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The Red River Rebellion
Louis Riel fights for the Metis people (half French / half native people) in Western Canada They felt too many British people were settling on their land in the west. The fight was known as the Red River Rebellion. Riel set up a temporary government in Manitoba and negotiated their entry in Canada. Louis Riel then fled to the USA to avoid trail for the murder of Thomas Scott. The province of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories was created and both joined Canada in 1870. -
The Trial of Louis Riel
French Canadians were outraged the jury was made up all English Protestants and no French. The jury took 30 minutes to decide that Riel was guilty but asked for mercy. The trail was highly flawed and seen unfair by many people. Many people appeals were sent to Prime Minister Macdonald by French Canadians begging for mercy for Riel. Riel was hanged at 8:00am on November 16, 1885 in Regina Saskatchewan. This was the first major dispute between English Canada and French Canada since confederation. -
Conscription Crisis
The Conscription Crisis caused tensions between French and English Canada because all French Canadians felt that they didn't have to fight in the war to help Great Britain because they felt their loyalty was to Canada not Great Britain while English Canadians had strong tides to Great Britain -
Duplessis and La Grande Noirceur (The Great Darkness)
Duplessis believed that the French had to keep language and faith for their identity. He blamed the American and English-speaking Canadian business owners and the federal government were the source of Quebec's problems. He was determined to increase Quebec's power so that it can control of it's own destiny. -
Richard Riots
Maurice "Rocket" Richard a NHL superstar was suspended one night in 1955 by NHL commissioner Clarence Campbell the rest of the season and the playoffs because he got into a fight and hit a linesman. The French felt this was too extreme of a punishment and that this was also to try and embarrass French Canadians. The Richard Riots triggered the fervor of French nationalism Richard's suspension was the last straw for Quebecers. French nationalism spark the quiet revolution to separate from Canada. -
The Quiet Revolution
There was no violence and no war. The government instituted change and changed how Quebec was run. Quebec took control of education (science + technology), business, and the power of the church declined. -
The Birth of Separatism
At this time Quebeckers ask things like: Why is Ottawa so English-speaking?, Why are there so few cabinet ministers from Quebec?, and Why were Quebeckers in Quebec expected to speak English? Out of frustration the idea of an independent country entirely controlled by the Quebecois - the only solution to Quebec's problems. Their belief was that as long as Quebec was associated with the rest of Canada, French Canadians would never be treated as equals. -
The FLQ
The FLQ was a terrorist group who started in 1963-1970 who's names was Front de Liberation du Quebec. Between 1963 and 1970 the FLQ had set off a number of bombs, mainly in Montreal, killing 6 people and wounding any others. -
Expo 67
French President, Charles de Gaulle, was invited by the Quebec government to visit the Expo 67, where he gave a speech and said that he felt the same as when France was liberated by the Nazi. It was clear De Gaulle had given his support to separatists in their liberation of Quebec. Most Canadians were stunned by the comparison to the Nazi. Lester B. Pearson was outraged. De Gaulle cancelled the rest of his trip. Relations between France and Canada were strained until De Gaulle's death in 1969. -
The Official Languages Act
When Pierre Trudeau came to power in 1968, he was determined to do more to appease Quebec. In 1969 his government passed The Official Languages Act. This act made Canada officially bilingual. All federal government agencies were required to offer all services in both now "official languages." More francophones were appointed to senior government positions. Encouraged Canadians to increase their understanding of each other's culture. The results had mixed reviews. -
The FLQ Continued and The October Crisis
The FLQ had a huge role in the October Crisis in 1970 when they kidnapped two men named James Cross and Pierre LaPorte. This made PM Trudeau enacted the War Measures Act which took away civil rights of Canadians and allowed police to hold suspects without charge for 21 days and 90 days without trail. Pierre LaPorte was later found dead in a trunk of a car in Montreal. Police found Cross in a home after 59 days of being held captive after reaching and agreement with the kidnappers. -
Bill 22
Birth rates in Quebec had declined following WW II. Many immigrants came to Quebec and preferred to learn how to speak English. To protect the French language and culture the provincial government led by Henri Bourassa passed new legislation called Bill 22. French was proclaimed as the official language of the public service in Quebec. Immigrant parents' right to choose the language of instruction for their children was limited. Children who passed an English test could go to English school. -
Bill 101
Bill 101 was more extreme than Bill 22. French was to be used in government, the courts and business. Businesses could only display commercial signs in French. French became the official language of the workplace. Quebeckers were now able to access jobs only previously open to those who spoke English. 800 000 people including those who owned companies in Quebec left the province, for Toronto and Calgary. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled English had to be on signs and other products too. -
Independence Round 1
Premier Rene Levesque calls a referendum for Quebec Independence. Less than 20% of Quebeckers favoured independence. Many feared American dominance economically, politically, and culturally. 84% of Quebeckers wanted some changes in Canada. Trudeau had been against separation. He wanted to keep Canada united. He promised the people of Quebec a new constitutional arrangement if the referendum was defeated. Trudeau also wanted Canada's constitution to belong to Canada. -
Night of the Long Knives
On the Night of the Long Knives, Trudeau and all the premiers met to discuss the constitution in Canada. All the province's premiers felt like they would lose power. To make the changes, the PM needs 7 of 10 provinces. After the discussions, all the premiers went to the Château Laurier Hotel to go to sleep except the premier of Quebec who went to his home province, Quebec. After the premier of Quebec left all the other premiers got together, bargained, and made final decisions without him.
