Quebec: Still a distinct society but not in the way you think

August 10, 2012

Article by Joelle Dumouchel and Jamie Levin, Toronto Star

The history of Quebec has often been defined in opposition to the rest of Canada. From the consolidation of Upper and Lower Canada to the Quiet Revolution to the patriation of the constitution and the drafting of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Quebec has been seen as a reluctant partner in the project of Canadian Confederation. Quebecers have long sought for themselves a separate status as a “distinct society” through special linguistic rights and constitutional provisions.

But today Quebec is distinct in an entirely different way. The recent announcement of elections by Premier Jean Charest marks a historic shift in the province’s political discourse. Though Charest will attempt to reignite the separatist-federalist debate, this election will largely be a referendum on the future of social welfare in the province. Unlike in the rest of Canada, Quebecers have not taken changes to education, health care, and daycare lying down. Quebec voters will leave constitutional issues aside in order to address the questions raised by the social protests, the scope and scale of which are unique in Canadian history. Continue reading this article at The Toronto Star Online.