The October Crisis of 1970 and Bill C-51: When is the government more important than the individual?

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The October Crisis of 1970 and Bill C-51: When is the government more important than the individual?

The introduction of Bill C-51 has garnered some of the fiercest debates over individual rights and government powers in recent Canadian history. While its supporters point to its purpose in defending Canada from the threat of terrorism, many of its critics reject its necessity as a means of protecting Canadians. Some have alluded to another time in Canadian history when individual rights were compromised in the name of the greater good, the 1970 October Crisis. Today we examine this comparison and consider whether there are any lessons from government reaction to the FLQ that can be applied to the debate over C-51 in 2015.

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The Unfulfilled National Aspirations of Quebec and Scotland

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Last week’s guest post presented the Scottish National Party’s vision of an independent Scotland.  The results of the referendum on independence were clear: 55% No, 45% Yes. During and after the campaign, many have made comparisons between Scotland and Quebec’s national aspirations.  Both have sought independence through referendums, and both have failed. Today we offer a brief historic comparison of the roots of these two movements.

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Bon Déménagement! Quebec's July 1

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For most of Canada today marks the eve of Canada Day. Tomorrow, millions will attend or watch national celebrations big and small across the country. In Quebec though, June 30 is when most leases end. July 1 is Moving Day, not Canada Day. Quebecois prefer to celebrate their national holiday, St Jean Baptiste Day, on June 24 since not only does it reflect Quebec's unique cultural history, but because so many are busy on Canada (Moving) Day. Some have suggested that placing Moving Day on July 1 is a conspiratorial snub from separatist Quebec to federalists and the “Rest of Canada.” Of course more reasonable voices remind us that it was a Quebec Liberal government that made the change in the 1970s, spearheaded by their Justice Minister, Jérôme Choquette. Let's take it a step further explore the actual debate in the Assemblé Nationale surrounding the change.

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Quebec Election Night: The Dream of a Nation

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As you read this, Quebecois are voting for their next provincial government. The polls suggest that the Parti libéral de Québec will win and Phillipe Couillard will be the next the Premier. Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois has seemingly done everything wrong this election. She dropped the writ believing her party could win a majority, but political missteps such as raising the possibility of another referendum or tacking to the right on the political spectrum has turned voters away from the PQ. For Canadians outside of Quebec, the expected results are called a firm condemnation of Quebec nationalism, be it a desire for sovereignty or as it was expressed through the much criticized charter of values. Such lines of thought are simplistic and today we delve into some of the concepts behind the continuing longevity of Quebec nationalism.

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The Forgotten Francophonie Canadienne

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A few months ago a reader commented on one of our posts, noting that we had incorrectly called Quebec the “sole bastion of French speakers in North America.” That description was one Quebecois preferred to create (or at least, emphasize) to enhance their own French-speaking identity within the boundaries of their province. In fact, there is a wide spread of French-speaking or French-descended communities across the continent. The division between la francophonie canadienne and the les Québecois was not inevitable. The rise of Quebec neo-nationalism turned the province away from its French-speaking brethren as they focused on what they believed to be the best hope for the survival of French Catholicism in North America: themselves.

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Gambling with Canadian Unity

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The Attorney General has intervened in the judicial review of Bill 99 in Quebec and revived the debate over Quebec sovereignty. For nearly fifteen years the law has not been challenged by the Federal government and languished in the courts through stalling tactics. In the lead up to an election in 2015 and the rising popularity of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, the federal intervention on the law is playing a dangerous political game.

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The Balancing Act - Religion and Secularism in Politics

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A response to Robert Joustra's article about secularism, religion, and the establishment of Canada's Office of Religious Freedom. Joustra examines secularism and religion and its role in Canadian foreign policy.   We examine the different conceptions of secularism he presents and some examples of the role religion has played in Canadian history.  

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