Quebec: Fluctuation Between Autonomy and Secession

Jahn, Egbert

doi:10.1007/978-3-658-25199-4_12

Egbert Jahn⁴

Part of the book series: Studien des Leibniz-Instituts Hessische Stiftung Friedens- und Konfliktforschung ((SLIHSFK))

498 Accesses

Abstract

In the mid-1930s, a Francophone national movement was founded in Quebec with the aim of maintaining and strengthening the French language and culture in Canada and in the Province of Quebec in particular. Since the 1970s, a considerable proportion of this movement has been aiming at separating Quebec from Canada and at constituting an independent Republic of Quebec. Most secessionists, however, wish to see a close economic and monetary union between the new nation state and the “Rest of Canada”, referring to the European Union as a model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

eBook: USD 16.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 16.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
Some authors also translate this formula as being “independence based on partnership”.
2.
Different results ensued, depending on whether the question asked in opinion polls referred to agreement to sovereignty, sovereignty-association or independence. See in detail over the years Keating (2002, pp. 91, 93).
3.
The most prominent and, at the same time, highly contested exponent of this direction was Pierre Elliott Trudeau (1919–2000), who from 1968 to 1984 was, with a brief interruption, the prime minister of Canada. His rigid policy of “national unity” and rejection of the special historic position of Quebec is strongly criticised by some as being partially responsible for the crisis in the Canadian federation, e.g., by McRoberts (1997). By contrast, Trudeau’s liberal predecessor, Lester B. Pearson (1897–1972), who was prime minister from 1963–1968, is regarded as being far more understanding of the dualistic concept of the Canadian state prevalent among many Francophones.
4.
This is about a concept of an ethnic or linguistic nation as opposed to the concept of the nation of the French Revolution. The term “Quebec nation” covers all three concepts of nationhood.
5.
It requires unanimity between the federation and the provinces with regard to important amendments to the constitution, and for others, agreement between the federation and at least seven provinces.
6.
There is a large amount of literature on federalism in Canada, such as Gagnon (2009); Rocher and Smith (2003); Broschek (2009).
7.
An interesting attempt to link the growth of the importance of exclusive, cultural nationalism to the expansion of social legitimacy and the constitution of rule was presented by Chennells (2001). However, he fails to take into account the asymmetries in the development of national political awareness among Franco- and Anglo-Canadians.
8.
On the different socio-economic and political explanations for the silent, i.e. peaceful, reforming revolution, see Lammert (2004, pp. 102–111).
9.
In 1867, the word “confederation” was still used in the sense of federation as a federal state, and not in the sense of a state alliance.
10.
Some of the views on this subject are quoted in Bothwell (1998, pp. 235–237); also Lammert (2004, p. 160).
11.
In 1970, in studies conducted by Maurice Pinard, 34% declared themselves as “Canadiens”, 44% as “Canadiens français”, and 21% as “Québécois”. In 1990, the corresponding figures were 9%, 28% and 59% (quoted from Lange 2000, p. 192). In another survey in 1995, 29% described themselves as being only (seulement) Quebecers, 29% as being Quebecers first, but also Canadian (d’abord), 28% as Quebecer and Canadian equally (à part égale), 6.7% as Canadians first, but also Quebecers, and 5.4% as Canadians alone (quoted from McRoberts 1997, p. 247).
12.
The longer English wording of the referendum question can be found, e.g., in Alexandroff (2006, p. 224) and Lammert (2004, pp. 171–172).
13.
Quebec presented five demands on this regard, see in detail Levine (1997, pp. 321–322).
14.
Meech Lake Accord (1987). A summary is given by Lammert (2004, p. 181).
15.
Charlottetown Accord (1992). A summary is given by Lammert (2004, p. 187).
16.
“Acceptez-vous que le Québec devienne souverain, après avoir offert formellement au Canada un nouveau partenariat économique et politique, dans le cadre du projet de loi sur l’avenir du Québec et de l’entente du 12 juin?” In English: “Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign, after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership, within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Quebec and the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?” (Lammert 2004, pp. 191, 201). On the effects of the imprecise formulation in both referenda, see Robinson (1998, pp. 215–222).
17.
During the course of time, the share of Quebecers who supported independence rose from 7% (1965) to 70% (June 1990), and then fell to just over 40% according to Levine (1997, p. 325). In 2004, it again rose to 52% (Alexandroff 2006, p. 226).
18.
An even clearer explanation for the restrictive understanding of a clear majority was formulated by the initiator of the Clarity Act (Dion 2013). A critical appreciation of the verdict of the Supreme Court and of the Clarity Act is given in Lajoie (2004).
19.
On the financial transfers between the provinces, see Hale (2006, pp. 380–383).
20.
This conclusion is reached by Lammert (2004, p. 206 et seq.).
21.
Keating (2002, p. VI) expresses the same notion using different terminology: “Nations do not have to become states to achieve self-government.” On the expression “nation of nations” see Keating (2002, p. 98).

