Quebec has a rich history spanning hundreds of years. Their culture, language, and religion are especially significant when considering the geographic cleavages that exist in Canada today. Despite the fact that Canada has managed to exist for 150 years and is considerably decentralized, Quebec has been marginalized and subjected to anglicization and assimilation of their French culture since the Conquest and Confederation, to the Quiet Revolution and to the present day. Through an examination of regionalism, current opinion polls and elections results in Quebec, and a comparison with the independence movement and referendum in Catalonia, this paper argues that Quebec sovereignty is not a dead issue and that there are consequential future consequences
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However, Canada has not maintained this agreement. Quebec, therefore, has valid contentions for sovereignty (Des Granges 30). For instance, these tensions culminated first with the Quiet Revolution – the rise of Quebec nationalism – and later in the century with the two referendums on Quebec independence. In addition, Quebec nationalism can be viewed as expanding and developing in various forms throughout the twentieth century, with a number of laws and restrictions as related to language. To exemplify, in the 1970s, there were several pieces of legislation that made French the sole official language of the province. While there have since been changes and amendments due to the Canadian constitutionality of freedom of speech and language (Des Granges 36), Quebec continues to emphasize the French language, despite the continued Anglicization of Canada and Quebec that originated centuries before. Furthermore, the twentieth century also brought forth the rise of protest parties. Namely, the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois stress the “‘dissatisfaction in economic and political status quo’ and [argue] for greater sovereignty” (Des Granges 39), both of which were crucial in the referendums on sovereignty and on a different vision for Quebec and Canada. These political parties have persisted in their significance and prominence in Canadian
However, Canada has not maintained this agreement. Quebec, therefore, has valid contentions for sovereignty (Des Granges 30). For instance, these tensions culminated first with the Quiet Revolution – the rise of Quebec nationalism – and later in the century with the two referendums on Quebec independence. In addition, Quebec nationalism can be viewed as expanding and developing in various forms throughout the twentieth century, with a number of laws and restrictions as related to language. To exemplify, in the 1970s, there were several pieces of legislation that made French the sole official language of the province. While there have since been changes and amendments due to the Canadian constitutionality of freedom of speech and language (Des Granges 36), Quebec continues to emphasize the French language, despite the continued Anglicization of Canada and Quebec that originated centuries before. Furthermore, the twentieth century also brought forth the rise of protest parties. Namely, the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois stress the “‘dissatisfaction in economic and political status quo’ and [argue] for greater sovereignty” (Des Granges 39), both of which were crucial in the referendums on sovereignty and on a different vision for Quebec and Canada. These political parties have persisted in their significance and prominence in Canadian