The Quiet Revolution and its Negative Impact on Quebec

1611 Words4 Pages

In Canadian history, nationalism and sovereignty tend to be common themes prevalent since Confederation. A well-known example of this in Quebec was during the Quiet Revolution which strengthened the need for change through Premier Lesage’s reforms and in turn, developed a strong sense of nationalism in Quebec. In contrast to beliefs that the rapid modernization of the Quiet Revolution had a positive impact on Quebec, it rather had a negative impact on Quebec and its citizens and identity. The three consequences which arose in Quebec as a result of the revolution are the encouragement of separatism, the elimination of traditional values and roles and the establishment of powerful bureaucratic control. Quebec’s attempt to be more like the rest of Canada and to protect French Canadian identity unleashed a new form of nationalism, capable of threatening Canada’s unity and destroying Quebec itself, as witnessed during the Quiet Revolution. The first consequence to be investigated with regard to the revolution having a more negative impact on Quebec rather than a positive one is the encouragement of separatism. Maître chez-nous, the new mentality for Quebec to be masters in their own house, was established by Premier Lesage with goals for Quebec to determine their own fate; however, separatists advocated full independence as the only real solution. The strong feelings of separatism consequently led to the formation of the Front de Liberation du Quebec and other revolutionary groups who were committed to terrorism because they, “believed words didn’t get them anywhere so perhaps someone in Ottawa would listen to bombs.” (FLQ Backgrounder Web) The FLQ was responsible for more than 200 bombings between 1963 and 1970 (Baldwin 15) to push... ... middle of paper ... ...lcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/06/23/tasha-kheiriddin-parlez-vous-francais-only-in-canada-m-duceppe/>. McKillop, Scott. "Quebec and the Quiet Revolution." Winston Knoll Collegiate. Regina Public Schools, n.d. Web. 31 Dec. 2013. . Moffat, Charles. "The Roots of Quebec Separatism." The Canada EZine. N.p., Nov. 2007. Web. 31 Dec. 2013. . Phinney, Sandra. Pierre Elliott Trudeau: The Prankster Who Never Flinched. Toronto: JackFruit, 2006. Print. Shipton, Rosemary. Canadian Decades- 1960s. Calgary: Weigl, 2012. Print. Shipton, Rosemary. The 1960s. Calgary: Weigl, 2000. Print. Temple, Elliot. "Why Is Tradition Important?" Fallible Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Dec. 2013. .

Show More
Related

  • The Impacts of the Sixties Scoop on First Nations People

    1683 Words  | 4 Pages

    Steckley, J., & Cummins, B. D. (2008). Full circle: Canada's First Nations (2nd ed.). Toronto:

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Quebec's Cultural Identity

    204 Words  | 1 Pages

    Although, Quebec’s population share many similar characteristics amongst one another it is not essential to decide “the people” (Heard, 2013). To be considered a state you must represent all the people in it. Quebec prefers independences for the reason of a commonality

    Read More

  • Canadian Politics: René Lévesque

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    The years following the Second World War were bleak in regards to Canada's future as a country, with the public and politicians alike set against each other, but soon a Québec man by the name of René Lévesque entered journalism, and then politics, voicing his views for all to hear, with great success and vigour. Though obstacles presented themselves often in his life, he changed the views of Québec, Canada and the world as a whole. René Lévesque was a passionate and charismatic politician who greatly contributed to post-war Québec and even today through his beliefs in separatism, founding the Parti Québecois and passing Bill 101.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Quebec to the Rest of Canada

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although Quebec is in Canada, a majority of Quebecers do not identify with the national identity of Canada. Both societies create a sense of identity as well as nationalism (Hiller, 295). Hiller mentions two approaches to assessing Canadian identity; the unitary approach and the segmentalist approach (Hiller, 277). The unitary approach suggests that society consists of people who regardless of their ethnic back ground, identify as belonging to the national society, while the segmentalist approach concentrates on groups and communities that share racial, linguistic, occupational, or cultural similarities (Hiller, 28). While most Anglophones are more unitary or pan-Canadian, Quebec heavily identifies with the segmentalist approach. This dissimilarity of identity perspective may be problematic for the country, at the same time however, it can also be viewed as a struggle where contradictory parties find a way to compromise and reshape Canadian society together (Hiller, 277). Canada’s former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau made it his objective to unite Quebec with the rest of Canada. In 1969 Trudeau’s government implemented Bill C-120, otherwise known as the Official Language act, which made French an...

