Francophone Perspectives on Canadian Nationalism
The French were first Europeans to permanently settle in Canada. How can understanding historical events help students in Canada better understand the actions of Quebecois today?
The French were the first to settle the area now known as Canada.
- 1534: Jacques Cartier
- 1608: Samuel de Champlain founds New France
- Couriers de bois - fur traders (led to Metis nation)
"The Great Expulsion" Exiling the Acadians
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1756-1763: The Seven Years War
- Battle between Britain and France, fought mostly in the colonies (North America)
- Britain won, got the French colonies in North America
- This is known as The Conquest to Quebecois ("Je me souviens")
1763: The Royal Proclamation Act
- The British constitution for North America
- Limited Quebec to the area around the St. Lawrence; no Roman Catholics allowed in government, English laws prevail
- 80,000 French Catholics being ruled by 500 British Protestants
1774: The Quebec Act
- To maintain control over the French, government gives rights to the French, including guarantees of language and religious rights as well as increased land holdings
- The French approved, but the English Canada found it intolerable
1791: The Constitution Act
Loyalists come to Canada from the 13 Colonies (War of Independence).
- This increases the number of English speaking settlers.
- Divided the land into Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Quebec) which creates two different societies living in the same country; this creates temporary stability
1837: Rebellion in Lower Canada
- The laws that had been passed to protect French culture were cancelled by the English government
- There was no democracy (the French had no government representation) so they rebelled (Upper Canada also rebelled due to the lack of democratic representation)
- Sir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin begin to work together to demand responsible government for both French and English Canada
- The British send in troops to crush the rebellions
- Later Lord Durham comes and recommends the assimilation of the French
1840: Act of Union
Unites Upper and Lower Canada, which are now known as Canada East and Canada West
Each region will have the same number of representatives, even though Canada East had 200,000 more people
This created a balance of power = nothing gets done
The Governor General could cancel any law written by these representatives
Each region will have the same number of representatives, even though Canada East had 200,000 more people
This created a balance of power = nothing gets done
The Governor General could cancel any law written by these representatives
1867: Confederation
The colonies of Canada East and West join together with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to create the nation of Canada.
One reason for Confederation – fear of US invasion (they had just had a civil war)
One reason for Confederation – fear of US invasion (they had just had a civil war)
Manitoba Schools Question
When the small province of Manitoba is created, residents are promised that students could choose an education in French and in Catholic schools.
1890 the provincial government decides it’s too expensive and closes the schools Creates a national conflict Laurier comes up with a solution (sunny ways) – provide classes in the French language and Catholic religion within the regular schools (compromise) |
How do these events help to explain the francophones perspective in Canada?
It influences who the francophones opinion towards the rest of Canada as a result of how they were treated.
The Quiet Revolution
Maitres chez nous
1960s and 1970s
- Quebecois begin to demand more rights
- Too many businesses controlled by English Canadians – French Canadians discriminated against (Premier Duplessis makes some changes, but not enough to be effective)
- 1967 Royal Commission on Biculturalism and Bilingualsim
- Finds that French Canadian are discriminated against, and the loss of their culture is a real threat
- Canada becomes officialy bilingual
Modern Quebec
- 1967: Rene Levesque forms the Sovereignty Movement Association
- Later he becomes the premier
Controversy: he cancels his visit with Trudeau in Ottawa
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1970: FLQ Crisis
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Referendums and a new Constitution for Canada
- 1980: First Referendum - 59.56 No, 40.44 Yes
- 1995: Second Referendum - 50.58 No, 49.42 Yes
1982: Constitution Act
- Canada repatriates Constitution from Britain (BNA Act)
- Takes decades because of the difficulty in deciding the amending formula
- Late at night the premiers find solution (Quebec premier not there)
- All parties sign except Quebec
Language in Quebec
- Bill 101 – French is the dominant in Quebec politics and must be the largest on commercial signs
- Road signs in French
- French as a language is threatened by the influx of immigrants, must of whom learn English.
