PLSC 445B -- Québec Class Notes

[kevyn]

Class notes, Québec studies -- 9-APR-2008 (continued)

Continuing: Historico-Institutional Context of Québec from "Nouvelle-France" to the end of the Duplessis reign, 1534-1959

1791 - The New France Province of Québec was divided into 2 British colonies: Upper Canada (now Ontario, anglophone) and Lower Canada (now Québec, francophone).

The colonies were each represented by a legislative assembly. However, executive power in both colonies remained in the hands of the British governors, which meant that real power still was in the hands of the British Empire, not the assemblies.

It is at this time that the "Two Solitudes" of French and English Canada began developing.

1834 - Louis-Jean (Joseph) Papineau, a Québec politician and speaker of the Lower Canada Assembly, and leader in the rebel Patriote faction, sent 92 resolutions to London with demands for reformations, including creating executive power in the colony.
London ignores the resolutions for 3 years.

1837 - The British Parliament sends back the Russell Resolutions, which rejects all of Papineau's demands outright. Anger builds in Québec, and agitation for rebellion begins.

1837-1838 - The Québec Rebellions of 1837 and 1838

Paramilitary organizations, called Patriotes, modeled on American revolutionary thought, began fighting the British. The Patriotes won a few battles at first, but the British won in the end.
Nov. 1837 - Many rebels are arrested. Papineau escapes into the United States.

These rebellions are now frequently referred back to by modern separatists, as historical proof of Québécois sentiment for being independent from British rule.

Backlash - Lord Duran sent to Canada to assess the situation.
Reports back to London with the recommendation that London work strenuously to assimilate the Québécois.

1840 - Act of Union
Joins Upper Canada and Lower Canada into a single colony, the Province of Canada, with a small (and hopefully diminishing) francophone minority.
With the Act of Union, there is only 1 legislative assembly , with a 42-42 split of seats between anglophones and francophones. French language is outlawed in the assembly. The Québécois see this as unfair and unproportional, and thus begins 27 years of legislative gridlock between the anglophones and francophones.

The French Canadians were demoralized. They had lost the rebellions, and were firmly under British rule.
This was the beginning of a 100-year ideology of cultural survival - "le survivance." The Québécois would protect the traditions and values of French Culture, and the Catholic Church. Using these tools, they would make sure their culture and language would survive.

Also, the "Revenge of the Cradle" - producing many more babies than the British colonists.
French Canadian steadfastly resisted assimilation, though they knew they did not have enough political power to make things change.

It is also at this time that anglophone colonists begin referring to themselves as "Canadians."

The legislative gridlock between the anglophones and francophones continues until...

1867 - British North America Act
Canada is formed as a nation.
Ontario & Québec are once again separated into individual provinces.
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are split off from Québec as provinces as well.
Much of the drive behind the BNAA was to counter the claims of "Manifest Destiny" in the United States, and the drive to spread American power across the continent.

French Canadians accept Confederation without much enthusiasm.
Church leaders are satisfied that Québec is created as a French-speaking province.
The Church had a HUGE impact in Québec during the period following Confederation - referred to as "the period of the Triumphant Church."

>> Fast forward because of time constraints >>

1920s-1930s - The Industrial Revolution finally reaches Québec
Québec finds it has many advantages:
- Proximity to U.S. markets
- Abundant natural resources
- Maritime access
- Railroads, and later roads

1944-1959 - The reign of Maurice Duplessis and «La Grande Noirceur» ("The Great Darkness")
The period is marked by a strengthening of very conservative politics, rural-oriented policies,
and increased clerical power.
Not a very democratic period in Québec history, very authoritarian.
Public piety, church controlled schools, Catholic ideology shaped family life and morals.

Duplessis was noted for:
- Opposition to military conscription during WW II
- Winning his elections from rural areas, not the cities
- Opposing social services, saying that the church should handle them
- Strong-arming unions, using police to break strikes, drawing heavy criticism
- Talking about religion a lot in speeches: "Le ciel est bleu; l'enfer est rouge" ("The sky is blue, Hell is red", a direct reference to Union Nationale vs. Liberal Party politics)

Québec 1945-1960

Demography
1. Post-war baby boom
2. Prosperity = new migration patterns
3. Increase of foreign immigration (especially into Montréal).

Agriculture
1. Decline of importance

Economy
1. Profound changes
- Manufacturing replaces agriculture as the most important male occupation
- More women move into the workforce during this period
- WW II stimulates production and employment across Québec
2. Montréal loses economic dominance to Toronto.

Comments

[detailbear.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. My 1966-1975 elementary education seems to have skipped over the 1837 rebellion. Maybe they studied it in high school.

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

Fascinating. I mentioned your comment in class, and the professor didn't seem at all surprised. He says the rebellions of 1837-1838 are events that are very important to Québécois. But somehow, the rest of Canada doesn't know much about them.

Maybe the Ontario education curriculum has improved since you went to school?

Rebellions of 1837

[(Anonymous)]

detailbear - Perhaps you fell asleep during that section. The Rebellions of 1837 were and still are taught in grade 7. I was in grade 7 in 1962, so I know it has been taught since then. Also I am a history teacher and have been teaching about the Rebellions since 1984.

Re: Rebellions of 1837

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

I don't normally allow anonymous comments on my blog (they're screened), but I felt this one was relevant enough to warrant an exception. I would prefer, though, that you identify yourself when commenting, as it lends credibility to your post.

Thank you.