    Read More

  • Pierre Elliot Trudeau

    1809 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many Francophones believed that they were being discriminated and treated unfairly due to the British North American Act which failed to recognize the unique nature of the province in its list of provisions. Trudeau, with the aid of several colleagues, fought the imminent wave of social chaos in Quebec with anti-clerical and communist visions he obtained while in his adolescent years. However, as the nationalist movement gained momentum against the Provincial government, Trudeau came to the startling realization that Provincial autonomy would not solidify Quebec's future in the country (he believed that separatism would soon follow) and unless Duplessis could successfully negotiate (on the issue of a constitution) with the rest of Canada, the prospect of self-sovereignty for Quebec would transpire. His first essay (Quebec and the Constitutional Problem) explores

    Read More

  • Canada: The Quiet Revolution in Quebec

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some Quebecers thought that separation was the only solution. They thought that as long as Quebec was associated with the rest of Canada, French-Canadians would never be treated equal. The FLQ (Front De Libération Du Québec) was founded in 1963. It was a smaller, more forceful group of separatists. They were a collection of groups of young people whose idea was to use terrorism to

    Read More

  • Quebec

    2106 Words  | 5 Pages

    To decide what to do after Quebec separates, First Ministers and the ROC, must first look at why it happened. Perhaps Quebec's profound nationalism and unique national identity conflicted with citizens in the ROC; in order to gain understanding of their decision the ROC must look at Quebec's past. Quebec was not always treated fairly nor where they given many rights in regards t...

    Read More

  • French language in Quebec: still under threat

    1820 Words  | 4 Pages

    This following article explains the point of view that people are rebelling against Quebec’s language police. This rebelling can be seen as a threat, and therefore will be used as a point of threat, and the impacts that it has on the language in Quebec.

    Read More

  • Quebec Referendum Essay

    605 Words  | 2 Pages

    The people of Quebec feel that being in Canada is endangering their heritage. Canada has run the country in ways that help itself and hurt Quebec and they can tell. They feel they want to be their own countries so they can keep their heritage and have a government that focuses on their interests more. A big reason is that Quebecers don't feel any relations with anyone outside of their province. The idea has been floating out there ever since the Battle of the plains of Abraham, which the British fought them for their french colony known as

    Read More

  • Quebec Separation Of Canada Essay

    1812 Words  | 4 Pages

    Separation of Quebec can negatively impact on Canada`s culture, heritage, bilingualism, education, and economy. That is, separation of Quebec is consequential in terms of import and export, foreign investors, market within the country, currency, Bank`s fund, and employment opportunities. Furthermore, separation of Quebec violates Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. Separation of Quebec violates rights of Anglophone and francophone people and creates problems for their education. Also, separation of Quebec negatively affects mobility rights of Canadian citizens. By having unified government it is possible for Quebec government to have local control whenever feasible. There are politicians in other parts of the world that can act as driving for to break apart Canada for their own benefit. Political stability is a key factor behind Canadians success. Separation of Quebec and trade with USA and other countries can result in over dependence of Canada on other countries. To avoid this threat Canadian youth must work harder and seek advice from experts in law, economy, and politics. If Quebec separates, Canadian will lose huge lands and population will shrink. If boundaries remain the same it can be problematic for residents who have trade with neighbor provinces or residents who have properties that will negatively impacted from division of Quebec. If boundaries don’t remain the same there will be huge debate in terms of new

    Read More

  • The American Influence in Canadian Popular Culture

    1937 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.

    Read More

  • 1920s: The Roaring Twenties in Canada

    928 Words  | 2 Pages

    Canada experienced the revolution of changing politics and new ideologies, it was a necessary wave

    Read More

  • Quebec Should Not Be The Same Without Canada

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    Let's begin by talking about the sovereigntist movement in Quebec. The movement has been around since the early 60's but didn't really gain any wide scale support until the 1980's, when the first referendum took place. A majority of Quebecers voted no, that they wanted to remain part

    Read More

  • Essay On Interculturalism

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    Integration demand many policies throughout Quebec insinuation, such as education, employment and training for all those necessities. To begin with, shall list certain policy that Québec government hasplaced throughout the years, From the Quit revolution till today. First in 1980 the policy know as Autant de facon d’etre quebecois: Enonce de politique en matiere d’immigration et d’integration. This policy had three objectives. “1. Ensuring the preservation, specificity, and development of cultural communites; 2. Sensitizing francophone Quebecers to the place of cultural communities in developing a common heritage; and 3. promoting the integration of the cultural communities in Quebec society especially in the sectors where they were under-represented particularly in the public service”. (Lacovino, 255) This policy was the first step on integrating the immigrants and ethnic cultural minority member into Quebec. As well to find a balance and harmony between the majority and minority groups, it prompts a convergence of cultures as the most favourable in...

    Read More

  • The Primordialist Theory Of Identity And National Identity

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    The argument is essentially that Quebec is unique, they have a unique francophone culture and a unique language in comparison to the rest of English Canada. However, the cultural argument was essentially that the French in Canada were at risk of becoming assimilated by the rest of Canada. Thus, Quebec was in need of an independent political entity in order to preserve their unique language, identity, and culture. Although throughout the years the popular support for separation and autonomy has decreased, poking hole in the primordialist idea of ‘fixed’ identity. It also pokes a further hole because identities change over generations, as with Quebec where sovereignty, which was favoured among older generations and as they disappear so did support for the cause. Calls for Quebec autonomy arguably reached its epitome in 1970 with the bombing and kidnappings by the FLQ, a nationalist terrorist group. The idea that identity is fixed makes analysing the change in Quebec nationalism quite difficult and highlights the need for other conceptual languages such as situationalism or

    Read More

More about The Quiet Revolution and its Negative Impact on Quebec

Open Document