Mouvement Québec français
Encyclopedia
Mouvement Québec français (MQF) is an umbrella group of organizations in favour of the preservation and defense of the French language
in Quebec
, Canada
.
, president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal
(SSJBM) and Matthias Rioux
, president of the Alliance des professeurs de Montréal (APM) decided not to renew the action of the Front du Québec français, founded on October 25, 1969, but rather to start anew with a different organization. The move was prompted by a dissactisfaction with the passing of the Act to promote the French language in Quebec
by the National Assembly of Quebec
. Angers would be president of the MQF from 1972 to 1980, Guy Bouthillier
succeeding him afterwards.
On March 22, Angers submitted a convocation letter to 11 organizations:
The three organizations representing business milieus (CPQ, CCdM, CDE) withdrew participation early, leaving the eight others to take action alone to form the Mouvement Québec français. The movement was officially launched on November 29, 1971. It was decided that presidents or chief executives of the member organizations were going to be appointed as spokesperson in turn. The movement had four such spokespersons between 1971 and 1976: Albert Allain, Jacques-Yvan Morin
, Fernand Daoust and François-Albert Angers.
The movement's initial objectives were to have the National Assembly proclaim French as the sole official language of Quebec and to have the Act to promote the French language in Quebec abrogated. It prepared two concise draft bills which it commented in a 13-page document entitled Notes explicatives sur les projets de lois présentés au premier ministre du Québec, published on January 18, 1972.
During the campaign for the Quebec general election of 1973
, the movement became very active and took various actions aiming at the sensitization of the public to the language question. It distributed 25,000 copies of a 96-page brochure entitled Je vote pour le Québec français, which was written by André Gaulin, Henri Laberge and François-Albert Angers.
In 1974, the National Assembly passed the Official Language Act
(Bill 22). The MQF opposed the act, finding that it did not do enough to protect French.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The MFQ was founded in the beginning of March 1971, when François-Albert AngersFrançois-Albert Angers
François-Albert Angers was an eminent Québécois economist and defender of the cause of Quebec and the French language.-See also:*List of Presidents of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal*Quebec nationalism...
, president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society is an institution in Quebec dedicated to the protection of Quebec francophone interests and to the promotion of Quebec Sovereignism. Its current President is Mario Beaulieu....
(SSJBM) and Matthias Rioux
Matthias Rioux
Matthias Rioux is a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Matane in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1994 to 2003 as a member of the Parti Québécois.-External links:*...
, president of the Alliance des professeurs de Montréal (APM) decided not to renew the action of the Front du Québec français, founded on October 25, 1969, but rather to start anew with a different organization. The move was prompted by a dissactisfaction with the passing of the Act to promote the French language in Quebec
An Act to promote the French language in Quebec
An Act to promote the French language in Quebec of 1969 , also known as Bill 63, was a language law passed in the Canadian province of Quebec...
by the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
. Angers would be president of the MQF from 1972 to 1980, Guy Bouthillier
Guy Bouthillier
Guy Bouthillier is a Québécois political expert, teacher and Quebec nationalist leader. He was the President of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal from 1997 to 2003...
succeeding him afterwards.
On March 22, Angers submitted a convocation letter to 11 organizations:
- Conseil du Patronat du QuébecConseil du patronat du QuébecThe Conseil du patronat du Québec or CPQ is an institution that promotes business interests in Quebec, Canada.It was established on January 20, 1969 and plays a significant role in Quebec politics, issuing opinions on the impact of the governments’ decisions on the economy of Quebec...
(CPQ) - Centrale de la Chambre de commerce du district de Montréal (CCdM)
- Centre des dirigeants d'entreprises (CDE)
- Confédération des syndicats nationauxConfédération des Syndicats NationauxThe Confédération des syndicats nationaux , is the second largest trade union federation in Quebec by membership.- History :...
(CSN) - Corporation des enseignants du QuébecCentrale des syndicats du QuébecThe Centrale des syndicats du Québec , or CSQ, is the third most important trade union in Quebec, Canada, according to membership....
(CEQ) - Fédération des travailleurs du QuébecFédération des travailleurs du QuébecThe Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec , or FTQ, is the largest labour federation in Quebec in terms of its membership. It has over 500,000 members, who account for 44% of the unionised workers in Quebec. This ratio is 60% in the private sector, in which most members work...
(FTQ) - Union des producteurs agricolesUnion des producteurs agricolesThe Union des producteurs agricoles is an agricultural trade union representing producers in the Canadian province of Quebec. Originally a Catholic union called the Union catholique des cultivateurs , it shed its denominational character as a result of the Quiet Revolution and has existed in its...
(UPA) - Mouvement national des QuébécoisMouvement national des Québécoises et des QuébécoisFounded in 1947, the Mouvement national des Québécoises et des Québécois is a federation that groups together the various patriotic organizations in Quebec, Canada...
(MNQ) - Alliance des professeurs de Montréal (APM)
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal (SSJBM)
- Association québécoise des professeurs de français (AQPF)
The three organizations representing business milieus (CPQ, CCdM, CDE) withdrew participation early, leaving the eight others to take action alone to form the Mouvement Québec français. The movement was officially launched on November 29, 1971. It was decided that presidents or chief executives of the member organizations were going to be appointed as spokesperson in turn. The movement had four such spokespersons between 1971 and 1976: Albert Allain, Jacques-Yvan Morin
Jacques-Yvan Morin
Jacques-Yvan Morin, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. Morin graduated from the McGill University Faculty of Law in 1953, where he was the founder of the McGill Law Journal...
, Fernand Daoust and François-Albert Angers.
The movement's initial objectives were to have the National Assembly proclaim French as the sole official language of Quebec and to have the Act to promote the French language in Quebec abrogated. It prepared two concise draft bills which it commented in a 13-page document entitled Notes explicatives sur les projets de lois présentés au premier ministre du Québec, published on January 18, 1972.
During the campaign for the Quebec general election of 1973
Quebec general election, 1973
The Quebec general election of 1973 was held on October 29, 1973 to elect members to National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Robert Bourassa, won re-election, defeating the Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, and the Union Nationale .The Liberals won a...
, the movement became very active and took various actions aiming at the sensitization of the public to the language question. It distributed 25,000 copies of a 96-page brochure entitled Je vote pour le Québec français, which was written by André Gaulin, Henri Laberge and François-Albert Angers.
In 1974, the National Assembly passed the Official Language Act
Official Language Act (Quebec)
The Official Language Act of 1974 , also known as Bill 22, is an act of the National Assembly of Quebec which made French the sole official language of Quebec, a province of Canada...
(Bill 22). The MQF opposed the act, finding that it did not do enough to protect French.