A brief overview of French-English relations in Canada from 1914-1970

1. French-English Relations

2. World War One – 1914 -1918
At the outset of World War
One – tremendous
disagreement between
English and French Canada
on what role Canada should
play in conflict
French Canadians did not
think we should get involved
in a European / British war
Most English-Canadians
still felt strong loyalty to
Britain and wanted to lend
support

3. 1917 – Conscription Crisis of WWI
When PM Borden introduced
Military Service Act of 1917 –
introduced conscription
Divided Canada along
language lines
English Canada supportive of
conscription, French Canada
opposed
Henri Bourassa, the Premier of
Quebec, appealed to
Quebecois by saying that the
war involved no Canadian
interests, and therefore
Canadians should not be
involved.
Québec City Riot (1918)
protested conscription, led to 4
deaths

4. 1930s - Roots of Quebec Nationalism
Maurice Duplessis – Union Nationale
Premier of Québec from 19361939, and again from 1944-1959
strong Québec nationalist devoted
to the idea of Québec as a
distinctive society – a “nation”
rather than just another Canadian
province
introduced flag for Québec bearing
the French symbol, the fleur-de-lis –
to emphasize province’s difference
from English-speaking Canada
fiercely opposed growing powers of
federal government

5. Duplessis – cont’
HOWEVER-
bribery and corruption
trademarks of Duplessis regime
while limiting the influence of
foreign culture, he encouraged
foreign investment
businesses and industries from
Ontario and USA were attracted
by what Québec had to offer:
cheap labour (union activity was
either discouraged or banned)
and low taxes
in return for favourable
business conditions, companies
were expected to contribute
generously to the Union
Nationale – in “kickbacks”/ gifts

6. Roman Catholic Church
Under Duplessis, the Church was
the main defender of Québec culture
priests urged people in Québec to
turn their backs on the materialism
of English-speaking North America
Church praised the old Québec
traditions of farm, faith, and family
Church ran Québec’s schools taught children to accept authority
those few who attended high school
and university received training in
traditional subjects (eg. Philosophy)
Result – Québec produced many
priests, lawyers, and politicians, but
few scientists, engineers, or
business people

7. World War Two 1939 - 1945
1942 – Conscription Crisis
again
 Not as severe as 1917, but
there were still protests and
tensions
PM King uses plebiscite
(referendum) to ask
Canadians to release him
from promise not to
impose conscription
Vast majority of English
Canadians vote in favour;
vast majority of French
Canadians vote against
Conscription

8. Quiet Revolution – 1960s
1960 – Duplessis died –
Jean Lesage and the
Liberals came to power in
Québec under the slogan,
“Time for a Change”
Lesage – stamped out
corruption
 government jobs and
contracts were now
awarded according to
merit
 wages and pensions
were raised
 restrictions on trade
unionism removed

9. Quiet Revolution -
Modernization
Liberals began a peaceful but
dramatic movement to
modernize the province’s
economy, politics,
education, and culture
took control of social services
and the education system
students required to take
more science and technology
courses to prepare them for
the new Québec
Quebeckers were encouraged
to think of themselves as
citizens of the 20th century
as new attitudes took hold,
the influence of the church
declined
this wave of change known
as the Quiet Revolution

10. Quiet Revolution -
“Maîtres Chez Nous”
after 1962 election – Liberals
campaigned, and won, with
the motto, “maîtres chez
nous” – “ masters in our own
house”
aim – to strengthen Québec’s
control of its own economy
among other steps – Quebec
nationalized (bought out)
several hydro companies and
turned them into a large,
provincially-owned power
monopoly – Hydro-
Québec

11. Separatism
resentment towards Englishspeaking Canada grew
as francophone Quebeckers became
proud of their achievements –
became angrier at what they
perceived as injustices by Englishspeaking Canadians – i.e.
 federal government
overwhelmingly English;
 French rarely held Cabinet posts;
 no French schools in the rest of
Canada;
 Francophones expected to speak
English in stores and at work
for some – only solution was for
Quebec to be entirely controlled by
Quebeckers – in separation from
Canada