References

Alexandroff, Alan S. 2006. The never-ending story: Quebec and the question of national self-determination. In No more states? Globalization, national self-determination and terrorism, ed. Richard N. Rosecrance and Arthur A. Stein, 221–334. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Google Scholar
Balthazar, Louis. 2004. Québecs international relations. In Quebec: State and society, 3rd ed, ed. Alain-G. Gagnon, 447–474. Peterborough: Broadview Press.
Google Scholar
BBC News. 2006. Canada backs Quebecer nationhood. 28 November. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6190162.stm.
Bories-Sawala, Helga E. 2012. Die “heimgeholte” kanadische Verfassung von 1982 und warum Québec sie immer noch nicht unterschreibt. www.kanada-studien.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/7_Bories_Verf.pdf.
Bothwell, Robert. 1998. Canada and Quebec: One country, two histories. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
Google Scholar
Breton, Raymond. 2005. Ethnic relations in Canada. Institutional dynamics. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Google Scholar
Broschek, Jörg. 2009. Der kanadische Föderalismus- Eine historisch-institutionalistische Analyse. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Book Google Scholar
CanLII. 2001. Loi sur L‘Exercice des Droits Fondamentaux et des Prérogatives du Peuple Québécois et de l’État du Québec. 28 February. www.canlii.org/fr/qc/legis/lois/lrq-c-e-20.2/derniere/lrq-c-e-20.2.html.
Changefoot, Nadine, and Blair Cullen. 2011. Why is Quebec separatism off the agenda? Reducing national unity crisis in the neoliberal era. Canadian Journal of Political Science 44 (4): 769–787.
Article Google Scholar
Charlottetown Accord. 1992. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/charlottetown-accord-document.
Chennells, David. 2001. The politics of nationalism in Canada: Cultural conflict since 1760. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Book Google Scholar
Dion, Stéphane. 2012/2013. Secession and the virtue of clarity. Ottawa Law Review 44 (2): 403–418.
Google Scholar
Dion, Stéphane. 2013. Secession and democracy: A Canadian perspective. http://stephanedion.liberal.ca/en/articles-en/secession-democracy-canadian-perspective-2.
Forbes, Hugh Donald. 1994. Canada: From bilingualism to multiculturalism. In Nationalism, ethnic conflict and democracy, ed. Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, 86–101. London: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Google Scholar
Gagnon, Alain-G. (ed.). 2009. Contemporary Canadian federalism. Foundations, traditions, institutions. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Google Scholar
Geißler, Rainer. 2003. Multikulturalismus in Kanada – Modell für Deutschland. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte, B 26: 19–25.
Google Scholar
Hale, Geoffrey E. 2006. Balancing autonomy and responsibility. The politics of provincial fiscal and tax policies. In Provinces. Canadian provincial politics, ed. Christopher Dunn, 373–412. Peterborough: Broadview.
Google Scholar
Justice Laws. 2000. An Act to give effect to the requirement for clarity as set out in the opinion of the supreme court of Canada in the Quebec secession reference (S.C. 2000, c. 26). http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-31.8/page-1.html.
Keating, Michael (ed.). 1996. Nations against the State. The new politics of nationalism in Quebec, Catalonia and Scotland. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Google Scholar
Keating, Michael. 2002. Plurinational democracy: Stateless nations in a post-sovereignty era. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar
Lajoie, André. 2004. The Clarity act in its context. In Quebec: State and society, 3rd ed, ed. Alain-G. Gagnon, 151–164. Peterborough: Broadview Press.
Google Scholar
Lammert, Christian. 2004. Nationale Bewegungen in Québec und Korsika 1960–2000. Frankfurt a.M: Campus.
Google Scholar
Levine, Marc V. 1997. Canada and the challenge of the Quebec independence movement. In Global convulsions. Race, ethnicity, and nationalism at the end of the twentieth century, ed. Winston A. Van Horne, 315–334. New York: State University of New York Press.
