Duplessis Government 19461959 Duplessiss traditional View Traditional elements are customs and beliefs that have been handed down from generation to generation In Quebec during Maurice ID: 629672
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Slide1
Traditional Elements of the Duplessis Government
1946-1959Slide2
Duplessis’s traditional View
Traditional
elements are customs and beliefs that have been handed down from generation to generation.
In
Quebec, during Maurice
Duplessis
' rule (1944-1959) the major traditional elements involved
:
1) The
Roman Catholic Church
It continued to control education, hospitals, orphanages, and welfare services.
It
was also influential in government, unions and the
Caisses
Populaires
.
The
Church
continued
to promote large families, rural life,
and Christian
values.Slide3
2) Idealization of Rural Life
It was believed that the rural communities were the best places to
promote traditional
values such as family life, gratifying work and religious beliefs.
Agriculture
was and should continue to be at the heart of Quebec's economy in order to avoid urbanization and associated
problems such as unemployment and
housing shortages.Slide4
3) Role of the Government
The government led by Maurice
Duplessis
continued to believe that the state should not intervene in either the social or economic sectors
.
Consequently, its role was basically a supporting one which consisted of offering subsidies to the Church and
favourable
conditions for investment purposesSlide5
Challenges to Duplessis’s Power
Two major groups challenged the traditional and conservative nature of Quebec society and its government. They
were:
Union leaders
:
They accuse
Duplessis
of opposing social progress and of serving American interests rather than the interests of Quebec workers. Throughout this period there were numerous
strikes
in Quebec
.
During the Asbestos strike of 1949 even church officials such as Bishop
Charbonn
eau supported the strikers.
Intellectuals
and
Journalists:
Intellectuals such as Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Rene Levesque opposed the
Duplessis
government
They attacked the conservative
nature of Quebec society in newspapers,
magazine
articles and television programsSlide6
Nationalist Policies in the Duplessis Government
Maurice
Duplessis
founded the Union National party and was Premier of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and from 1944 to 1959.
During these periods,
Duplessis
defended
provincial autonomy
and had numerous battles with Ottawa over federal initiatives in provincial jurisdictions.
In 1951
Duplessis
' government refused to accept federal subsidies destined for Quebec universities on the grounds that education was a provincial jurisdiction.
He also opposed federal allowance payments to Quebec families on the same grounds.
He is responsible for adopting the fleur de
lisé
as Quebec's flag in 1948
He also introduced
provincial income tax plan
in 1954Slide7
Major Developments of the Duplessis Era
The
Asbestos strike of 1949
pitted workers against the state and company scabs. It is often seen as a turning point in organizing opposition to
Duplessis
.
Agricultural changes
- the government undertook a program of
rural electrification
- by 1956, 90 % of the farms had electricity.
Farm credit
was offered to farmers who wanted to buy new equipment and agricultural cooperatives
became
more
important
American mining companies
invested
heavily in the exploitation and mining of iron ore leading to the development in the 1950s of the Cote-Nord and Nouveau Quebec regionsSlide8
Developments Continued
Padlock Law
( 1937) was passed originally to eliminate communist activists and sympathizers. The law permitted the pol ice to lock any building used for communist activity. However it was also used against unions and government opponents. It was eventually declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of
Canada
Population Growth
– in the post-war period two factors help to increase Quebec’s population: increased immigration from Europe after the war and a high birth rate. Between 1946 and 1960, 135,000 infants are born each year on average in Quebec. This phenomenon is known as the
baby boom
.
Americanization
of life – the end of World War II brought a period of economic prosperity to North America. The United States led the way and had a tremendous impact on our way of life. New consumer goods, radio and television , and American capital promoted the individual and material comfort.