12. Separatism - FLQ
some young radicals –
joined terrorist groups like
the FLQ (front de
liberation du Québec) and
fought in the name of
“Québec libre” – a “free”
Québec
used firebombs and
explosives to attack
symbols of EnglishCanadian power in Québec
most notably – March 7,
1963 – 3 Canadian army
buildings in Montreal were
bombed with Molotov
cocktails (homemade
firebombs)
FLQ claimed responsibility

13. Separatism -
Lévesque and the PQ
1967 – influential
Québec cabinet
minister René
Lévesque left the
Liberal Party and
formed the Parti
Québécois (PQ)
Lévesque believed that
Québec and Canada
would do better to
“divorce peacefully”
than to continue a
marriage that seemed
“no loner workable”

14. Ottawa’s Response
- Royal Commission
Lester Pearson –
became PM in midst of
Quiet Revolution
convinced that Canada
would face a grave crisis
unless the French were
made to feel more at
home in Canada
appointed the Royal
Commission on
Bilingualism and
Biculturalism (The “Bi
and Bi Commission”)
to investigate some
solutions
Main recommendation:
that Canada should
become officially
bilingual

15. Ottawa’s Response -
New Canadian Flag -1965
1964 – Pearson acted on longstanding complaint in Québec
that Canada’s symbols were
too British – suggested a new
Canadian flag
Maple Leaf chosen as symbol for
new flag because it seemed to
represent all Canadians
instead – increased tensions in
Canada
many English Canadians
opposed the new flag because
they felt Pearson was pandering
to Québec
 heated debate – split the
country
now accepted by EnglishCanadians – Quebeckers tend to
favour fleur-de-lis
finally, on February 15, 1965
– Canada’s new flag was
raised on Parliament Hill for
the 1st time

16. Trudeau and Québec
Canada becomes Officially Bilingual in 1969
1968 – Trudeau succeeded
Pearson as PM
determined Ottawa should do
more to persuade people from
Québec that their future lay with
Canada
1969 – acted n the advice of the
“Bi and Bi Commission” and
passed the Official Languages
Act – making Canada an
officially bilingual country
from this point on: all federal
government agencies across
Canada were required to provide
services in both languages

17. Official Languages Act - 1969
met with mixed results –
some embraced the idea
– i.e. French Immersion
classes; others felt
French being forced on
them
many Westerners
angered
many Francophones not
impressed – wanted
“special status” for
Québec in Confederation
Trudeau would not accept
this notion

18. FLQ Crisis Background
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Digit
al%2BArchives/War%2Band
%2BConflict/Civil
%2BUnrest/ID/1559977962/

19. James Cross Released
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Digit
al%2BArchives/War%2Band
%2BConflict/Civil
%2BUnrest/ID/1559906879/

20. October Crisis - 1970
On October 5, 1970 members of the
FLQ kidnapped James Cross, a
British diplomat, from this Montreal
home
In exchange for Cross’s safe release –
FLQ made several demands, including
release of FLQ members serving prison
sentences for previous criminal acts
Federal and Québec authorities agreed
to most demands – but refused to
release any FLQ prisoners from jail
then FLQ kidnapped Québec Labour
Minister Pierre Laporte
Alarmed that the situation was out of
control – Trudeau asked Parliament
to impose the War Measures Act
 civil rights suspended;
 anyone could be arrested and
detained without being charged with
an offense;
 membership in FLQ became a
crime;
James Cross
Pierre Laporte

21. When asked how far he would go
to defeat the FLQ Trudeau said,
“Just watch me.”
October 16th – federal troops
were sent to patrol the streets of
Ottawa and Montreal
Hundreds of pro-separatist
Quebeckers were arrested and
held without charge
October 17th – police found the
body of Pierre Laporte in the
trunk of a car – had been
strangled
Two months later – Montreal
tracked the group holding Cross
in a Montreal house
In return for Cross’ safe release –
kidnappers were permitted safe
passage to Cuba, where they
would be granted political asylum
Those detained under the War
Measures Act – released
Of 450 people held in detention –
only 25 ever charged
October Crisis
Dec 3, 1970 - October Crisis Over
Trudeau – Just Watch Me – (5:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0