afford to do so and had a chance to still live as elite in France. -
Royal Proclamation
The King needed something to control the French population:
Renames the colony The Province of Quebec.
Decreases the borders to around the St. Lawrence Valley
Civilian government - King appointed a Governor who appointed members to the Executive Council.
English Criminal and Civil laws were applied.
No new Bishop would be allowed.
No Roman Catholics could hold office (Test Act)
GOAL: ASSIMILATE THE FRENCH!! (FORCE THEM TO BECOME ENGLISH) -
Quebec Act
They have a fear that the French will join the rebellion
Test Oath Act replaced with an Oath of Allegiance (Loyal to King=Hold Office)
French civil laws were re-instated.
Did allow for an appointed council.
Still denied an elected assembly.
Enlarged the area of Quebec to include the Great Lakes once again.
Guaranteed French Canadian Loyalty. -
Constitutional Act
Quebec split up! The Ottawa River was used as the boundary between the two canadas.
Upper Canada --- roughly 20 000 people
Entirely english
Protestant, used the townships system and English civil laws.
Lower Canada --- roughly 160 000 people
Mostly french people (remember the 10% loyalists and merchants)
Kept their catholic religion, civil laws and now francophones could work in the administration of Lower Canada. -
Concerns in Lower Canada
British merchants wanted to increase taxes for canals, harbours and roads for merchant use - few roads were built to help farmers.
Increase immigration from Great Britain began to threaten French culture and language.
1832, immigrant ship brought disease cholera, killed 5500
Legislative assembly (French speaking) hard to make laws
1836 - crops failed - Canadians face starvation
1837 - economic depression - English merchants blamed -
92 Resolutions → 10 Russell Resolution
Louis Joseph Papineau (a lawyer and a seigneur) the leader of the Parti Patriote, wrote a letter containing the demands of the assembly in 1834. The main demand was for the Responsible Government → members of the council should be chosen from the elected assembly, therefor the government made up by the people would be responsible for its decisions. Papineau’s document was sent to London to be reviewed. -
The Rebellions
Continued increase in loyalists coming from America and Irish immigration!
Change in population
Lower-- 1791: 150 000-- 1861: 1 152 000
Upper--1791: 10 000-- 1861: 1 396 000 -
Concerns in Upper Canada
Responsible government was the major concern! Continued immigration to increase the English presence in Canada
New immigrants from Great Britain bringing values of parliamentary democracy. Reduction in the role of the Church of England in taxes and affairs. Reducing the power of values of traditionalism and conservatism. Stronger voice for Elected assembly. Reduce voice for the Family Compact. No veto powers -
Act of Union
The act of union changes to a responsible government
Overall english speaking to control the disagreeing forces Durham saw in French Lower Canada. The Act consolidates debt, creates a permanent civil list, banishes the French language from official government use, suspends certain French Canadian institutions. The act naturally caused opposition. In 1848 a Responsible Government was put into place. -
Church in The Contemporary Period
Protestant Universities: McGill (1821), Bishops(1843). As we move into the 1900s : Church becomes more involved in politics ; Influencing Unions and the caisses populaires (banks) :
Large families. Rural life based on traditional church values -
Church in The Contemporary Period
After 1837 the bishops became more and more powerful, the cures became the most important person in the parish. Church was still in charge of registering births, marriages, deaths. Controlling education (Laval University 1852). Orphanages, Shelters, Charities, Religious festivals. Roman Catholic Church attendance was very high. Protestants were divided (Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists etc…) Ministers still influential but not as powerful as R.C. -
The Great Depression and Duplessis
High volume of unemployment, meaning governments are looking to get into power. Direct payments and the welfare state arise to appease the citizens and get them to vote for that party unemployment insurance family allowances. -
The Great Depression and Duplessis
The Union Nationale are in power in 1936 to 1939 when Godbout takes power for one term the following changes are made:
Voting rights for women, compulsory education until age 14, nationalization of electricity in Montreal (later becomes hydro quebec). But quickly the Union Nationale are voted back into power in 1944 for the next 15years until Duplessis’ death. -
Groups that challenged Duplessis
Intellectuals and Journalists
Intellectuals such as Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Rene Levesque opposed the Duplessis government and attacked the conservative nature of Quebec society in newspapers, magazine articles and television programs. -
Groups that challenged Duplessis
Union Leaders:
They accused Duplessis of opposing social progress and of serving American interests rather than the interests of Quebec workers.
Numerous strikes were held during this time period including the Asbestos strike of 1949 in which even the Bishop and other church of officials supported the strikers. -
The Quiet Revolution
Driven by cultural and political assertion of Quebecers and the desire for a government with a more interventionist role. Jean Lesage was a lawyer and a federal politician for 4 terms in the Federal Parliament with the Liberals and ran later for head of Quebec Liberal Party when the Conservatives ousted Mackenzie King’s federal Liberals in 1958.
1960 : Campaigned with “C’est le temps que ca change”
1962 : Election slogan used was “Maitres chez nous”
1962: NATIONALIZE HYDRO QUEBEC -
Language within Quebec
Allophones who adopted english as their language when coming to Quebec fed the separatist and nationalist movements. In response governments :
1961 - Lesage (Liberal) creates the Office de la langue francaise was created to promote the French Language
1974 - Bourassa (Liberal) adopts the Official Language Act , Bill 22 , making French the official language of Quebec -
Language within Quebec
Levesque (PQ) enacts the Charter of the French Language, Bill 101 , making it compulsory for immigrant children to go to French school , forced large companies to adopt french and imposed french on public signs. Bill 101 forces immigrant children to go to french schools and for businesses the french sign the french writing had to be 2 times bigger than the english writing. -
Quebec and the Canadian constitution
In response to the referendum of 1980, Trudeau attempts to unify the country by participating (BNA Act was transferred from Britain to the Federal and Provincial legislatures) the constitution - meaningful independence from Great Britain. All Provinces agreed, except Quebec, but the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedom were implemented in 1982. Still to this day, Quebec has not signed the constitution. -
Quebec and the Canadian constitution
In 1984 , Prime Minister Brian Mulroney tried to organize a deal to amend the constitution that would satisfy Quebec and the other provinces. Meech Lake Accord 1987 - written with various reforms but Manitoba and Newfoundland refused to ratify it. Charlottetown Agreement 1992 - written with reforms and included recognizing aboriginal and Quebec rights. Premiers agreed but then a Canadian Referendum on the agreement has voted against by the people. -
Referendum on an independent Quebec (round 1)
Cultural differences and oppressive struggle since conquest had many Quebecois seeing themselves independent from Canada and not Canadians. Quebec would still keep the economic benefits of being a part of Canada but be a politically independent nation.
No side won with about 60% of the vote. -
Referendum on an independent Quebec (round 2)
Constitutional agreement failed because:
English Canada refused to give QC special status
Quebec’s mixed feelings towards independence weakened their negotiations. Other groups saw QC making demands and wantee their interests heard as well,
1994 - PQ return power under Jacques Parizeau
1995 - Referendum on sovereignty
This time the vote was for a completely independent Quebec. No side won with 50.6% of the vote