Google Scholar
McRoberts, Kenneth. 1997. Misconceiving Canada. The struggle for national unity. New York: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar
Meech Lake Accord. 1987. 1987 Constitutional Accord. www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/Proposals/MeechLake.html.
Robinson, Gertrude J. 1998. Constructing the Quebec referendum. French and English media voices. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Book Google Scholar
Rocher, François, and Miriam Smith (eds.). 2003. New trends in Canadian federalism. Peterborough: Broadview.
Google Scholar
Sautter, Udo. 2007. Geschichte Kanadas. München: Beck.
Google Scholar
Simeon, Richard, and Luc Turgeon. 2013. Seeking autonomy in a decentralised federation. In Practising Self-Government. A comparative study of autonomous regions, ed. Yash Ghai and Sophia Woodman, 32–61. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Chapter Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. 2006. Aboriginal identity population by age groups, median age and sex, 2006 counts for both sexes, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations. www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-558/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CMA&Code=24&Table=1&Data=Count&Sex=1&Age=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&Display=Page&CSDFilter=5000.
Statistics Canada. 2011a. Population by language spoken most often and regularly at home, age groups (total), for Canada, provinces and territories. www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/lang/Pages/Highlight.cfm?TabID=1&Lang=E&PRCode=01&Age=1&tableID=403&queryID=1.
Statistics Canada. 2011b. Population by mother tongue and age groups (total), percentage distribution (2011), for Canada, provinces and territories. www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/lang/Pages/highlight.cfm?TabID=1&Lang=E&Asc=1&PRCode=01&OrderBy=999&View=2&tableID=401&queryID=1&Age=1.
Statistics Canada. 2011c. Population by knowledge of official languages, age groups (total), 2011 Counts, for Canada, provinces and territories www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/lang/Pages/highlight.cfm?TabID=1&Lang=E&Asc=1&PRCode=01&OrderBy=999&View=1&Age=1&tableID=402&queryID=1.
Supreme Court Judgements. 1998. Reference Re Secession of Quebec, 20 August. http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/1643/index.do.
Turp, Daniel. 2013. La Constitution Québécoise. Essais sur le Droit du Québec de se Doter de sa Propre Loi Fondamentale. Montréal: Éditions JFD.
Google Scholar
Waldmann, Peter. 1992. Ethnischer Radikalismus. Ursachen und Folgen gewaltsamer Minderheitenkonflikte am Beispiel des Baskenlandes, Nordirlands und Quebecs. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Google Scholar
Wells, Paul. 1996. ʻChrétien, Ministers see logic of partitioning’. Montreal Gazette, 30 January.
Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

PRIF – Peace and Research Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Egbert Jahn

Authors

Egbert Jahn
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

ADA University, Baku, Azerbaijan
Azer Babayev
PRIF – Peace and Research Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
Bruno Schoch
PRIF – Peace and Research Institute Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
Hans-Joachim Spanger

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jahn, E. (2020). Quebec: Fluctuation Between Autonomy and Secession. In: Babayev, A., Schoch, B., Spanger, HJ. (eds) The Nagorno-Karabakh deadlock. Studien des Leibniz-Instituts Hessische Stiftung Friedens- und Konfliktforschung. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25199-4_12

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25199-4_12
Published: 03 May 2019
Publisher Name: Springer VS, Wiesbaden
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-25198-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-658-25199-4
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics