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Maurice Duplessis as Premier with Union Nationale
Maurice Duplessis’ Union nationale supported provincial autonomy, economic liberalism, anti- unionism, the modernization of agriculture, social conservatism, and close ties with the Catholic Church, and opposed state control of social services such as education and health.
(relection p.223) -
Act to Promote Rural Electrification
Duplessis was concerned about the rural economy and population, he believed that Quebec's development depended on the agricultural sector, and he relied on the large number of voters in rural areas to help him win the next election. Therefore, he passed the Act to Promote Rural Electrification to modernize rural areas and farms. Ultimately, farms produced more electricity, stimulating economic development in the province.
(Reflections, p. 213) -
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List of Prime Ministers of Canada (1945-1980)
1935-1948: William Lyon Mackenzie King (Liberal Party of Canada)
1948-1957: Louis St. Laurent (Liberal Party of Canada)
1957-1963: John Diefenbaker (Progressive Conservative Party of Canada)
1963-1968: Lester B. Pearson (Liberal Party of Canada)
1968-1979: Pierre Elliott Trudeau (Liberal Party of Canada)
1979-1980: Joe Clark (Progressive Conservative Party of Canada) -
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Baby Boom
Québec’s birth rate had been rising since the early 1940s. It rose until 1950, then declined slightly. The period from 1945 to 1960, which was marked by a sudden increase in the birth rate, was called the baby boom. In addition to a higher number of births, other factors contributed to the rate of natural increase at the time
(reflection p.218) -
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List of Premiers of Québec (1945-1980)
1939-1944: Adélard Godbout (Liberal Party of Québec)
1944-1959: Maurice Duplessis (Union Nationale)
1959-1960: Paul Sauvé (Union Nationale)
1960-1966: Jean Lesage (Liberal Party of Québec)
1966-1968: Daniel Johnson Sr. (Union Nationale)
1968-1970: Jean-Jacques Bertrand (Union Nationale)
1970-1976: Robert Bourassa (Liberal Party of Québec)
1976-1985: René Lévesque (Parti Québécois) -
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The Cold War
During the Cold War, the United States and the USSR did not engage in direct conflict. They threw their economic and military might behind countries and groups that shared their model of society or with whom they had common interests that could be pursued in order to hinder the progress of the opposing camp.
(reflection p.206) -
Refus Global Manifesto Published
Many artists and intellectuals were also opposed to the Duplessis government. In 1948, 15 young artists, including painters Paul-Émile Borduas and Jean-Paul Riopelle, published a manifesto entitled Refus global. Their objective was to publicly protest against the social conservatism of the Duplessis government and the Catholic Church. They denounced the Church’s control over Québec society and held it responsible for what they considered to be Québec’s cultural lag.
(Reflections, p. 216) -
Asbestos Strike
Unions and the Duplessis government often came into conflict. Tensions declared particularly during strikes. One of the most significant labour disputes erupted in 1949, when close to 5000 miners in Thetford Mines and Asbestos went on strike. Duplessis threw his support behind the employers and declared the miners’ strike illegal.
(Reflections, p. 268) -
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Majority of Immigrants Come from Italy
Most immigrants were still Westerners. For example, during the 1960s, immigrants from Italy, Greece and Portugal represented approximately 25% of immigration.
(reflection p.241) -
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Korean War – Canada Joins UN Forces
In 1950, a civil war erupted in Korea that lasted until 1953. This war pitted the southern region of the country, which had the military support of the United States, against forces in the north, backed
by the USSR and China. The Korean War ended with the creation of a capitalist South Korea and a communist North Korea.
(reflection p.206) -
Québec Introduces Provincial Income Tax (Fiscal Autonomy)
Maurice Duplessis’ Union Nationale was re-elected in 1944 and remained in power until 1960.Duplessis defended the province’s autonomy when the federal government intervened in provincial jurisdictions. Duplessis also thought that the province of Québec should collect its own taxes in order to enjoy greater autonomy. In 1954, it reintroduced the provincial income tax. The federal government was therefore forced to reduce the taxes it collected from Québec.
(Reflections, p. 211) -
Rise of Americanism
With the growing presence of television, Quebecers were increasingly exposed to American culture. More and more movie theatres were opening. Hollywood, California, was the most important centre for the production of American films, many of which were shown in Québec. Québec culture was influenced by American culture, which valued freedom, material comfort, individualism and economic success.
(Reflections, p.218) -
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The Quiet Revolution (1960-1970)
The Quiet Revolution led to major changes in Québec society:
- More Francophone Quebecers attended school.
- They were more involved in the business world. - They participated in the union movement (particularly public and parapublic sector employees).
