| 1959 |
|
| Sept.
11 |
Maurice
Duplessis dies |
| 1960 |
|
| |
Jean
Lesage's Liberals are elected; beginning of the Quiet
Revolution.
Founding
of Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale; dedicated
to the independence of Quebec important role of André D'Allemagne, Marcel Chaput and Guy Pouliot. |
| 1961 |
|
| Feb. |
Conseil
d'orientation économique formed in Quebec City. |
| April |
Formation
of Mouvement laique de langue française. |
| Sept.
1 |
Government
of Jean Lesage refused to participate in the federal government's
inquest into health services. |
| |
Creation
of the Office de la langue française. |
| Nov. |
Georges-Emile
Lapalme appointed first Minister of Cultural Affairs. |
| 1962 |
|
| June |
Quebec
forms Société Générale de Financement
(SGF). |
| Nov. |
Provincial
election under the theme 'Maitres chez nous'. Nationalisation
of Hydro companies was the main theme. The successful campaign
was spearheaded by René Levesque. |
| Nov.
28 |
Large
demonstration in front of Montreal Head Office of Canadian
National Railways. Gordon "incident". Gordon claims that there
are so few prominent French Canadians on the Board of the
CNR because there is a lack of competent French Canadians. |
| 1963 |
|
| |
Creation
by the Federal Government of Lester Pearson of the Royal Commission
of Inquiry into Bilingualism and Biculturalism. It will demonstrate
in several volumes which appeared from 1965-1969 that Canada
was in a state of crisis and that French Canadians are frequently
at a disadvantage linguistically, economically and in the
civil service. Headed by André Laurendeau and Davidson
Dunton. |
| Jan. |
Plans
for the nationalisation of Hydro electric companies are announced. |
| Feb. |
Formation
of Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ); marked
the beginning of several waves of terrorist actions taken
in Québec from 1963-1972. Intellectual leaders of the
movement were Charles Gagnon and Pierre Vallières.
The latter is author of Nègres Blancs d'Amérique. While noisy, and attracting a great deal of attention,
the FLQ never succeeded in attracting widespread support and
remained always a marginal movement. |
| 1964 |
|
| |
Creation
of Ministry of Education headed by reformer Paul-Gérin
Lajoie; this is seen as first step toward improvement of the
Québécois position. A great deal of faith was
put in education, as a tool for social promotion, during the
Quiet Revolution. Lesage
announced that Quebec withdraws from some 29 federal-provincial
programmes. Wins opting-out formula. |
| July
15 |
Fédération
Libérale du Québec splits from the Liberal Party
of Canada. Henceforth, the provincial party is autonomous
from the national party. |
| Oct.
10 |
Visit
to Quebec by Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was seen as the
symbol of past colonialism and her visit was not popular and
opposed. Quebec City was the scene of large demonstrations
and of police brutality; the day is remembered in Quebec
history as 'Samedi de la matraque' |
| 1965 |
|
| |
Major
discussions surrounding the patriation of the Constitution
took place. Fulton-Favreau formula rejected by Quebec.
Creation
of Sidérurgie Québécoise (SIDBEC). |
| Feb.
27 |
Signing
of first international agreement of Quebec with France. Beginning
of periodic clashes with Federal Government over role and
presence of Quebec in international affairs. |
| June |
June
Creation of Caisse de Dépot et de Placement. It was
to be a major instrument in the plans to develop more the
economy of Quebec and enhance the position of the French language
and of francophones in the economy of Quebec. Various amounts
collected by the Government of Quebec (pension funds, agricultural
insurance, car insurance) are deposited and administered by
the Caisse. |
| July |
Creation
of Société Québécoise d'Exploration
Minière (SOQUEM). |
| 1966 |
|
| June
6 |
Lesage's
Liberals defeated by the Union Nationale party led by Daniel
Johnson. Johnson is known for his Egalité ou Indépendance
stand. Years of constitutional wrangling were to follow. Caused
by hardening of position in both Quebec and Ottawa. |
| 1967 |
|
| |
Centenary
of Confederation. Much discussion around its meaning and its
suitability in Quebec. Some put slogan "Cent ans d'injustice" on their license plates. |
| April |
Department
of Federal-Provincial Affairs renamed Dept. of Intergovernmental
Affairs. |
| May |
Lionel
Groulx died. Occasion for reassessment of ultramontane
forms of nationalism. |
| July |
Visit
to Quebec of President Charles de Gaulle. Occasion for his
famous "Vive le Québec Libre" speech. Outrage in Ottawa
and in the rest of Canada but many Québécois
evidently pleased. |
| Oct. |
Mouvement
Souveraineté-Association formed by René Lévesque.
