Political Geography II.docx

Political Geography II: Quebec: From Nation to Nation-State 12/8/09 Quebec in Context Like the US, Canada is a federal political system. But Canadian provinces have greater powers than US states. Quebec?s position linked to French Canada?s status as one of the three ?founding nations? Founded 1608 ?Nouvelle France? Original settled area of Quebec very small and agricultural British Conquest in 1759. New France becomes Lower Canada French religion, law and language rights recognized by British. English dominate business and law Influence of Catholic Church very strong 1830s-1950s 1837 Rebellion ?Revenge of the cradle? and out-migration Canadian Confederation (1867) Quebec controls language Rapid modernization after 1945-US firms invest 1950s growing labor unrest Hockey, The Canadiens and The Richard Riot (1955) Quebec Becoming A Nation? 1960s la Revolution Tranquille: the Quiet Revolution Use of provincial government to modernize society Decline in role of Catholic Church Rise of secular nationalism Seperatism-Front du Liberation du Quebec (FLQ) founded 1963 ?Vive Le Quebec Libre? Degaulle 1967 Increasing seperatist violence-bombings, riots and the October Crisis 1970. From Seperatist to Sovereignty? Parti Quebecois (seperatists) elected 1976 Passing of Language Laws Referendums in 1980/1995 on seperation/sovereigny association Quebec does not ratify Canadian constitution 1981- Bloc Quebecois- Quebec sovereignist party in the Canadian Parliament 1995-2007 Quebec given control over immigration Moves to recognize Quebec as a distinct society or nation within Canada ?Pur Laine?-who is part of a nation? Language and other divisions-Francophone (82%), Anglophone (8%) and Allophone (10%) Some parts of (mostly rural) Quebec anti-immigration. Ex. Herouxville.