Claude
Bélanger, Department of History, Marianopolis College has done an interesting
study of Jean
Lesage and the Quiet Revolution (1960-66) which is well worth the read.
Although
many people are familiar with the term ‘Quiet
Revolution’ few are really familiar with just what that entailed.
Quebecers
had suffered decades of oppression and regulation that reached a point of
causing a rebellion against church and state as practiced by the Duplessis
regime.
 |
| Prime
Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau being questioned after introducing the War Measures Act (10/16/1970) |
Unlike
most rebellion, the Quebec version was primarily intellectual and social excepting
for the minority hotheads who led Quebec into the October 1970 crisis and
enactment of the War Measures Act.
What
is more intriguing is how Jean Lesage managed to wrest a degree of political
anonymity from the federal government. There are several lessons therein for
all provinces to consider, but many have been lost in misreading of how Quebec
secured anonymity and set a series of precedents.
Most
of us incorrectly assume that we have a representation by population system,
but Quebec is separately treated, other provinces with a population of over 2.5
million (Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario) are treated differently from
those with a population of between 1.5 and 2.5 million (none at present) and
those with population under 1.5 million (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland
and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island & Saskatchewan).
The
system favours smaller provinces.
Successive
federal governments have insisted that the federal government is superior to,
and above, the provinces. This is, at best, only partially true and restricted
to matters under federal jurisdiction, and a few not articulated in the
constitution.
For
the most part, provinces have not fully exercised their constitutional powers,
in part as those powers entail responsibilities. Quebec is the exception in
that regard at present.
Western
Canadians are awakening to the need for a different deal with the federal
government. The system is not working for them.
In
future articles we will explore the options provinces have and how they relate
to federal powers and responsibilities.
John
Feldsted
Political Consultant & Strategist
Winnipeg,
Manitoba
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