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The Duplessis Era/ The Great Darkness 1936-1939 & 1944-1959
Maurice Duplessis was the Union Nationale premier of Quebec at the time from 1936-1939 and 1944-1959. He was a roman catholic and political conservative who became known as le chef meaning the boss. The Duplessis era was known for bad working conditions when he discouraged unions and used strong armed tactics against them. Because of this, the period of his rule was known as "la grande noirceur" which means the Great Darkness. Duplessis was considered old fashioned and was disliked by the people -
Front de liberation du Quebec lQ party is formed
A canadian separatist group founded in the 1960s and based in Montreal. The FLQ were an unknown group of young French Canadians who would speak of Quebec's separation from Canada and of Marxist objectives. They were commited to violent actions to achieve their goals and were trained in the assasination from Palestinian commandos in Jordan. They had a number of secretive cells within Quebec. -
The Quiet Revolution begins 1960
From 1960 to 1966, Jean Lesage of the Liberal Party was premier of Quebec. Lesage campaigned under the slogan Maîtres chez nous--masters of our own house. Quebec went through a period of rapid reform and modernization called 'la revolution tranquille'-- the Quiet Revolution. The Quiet revolution was characterized by the stregnthening of the welfare state. The The most drastic change in the Quiet Revolution was a huge increase in Quebec's nationalism and they became known as Quebécois. -
1962 Maitre Chez Nous (Jean Lesage, Liberal Party Campaign Slogan
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The Official Languages Act, 1969
In 1969, Prime Minister Trudeau signed the Official Languages Act which gave all Canadians the legal right to deal with the federal government in either French or English.
All products sold in stores across the country had to be labelled in both French and English. As a result, French Immersion programs were implemented across the country. -
FLQ Crisis(October 5, 1970) aka October Crisis
On Octobr 5, 1970, four men of the FLQ's liberation cell kidnapped the British Trade commisioner James Cross at gunpoint in Montreal. They wanted a ransom of $500,000; transport to Cuba; they be allowed to read the FLQ Manifesto in public and that FLQ political prisoners be released. Five years later Pierre Laporte was kidnapped.
Laporte wrote a letter to Robert Bourassa, Liberal premier of Québec warning him to stop all police searches and do what the FLQ demanded in order to save his life. -
1974 Bill 22 introduced by Robert Bourassa
IN 1974, the Liberal premier of Quebec, Robert Bourassa introduced Bill 22 making French the official language of Quebec. Children had to pass an English efficiency test before being allowed to register at English schools in Quebec. Bourassa introduced this bill because of the decline in the birth rates of French Canadians in Quebec. This made him worried that the French language would become a minority. -
The Parti Quebecois wins provincial election on Quebec
In 1976, Quebec voters chose Parti Quebecois as the next provincial government. This fell into René Lévesque's plans because during the 1976 election he had reasoned that a vote for Quebecois would not mean separation. He also promised he would hold a province-wide referendum before making a move towards independence. Quebeckers vote din for the first time after this reassurance.
The top priority of this new government was strengthening the status of the french language. -
1977 Bill 101 passed.
In 1977, Réne Lévesque proposed Bill 101 to replace the previous Bill 22. This Bill 101 was known as the Charter of the French Language bill requiring French to be the language used by governments, courts and businesses in Quebec, and that commercial sign be displayed in French only. Bill 101 also restricted access to English schools and a parent that attended one. Many English business left Quebec for other parts of Canada. -
1980 Referendum on Sovereignty Association
In 1980, René Lévesque's Parti Quebecois called a referendum to determine Quebec's political future. Lévesque told Quebecers to say "yes" to giving his government a mandate to negotiate with Canada based on soverienty association.
He proposed that Quebec became politically independent while maintaining a close association with Canada.
In the referendum 40 percent of Quebecers said yes while the remaining 60 percent denied Lévesque sovereignty association. Lévesque accepted defeat. -
1982 Patriation of the Constitution
In1982, Prime Minister Trudeau announced plans to revise Canada's Constitution. The BNA(Britsh North American) Act had been Canada's Constitution since 1867. The Act set out the powers of federal and provincial governments and guaranteed the language and educational rights of Quebec's French speaking majority.
Trudeau wanted to patriate the Constitution but to start he needed an amending formula. He needed the approval of all the provinces for his plan to work. -
1985 Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism investigation by Lester B Pearson.
Lester B Pearson had his rRyal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism investigate solutions to solving the tension between English Canadians and French Canadians and they recommended that Canada should become bilingual. -
Canada's New Flag
Lester B Pearson became the new Prime Minister of Canada during the October Crisis and the tension between the English Canadians and French Canadians. He believed that Canada would face a grave crisis unless they made the French more comfortable in Canada. He appointed the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism to investigate some solutions. He acted on QUebec's complaint that Canad's sym bols were too British so he created the new Canadian flag. -
Reform Party Created 1987
Prime Minister Brian Mulony wanted Quebec's signature on the constitution qith honour + enthusiasm. Reform Party is born out of feelings of:
1.) Western Alienation
2.) Senate Reform
3.) French-English Rift
4.) Aboriginal Self Government -
Department of Multicultarism formed 1988
Belief in the Canadian 'mosaic' us the USA's melting Pot" Discouraged assimilation but encouraged expressing your culture. -
World War One Conscription Crisis
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World War Two Conscription Crisis
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Creation of the Union Nationale Party
