United Farmers of Quebec
Encyclopedia
The United Farmers of Quebec (Fermiers unis du Québec) were founded in 1920 as part of the broader United Farmers
movement in of Canada.
The genesis of the organization was in protests resulting from the Conscription Crisis of 1917
against the attempt of Robert Borden
's federal government to conscript farm youths into the Canadian military during World War I. Quebec farmers organized a large demonstration on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa on May 15, 1918 bringing them into contact with the United Farmers national movement.
The Quebec farmers organized 20 associations in western Quebec and in September 1918 organized the
Interprovincial Union of Farmers as an umbrella group. A conference held in Montreal in January 1920 transformed this group into the United Farmers of Québec which, by 1921, had 5,000 members in 20 counties.
In 1921, the United Farmers and the Union des cultivateurs du Québec formed the Parti fermier-progressiste du Québec (Progressive Farmers of Québec) with the support of Joseph-Noé Ponton and the Bulletin des agriculteurs.
The party was inspired by both the program of the Progressive Party of Canada
(the political party of the national United Farmers movement) and the nationalism of Henri Bourassa
.
The party supported 21 candidates, most of whom ran in conjunction with the Progressive Party of Canada in the 1921 federal election
, but none were elected. The farmers' candidates won 42,000 votes, or 11% of the total in Quebec.
By 1924, the group had been overshadowed by the more conservative Catholic Union of Farmers.
United Farmers of Canada
The United Farmers of Canada was a radical farmers organization. It was established in 1926 as the United Farmers of Canada as a merger of the Farmers' Union of Canada and the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association...
movement in of Canada.
The genesis of the organization was in protests resulting from the Conscription Crisis of 1917
Conscription Crisis of 1917
The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I.-Background:...
against the attempt of Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
's federal government to conscript farm youths into the Canadian military during World War I. Quebec farmers organized a large demonstration on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa on May 15, 1918 bringing them into contact with the United Farmers national movement.
The Quebec farmers organized 20 associations in western Quebec and in September 1918 organized the
Interprovincial Union of Farmers as an umbrella group. A conference held in Montreal in January 1920 transformed this group into the United Farmers of Québec which, by 1921, had 5,000 members in 20 counties.
In 1921, the United Farmers and the Union des cultivateurs du Québec formed the Parti fermier-progressiste du Québec (Progressive Farmers of Québec) with the support of Joseph-Noé Ponton and the Bulletin des agriculteurs.
The party was inspired by both the program of the Progressive Party of Canada
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
(the political party of the national United Farmers movement) and the nationalism of Henri Bourassa
Henri Bourassa
Joseph-Napoléon-Henri Bourassa was a French Canadian political leader and publisher. He is seen by many as an ideological father of Canadian nationalism....
.
The party supported 21 candidates, most of whom ran in conjunction with the Progressive Party of Canada in the 1921 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
, but none were elected. The farmers' candidates won 42,000 votes, or 11% of the total in Quebec.
By 1924, the group had been overshadowed by the more conservative Catholic Union of Farmers.
Source
- United Farmers of Quebec The Canadian Encyclopedia