Lévesque published Option Québec shortly
after. |
| Nov. |
Etats
Généraux du Canada Français began. Very
nationalist outlook |
| 1968 |
|
| Feb
22 |
Government
of Quebec created Radio Quebec |
June
10 |
A slate
of candidates committed to channelling all the children of "immigrants" into French schools was elected to
the Catholic School Commission of St. Leonard. Beginning of
the St. Leonard School crisis that culminated in the passing
of Bill
63 (1969). |
| June
24 |
St. Jean
Baptiste riots in Montreal. Demonstrators protested the presence
of Pierre E. Trudeau.
Trudeau gained much support across Canada for standing up
to the demonstrators. |
| Oct.
12-15 |
Founding
of the Parti Québécois from Lévesque's
Mouvement Souveraineté Association and Gilles Grégoire's
Ralliement National. On October 26, the Rassemblement pour
l'indépendance nationale is dissolved; members are
encouraged to join the PQ. |
| Nov. |
A department
of Immigration is organised. |
| Nov.
28 |
Bill
90 issued. It renamed the Legislative Assembly of Quebec which
will now be known as the Assemblée Nationale. First
of several such decisions which will lead to the creation
of Fête Nationale, Archives Nationale, Bibliothèque
Nationale, Drapeau National etc. |
| Dec. |
Appointment
of Gendron Commission to investigate the language issue in
Quebec, particularly the situation of St. Leonard. |
| 1968
- 1971 |
|
| |
New constitutional
phase; spearheaded by Pierre Trudeau. Will lead to Victoria
Charter. |
| 1969 |
|
| Oct.
23 |
Bill
63 issued by Jean Jacques Bertrand government. First bill
to promote the French Language in Quebec; in reality, the
bill mostly guaranteed the right of parents to choose the
language of instruction of their children. Very negative reaction
throughout French Quebec. Language issue becoming radicalised. |
| 1970 |
|
| Oct.
- Dec. |
October
events. Kidnapping of James Cross (British High Commissioner
in Montreal) and murder of Pierre Laporte (Minister of Labour)
by Front de Libération du Québec. Enactment
of War Measure's Act by Federal Government. New Bourassa government
showed little leadership. Much hysteria present in public,
press and governments. Hundreds are arrested who will never
be charged.
It was evident that there was no general public approval
of terrorist actions. |
| 1971 |
|
| Jan.
18 |
A regulation
from Quebec made it compulsory for all English language schools
to teach French as a second language. |
| Apr.
29 |
James
Bay development project is announced by Bourassa |
| June
23 |
Victoria
Charter is vetoed by Quebec. New article 94A is not acceptable. |
| 1972 |
|
| March
12 |
The federal
government accepted Quebec's requests that family allowances
be distributed under terms laid down by the provincial government.
Ultimately, federal family allowances' amount shall be varied
in such a way as to promote a higher birth rate. Eventually
a provincial family allowance, along the same lines, shall
be created. |
| April |
Common
front strike in. the public sector. |
| Dec. |
Gendron
Report is published. Recommended one official Language
and two national languages for Quebec. |
| 1973 |
|
| Oct. |
Bourassa
government reelected; PQ won 30% of the vote although it now
had one less seat than in the former legislature. Nevertheless,
the PQ formed the official opposition. |
| 1974 |
|
| July
30 |
Official
Language's Act (Bill 22) is enacted. Bill came under attack
by extremists from both sides of the language debate. |
| Oct.
29 |
National
Assembly voted a Charter of Rights. Amended on several occasions
afterwards to improve it further, the Charter made it compulsory
for every provincial law, unless expressly excluded from its
provisions, to conform to its terms. A 60% majority is necessary
to amend its clauses. A Human Rights Commission was created.
The Charter is the most comprehensive found in Canada. Under
its terms, the signs provisions of Bill 101 were declared
unconstitutional in 1988. Bourassa outlined the constitutional
position of his 1975, Aug. demanded a veto for Quebec and
a final say over matters of language, culture, communication,
as well as an expanded role in immigration. Policy of "cultural
sovereignty". |
| 1975 |
|
| Sept.
15 |
At a
meeting with anglophone parents of Montreal West, Bourassa
declared that they must learn to live with the language provisions
of Bill 22 "or face the possibility of even more radical legislation
later". |
| Oct. |
First
Quebec-Ottawa agreement to expand provincial jurisdiction
in the field of immigration. |
| 1976 |
|
| Nov.
15 |
Parti
Québécois came to power on the promises of holding
a referendum on sovereignty association (étapisme)
as well as conducting themselves as "un bon gouvernement". |
| 1977 |
|
| Aug.
26 |
Bill
101 issued. Sweeping provisions to make French the dominant
language in Quebec (Public Administration, education, economy).