- They showed greater openness to the world. - They supported Québec neo-nationalism (of growing concern to Ottawa).
- They benefited from cultural vitality.
(reflection p.239) -
Nationalization of Electricity (Hydro-Québec Expands)
In 1962, the Lesage government triggered elections by proposing the complete nationalization of electricity. The Québec state bought out the vast majority of the private electricity companies and merged them with Hydro-Québec. By taking over management of this key economic sector, the state sought to maximize the promotes from the production of electricity and standardize electricity rates across the province..(Reflections, p. 228) -
Creation of the Ministry of Education (Parent Report Recommendations)
In 1963, the Parent Commission published the first volume of its report. The Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Education in the Province of Quebec, commonly referred to as the “Parent Report,” recommended major reforms in education to create a high quality public system that would be accessible to people in all regions of Québec, regardless of their social class. It also recommended coeducation in order to promote girls’ education.
(Reflections, p. 226) -
Establishment of CEGEPs and Université du Québec Network
In the area of education, the Johnson government continued to apply the recommendations of the Parent Report. The first CEGEPs (the French acronym for general and vocational colleges) opened their doors in 1967. They offered the possibility of continuing a general education leading to university or pursuing vocational training.(Reflections, p. 231) -
Expo 67 – Showcasing Québec’s Identity to the World
Known as Expo 67, the World’s Fair that took place in Montréal from April to October 1967 is a prime example of this openness to the world. It offered
Quebecers a chance to discover the culture, know how and identity of the many countries represented there. The theme of Expo 67, “Man and His World,” spoke to the desire of Québec society to know more about the world and discover other cultures.(Reflections, p. 234) -
Passage of Bill 63 – Language Rights Debate
In 1969, the Union nationale passed the Act to Promote the French Language in Québec (Bill 63). This act allowed parents to choose the language of instruction for their children, introduced French-as-a-second-language courses in Anglophone schools and sought the integration of immigrants into Francophone schools, without imposing it. The legal protection of the French language was the subject of many public debates in the years to come.
(Reflections, p. 268) -
October Crisis – FLQ Kidnappings & War Measures Act
Some of them formed a group called the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) (Québec Liberation Front). Members of the FLQ targeted what they considered to be symbols of British colonialism and Anglophone power. On October 5, 1970, the
FLQ kidnapped British diplomat James Richard Cross and, on October 10, Liberal minister Pierre Laporte.
(Reflections, p. 258) -
Introduction of Québec’s Medicare System (Health Insurance Act)
Québec’s health insurance plan, known as medicare, was recommended by the Commission of Inquiry on Health and Social Welfare. The Commission was headed by Claude Castonguay, who is considered the father of medicare. In this photograph, Minister Castonguay presents the first child health booklet to a patient at Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement in the city of Québec.
(Reflections, p. 254) -
James Bay Hydroelectric Project Announced
The large hydroelectric projects planned in Baie-James transformed the territories of the Indigenous people established there. Québec government agreed to negotiate with the Indigenous peoples so that they would drop their legal proceedings. In 1975, both parties signed the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement.
(reflection p.257) -
Period: to
The Oil Crises & Economic Downturn
In 1979, a second oil crisis occurred in Iran, a major oil producer. This crisis led to a new wave of inflation. A new phenomenon of industrial relocation gradually set in, this time toward countries with lower wages. The low cost of labour in these countries attracted businesses and led to job losses in Québec. The rise in unemployment slowed economic growth and led to tax losses for the government.
(reflection p.271) -
Adoption of Québec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
In June 1975, the Bourassa government adopted the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, which recognized that all individuals are equal. In 1976, the Québec Human Rights Commission was established. Its mission was to ensure that the rights outlined within the Charter were promoted and respected. It did this by providing information to the public through publications and by investigating cases of discrimination.
(reflection p.254) -
Bill 101 – The Charter of the French Language
Even though Québec received many French-speaking immigrants, many new arrivals were allophones and continued to integrate into the Anglophone community, particularly in Montréal.In 1977, the Parti Québécois government adopted the Charter of the French Language, commonly referred to as “Bill 101.” This law went farther than the Official Language Act in its protection of the French language.
(reflection p.) -
Second Oil Crisis
The end of the 1970s was marked by an economic downturn and a rise in the unemployment rate. In 1979, a second oil crisis occurred in Iran, a major oil producer. This crisis led to a new wave of inflation. A new phenomenon of industrial relocation gradually set in, this time toward countries with
lower wages. The low cost of labour in these countries attracted businesses and led to job losses in Québec.
(reflection p.271)