The Union Nationale: Quebec Nationalism from Duplessis to Lévesque

364 Pages·1979·23.752 MB·English

by  Herbert F. Quinn

HERBERT FQL1INN
THE UNION
NATIONALE
Quebec Nationalism from Duplessis to Levesque
SECOND EDITION
r'
*
Herbert f. quinn, now partly retired, was formerly Professor of Political
Science at Concordia University.
The increasing momentum of the separatist movement in Quebec under
Rene Levesque and the Parti Quebecois has focused renewed attention
on the history of French-Canadian nationalism. Professor Quinn begins
this work on the period following the first world war, and in his revised
and expanded edition, carries it up to the rise of the Parti Quebecois and
the victory of a more radical over a more conservative nationalism.
The nationalism of the 1920s led to the formation and rise to power of
the Union Nationale party of Maurice Duplessis in the 1930s. A study
of the Union Nationale, its origins, its policies, its victories, and its
defeats provides the background essential to an understanding of
Quebec politics today.
Two new chapters follow the history of the party from 1960 to 1973,
the year in which the Union Nationale disappeared from the legisla¬
ture. These chapters cover three political developments: the inaugura¬
tion of the Quiet Revolution by Jean Lesage’s Liberal party; the un¬
expected return to power of the Union Nationale in 1966, which was
followed shortly by its decline and demise in 1973; and the rise of the
new nationalist party, the Parti Quebecois, which replaced the Union
Nationale as the main opposition to the Liberals.
'Quinn’s book is a valuable primer of Quebec politics that should aid in
the understanding of the province’s traditions and modern problems.’
Globe Magazine

Herbert F. Quinn
THE
UNION NATION AIT
Quebec Nationalism
from Duplessis to Levesque
vjw vg* wp*
eSnrfaeforfo
*/g* Wg*
r9nr${M$e>
Wg*
r$t>
wg*
SECOND ENLARGED EDITION
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
© University of Toronto Press 1963
Toronto Buffalo London
Reprinted 1967, 1970, 1974
Second enlarged edition 1979
Printed in Canada
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Quinn, Herbert F., 1910—
The Union nationale
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-8020-2318-5 bd. ISBN 0-8020-6347-0 pa.
1. Union nationale (Canada) 2. Quebec (Province)—Politics and
government—1936-1960.* 3. Quebec (Province)—Politics and government—
1960-1976.* 4. Nationalism—Quebec (Province) I. Title.
jl259.a58q86 1979 329.9714 C79-094542-8
Contents
PREFACE Vll
PREFACE TO ENLARGED EDITION ix
INTRODUCTION xi
I. The Historical and Cultural Background of Quebec Politics 3
II. The Pattern of Quebec Politics, 1867-1919 20
III. The Challenge of Industrialism and the Growth of
Nationalism 29
IV. The Formation and Rise to Power of the Union Nationale 48
V. The Economic Policies of the Union Nationale in Two
Administrations 73
VI. The Union Nationale and the Federal Government 103
VII. Administrative and Electoral Practices under the Union
Nationale 131
VIII. The Growth of Opposition to the Union Nationale 152
IX. The Election of 1960 170
X. The Rejuvenation and Recovery of the Union Nationale 187
XI. The Decline and Eclipse of Conservative Nationalism 238
XII. Conclusion 281
VI THE UNION NATIONALE
APPENDICES 289
A. Tables 291
B. Programme de FAction Liberale Nationale, 1934; Texte
de Fadresse par Paul Gouin a Saint Georges de Beauce,
le 12 aout 1934 294
C. 1960 Political Manifesto of the Quebec Liberal Party 313
BIBLIOGRAPHY 324
INDEX 337
Preface
the growth of a separatist movement in Quebec in recent years, and
the spectacular gains made by Real Caouette and his Social Credit
party in the federal election of 1962, have focused considerable atten¬
tion on the politics of that province on the part of English Canada. It
is not always recognized, however, that these developments are but
two expressions of a French-Canadian nationalism whose origins can
be traced back to the period following the First World War. The nationa¬
lism of the 1920’s resulted in the formation and rise to power of the
Union Nationale party of Maurice Duplessis in the 1930’s. A study of
the Union Nationale, its origins, its policies, its victories and its defeats,
is therefore an essential condition for an understanding of the currents
of discontent sweeping Quebec today, and the questioning which is
taking place among French Canadians concerning the validity of the
constitutional arrangements embodied in the Confederation pact of
1867.
This book arises from an interest in Quebec politics which goes back
twenty-five years as my first article on this subject was published in
the Dalhousie Review in 1938. It is based, therefore, not only on the
usual formal sources for a historical study—articles, newspapers, pam¬
phlets, government documents, and so on—but also on impressions
gained over this long period from innumerable discussions and corres¬
pondence with party leaders, organizers, and candidates, and on infor¬
mation picked up from attendance at countless political meetings,
conventions, and other party gatherings.
Although I have been mainly concerned with the Union Nationale
party, the book can, in many respects, be looked upon as a political
Vlll THE UNION NATIONALE
history of Quebec from the end of the First World War to 1960, for
I have devoted considerable attention to the Liberal party and the
minor political movements. Political developments have been described
against the background of the industrial revolution which has been
changing the face of Quebec ever since the First World War. More¬
over, an attempt has been made to show the relationship between the
various political parties and the trade unions, the farmers’ organiza¬
tions, the nationalist and patriotic associations, and the many Catholic
Action groups.
In the preparation of this study I received help and assistance from
many individuals, only a few of whom can be mentioned here. I wish
to express my thanks and appreciation for the constructive criticism
and encouragement of Professor Thomas P. Peardon of Columbia Uni¬
versity, under whose direction the study was originally prepared as a
doctoral dissertation. Professor Wynne Francis of the Department of
English, Sir George Williams University, gave me invaluable aid in
editing the text for publication. I am indebted to my former colleague,
Dr. G. O. Rothney of Memorial University, a keen student of Quebec
politics during the many years he taught at Sir George Williams, for
turning over to me his sizable collection of newspapers, clippings, pam¬
phlets, and periodicals, dealing with Quebec politics during the period
between 1930 and 1950.1 would like to thank Miss F. G. Halpenny and
the editorial staff of the University of Toronto Press for their sugges¬
tions and many forms of assistance in putting the manuscript through
its various stages. Finally, my wife, who read successive versions of the
study, helped in innumerable ways and prevented me from making
many errors both of fact and of judgment.
F.
Herbert Quinn
Sir George Williams University
May, 196S