Restrictions are placed on the use of other languages (except
native languages) in some areas (laws, signs, etc.). The anglophone
community was evidently stunned by the content of the Bill
but there was, obviously , great support for its provisions
among francophones who saw it as the affirmation of their
collective language rights. |
| 1978 |
|
| Feb
20 |
Signing
of Cullen-Couture agreement expanding provincial role in immigration. |
| 1979 |
|
| June |
Formation
of Banque Nationale following a merger of Banque Canadienne
Nationale and Banque Provinciale. |
| Nov.
1 |
PQ government
released White Paper on Sovereignty Association; it was titled
Quebec-Canada: A New Deal |
| 1980 |
|
| Jan.
9 |
Provincial
Liberal Party released its Beige Paper outlining its constitutional
proposals for a renewed federation. Massive decentralisation
proposed. The Liberal Party thus had a credible leader (Claude
Ryan) and a popular policy to face the referendum. |
| March
5 |
Major
revamping of the Civil Code of Quebec |
| May
20 |
59.5%
of Quebecers voted against the sovereignty association proposal
in the referendum. During the campaign, Trudeau promised
that a no answer would be interpreted as a yes for a renewed
federation. |
| 1981
Nov- April 1982 |
|
| |
Patriation
of the Constitution despite the objections of the Government
of Quebec. A Canadian Charter of Rights was included and some
of the provisions clashed evidently with clauses of Bill 101.
Quebec lost its right of constitutional veto. |
| 1982 |
|
| May
5 |
National
Assembly voted a Bill that exempted all past, current and
future laws of Quebec from the provisions outlined in ss.
2, 7-14 and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights (notwithstanding
clause). |
| 1982-1985 |
|
| |
Downward
trend in the economy; high level of inflation and unemployment
in Canada and Quebec. Political support for the Parti Québécois
slipped considerably as well as support for independence.
Ideological infighting lead to resignation of René Levesque and the defeat of the PQ in the elections of 1985. |
| 1984 |
|
| June
20 |
Order
of Quebec medal created |
| 1985 |
|
| May
17 |
Levesque
outlined Quebec's demands to join the constitutional framework:
among the many provisions were exemption from most clauses
of the Canadian Charter of Rights, exclusive jurisdiction
over language and recognition of Quebec as a distinct society. |
| 1986 |
|
| |
On several
occasions, notably at Saint Gabriel, the new Bourassa government
outlined its constitutional demands: constitutional veto,
limitation on the spending power of the Federal government,
a role in the appointment of Supreme Court judges; recognition
of the distinctive character of Quebec and improved powers
over immigration. The new Mulroney government elected in 1984
was receptive to these points and eventually the other provinces
agreed to a "Quebec round" of constitutional discussions. |
| Dec.
18 |
National
Assembly adopted Bill 142 which guaranteed social services
in the English language in Quebec. |
| 1987 |
|
| Apr.
30
(confirmed on June 3) |
Signing
of the Meech Lake Accord. Opposition of the PQ to several
of the clauses; however it seemed clear that the majority
of Quebecers supported its provisions |
1987
June 23 -
1990 June 23 |
|
| |
Discussions
around Meech Lake Accord. The rest of the country was increasingly
hostile to the idea of recognising Quebec as a distinct society.
In the end, the Accord was not voted in Manitoba (role of
E. Harper) and in Newfoundland (role of Clyde Wells); thus
it died among bitter feelings in 1990. |
| 1988 |
|
| Dec.
15 |
Supreme
Court pronounced unanimously against sign rules of Bill 101. |
| Dec.
21 |
National
Assembly adopted inside-outside rule for commercial signs
(Bill 178). Much protest among anglophone Quebecers; this
led to the founding of the Equality Party which eventually
elected 4 members to the National Assembly. See the documents
on Bill 178. |
| 1989
- 1990 |
|
| |
Climate
of tolerance toward Quebec is deteriorating. Increase of pro
nationalist feeling detected by several polls in Quebec. |
| 1990 |
|
| July
25 |
A group
of discontented Federal Quebec M.P's form the Bloc Québécois
headed by Lucien Bouchard. |
| 1991 |
|
| Jan.
29 |
The Allaire
Report is submitted. Its content is to constitute the new
provincial constitutional position of the Liberal Party. Massive
decentralisation in 22 areas is proposed. It also proposed
a Referendum by the Fall of 1992 if new constitutional talks
with Ottawa failed. |
| March
27 |
The Bélanger-Campeau
report is made public. It recommended that a referendum
be held in the Fall of 1992 if constitutional negotiations
were not successful. |
| Sept.
24 |
The Federal
government unveiled its new constitutional proposals. Reactions
were cautious in Quebec; little support was expressed.
|