- Problems in education:
As late the 1930, it was illegal to teach French in school, or outside school hours - If it is not taught, will it die outside of Quebec? Is that important?
Party Politics in Quebec
- Parti Quebecois: Nationalist party in Quebec provincial politics – pushing for sovereignty
- Desire for a say for Quebec in federal politics = Bloc Quebecois
- Remain committed to separatism
- Because of Quebec’s population, they have at one time been the second largest party in the House of Commons
“In November, 2006, the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper created a sensation when it passed a motion recognizing that ‘the Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada.’ The carefully worded motion referred to Quebcois – the people – rather than to Quebec – the geographic and political entity.”
Sources
Info
class notes, class website, social youtube videos
Photos
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/archives/sunnews/canada/media/2013/02/20130205-072737-g.jpg
http://images.lpcdn.ca/435x290/201210/10/598158.jpg
http://www.cbc.ca/acadian/images/timeline/embarkation.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Deportation_Grand-Pr%C3%A9.jpg
http://www.rogerlandry.com/images/burning.png
http://www.acadian.org/images/deportation-monument.jpg
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/Images/74_forgedInWar_euroWars_sevenYearWarEN.jpg
http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/11/Seven-Years-War-Fall-of-Kolberg-H.jpeg
http://www.mint.ca/store/dyn/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2210036_123948_rev-388.png
http://cdn.ipolitics.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ELT200711200807542183639.jpg
http://www.bloorstreet.com/200block/royproc.gif
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/images/firstnations/fp_treaties/Benjamin_West_360px.jpg
http://655e823511efb289952c-e82553a271b6cfdf0ae0f84b730ab65e.r82.cf2.rackcdn.com/cc9tF9X1mu_1393476726977.jpg?rasterSignature=ec414fb8fbf773e5c77bb801cc03befd&theme=Picaresque&imageFilter=false
http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Pictures/May%203rd.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Saint-Eustache-Patriotes.jpg
http://www.begbiecontestsociety.org/Part%20II%202009%20DeGaulle%202.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Rene_Levesque_-_election_1973_-_LAC_PA115039.jpg
http://larevolutiontranquille.ca/medias/rene-levesque-gille-gregoire-g.jpg
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/www/peelbib/2236/pages/4/Pg004.png
Info
class notes, class website, social youtube videos
Photos
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/archives/sunnews/canada/media/2013/02/20130205-072737-g.jpg
http://images.lpcdn.ca/435x290/201210/10/598158.jpg
http://www.cbc.ca/acadian/images/timeline/embarkation.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Deportation_Grand-Pr%C3%A9.jpg
http://www.rogerlandry.com/images/burning.png
http://www.acadian.org/images/deportation-monument.jpg
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/Images/74_forgedInWar_euroWars_sevenYearWarEN.jpg
http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/11/Seven-Years-War-Fall-of-Kolberg-H.jpeg
http://www.mint.ca/store/dyn/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2210036_123948_rev-388.png
http://cdn.ipolitics.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ELT200711200807542183639.jpg
http://www.bloorstreet.com/200block/royproc.gif
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/images/firstnations/fp_treaties/Benjamin_West_360px.jpg
http://655e823511efb289952c-e82553a271b6cfdf0ae0f84b730ab65e.r82.cf2.rackcdn.com/cc9tF9X1mu_1393476726977.jpg?rasterSignature=ec414fb8fbf773e5c77bb801cc03befd&theme=Picaresque&imageFilter=false
http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Pictures/May%203rd.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Saint-Eustache-Patriotes.jpg
http://www.begbiecontestsociety.org/Part%20II%202009%20DeGaulle%202.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Rene_Levesque_-_election_1973_-_LAC_PA115039.jpg
http://larevolutiontranquille.ca/medias/rene-levesque-gille-gregoire-g.jpg
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/www/peelbib/2236/pages/4/Pg004.png