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Quebec: a province of world-class culture and arts. As music aficionados know, Montreal is brimming with critically acclaimed artists. Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America, a jewel of both natural and architectural beauty.
Quebec formed as New France lost land in a series of colonial wars. The Catholic Church once saturated Quebec society, even overseeing social institutions during the administration of Maurice Duplessis in the 1930s. Dissatisfaction with Duplessis' government led to the Quiet Revolution and victory for the Quebec Liberals. The role of the church was greatly reduced, and successful domestic businesses raised the standard of living for Quebecers. The sovereignty movement, headed by Renee Levesque, gave birth to the Parti Québécois and the first referendum on Quebec secession. Robert Bourassa's Liberals took power in 1970, and wrangled with the feds over Meech Lake and the Constitution Act. Jacques Parizeau returned the Parti Québécois to power, and in 1995 the second referendum was held on Quebec secession. Today Quebec is governed by Jean Charest's Liberals. Officially a nation within a nation, Quebec remains an important question to centralism in Canada. |
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