The Official Language Act of 1974 ( French : Loi sur la langue officielle ), also known as Bill 22 , was an act of the National Assembly of Quebec , commissioned by Premier Robert Bourassa , which made French the sole official language of Quebec , Canada. Provincial desire for the Official Language Act came after the repeal of Bill 63 . It was ultimately supplanted by the Charter of the French Language (also known as Bill 101) in 1977, which imposed French as the only language for advertising and education (with many exceptions).
41-470: Robert Bourassa GOQ ( French pronunciation: [ʁɔbɛʁ buʁasa] ; July 14, 1933 – October 2, 1996) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd premier of Quebec from 1970 to 1976 and from 1985 to 1994. A member of the Liberal Party of Quebec , he served a total of just under 15 years as premier. Bourassa's tenure was marked by major events affecting Quebec, including
82-439: A Grand Officer consists of two 18 kt gold plates, in the shape of a cross formed by two 60 millimetres (2.4 in) by 40 millimetres (1.6 in) arms, symmetrically superimposed atop one another 4 mm apart, the obverse face a high-polish , rusticated surface; at the lower left corner is a white enamel fleur-de-lis . On the reverse of the badge is inscribed the order's motto— Honneur au peuple du Québec (homage to
123-693: A Member of the National Assembly of Quebec , is eligible to be nominated and names may be submitted posthumously. The Cabinet may also, without the input of the Council of the National Order of Quebec, put forward the names of non-Quebecers for appointment as honorary members. Promotion through the grades is possible for both substantive and honorary members. Admission recognizes conspicuous meritorious actions that improve or support Quebec and/or its language and culture. Upon admission into
164-784: A by-election in the Liberal stronghold of Saint-Laurent after the sitting Liberal MNA Germain Leduc resigned in his favour. During his second term as premier, Bourassa in 1988 invoked the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to override a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that declared parts of the Charter of the French Language unconstitutional, causing some of his anglophone ministers to resign. In 1993, however, he introduced modifications to
205-693: A committee of Montreal residents and businesses opposed to the name change, an online petition garnered more than 18,000 virtual signatures against this renaming. On February 5, 2007, Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay withdrew his proposal to rename Park Avenue. However, there is a Robert Bourassa Blvd., located in the Duvernay district of Laval, Quebec . National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec , termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec , and in English abbreviation as
246-548: A letter which he released to the press on 17 November 1971, and stated he had "serious misgivings about the principle of the multicultural policy". The policy document tabled in the House "dissociates culture from language", which seemed to Bourassa "a questionable basis on which to found a policy". Bourassa declared that Quebec did not accept the federal government's approach to the principle of multiculturalism. During his time in power, Bourassa implemented policies aimed at protecting
287-698: A new constitutional deal. He worked closely with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and received many concessions from the federal government, culminating in the Meech Lake Accord in 1987 and the Charlottetown Accord in 1992. The Meech Lake Accord failed in June 1990 when two provinces, Manitoba and Newfoundland, refused to ratify the agreement their premiers had signed. That failure revived the Quebec separatist movement. The Charlottetown Accord
328-462: A symmetrically placed, etched cross with arms 30 millimetres (1.2 in) long by 20 millimetres (0.79 in) wide and filled with a highly polished, rusticated surface; a gold fleur-de-lis is mounted at the lower, left side of the cross. Each member will also receive miniature versions of their insignia, identical in appearance save for size: those for all grades being 18 millimetres (0.71 in) wide in each direction or in circumference. A lapel pin
369-522: Is 'the official language of the province of Quebec,' is misleading in that it suggests that English is not also an official language in Quebec, which it is by virtue of Section 133 of the BNA Act and the federal Official Languages Act . ... No legislation in the National Assembly proclaiming French the sole official language in the province can affect these bilingual areas protected by
410-400: Is also used for wear on casual civilian clothing. Male members wear their emblems suspended from a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) wide ribbon, at the collar for Grand Officers and Officers, and on a vertical ribbon on a medal bar on the left chest for Knights; women Grand Officers and Officers wear their insignia on a ribbon bow pinned at the left shoulder, and female Knights carry their medals in
451-676: The Crown in Right of Quebec and must be returned upon a holder's cessation of membership in the society, whether by death or dismissal. The following are some notable appointees into the National Order of Quebec: Official Language Act (Quebec) The legislation was drafted in an attempt to follow the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of the French Language and Linguistic Rights in Quebec . The act made French
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#1732772084840492-1111: The Front de libération du Quebec . Bourassa requested that Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoke the War Measures Act , which allowed for search and arrest of anyone associated with, or thought to be associated with the FLQ. Bourassa also requisitioned military assistance using provisions of the National Defence Act , which resulted in the deployment of troops to guard vital points in Montreal and assist police. The Canadian Armed Forces were withdrawn on 4 January 1971, and Paul Rose and some of his accomplices were found guilty of murder later that year. Bourassa and Trudeau often clashed over issues of federal-provincial relations and Quebec nationalism , with Trudeau opposing what he saw as concessions to sovereignism . In June 1971 he participated in an attempt at constitutional reform,
533-567: The Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec union working on the LG-2 construction site of the James Bay project rioted using their bulldozers to destroy the site they were working on while other workers set buildings afire. The riot caused $ 35 million in damage, and was part of an extortion attempt on the part of the union boss André "Dédé" Desjardins , who was known in Quebec as
574-724: The October Crisis and the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. Bourassa was born to a working class family in Montreal , the son of Adrienne (née Courville; 1897–1982) and Aubert Bourassa, a port authority worker. Robert Bourassa graduated from the Université de Montréal law school in 1956 and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec the following year. On August 23, 1958, he married Andrée Simard (1931–2022), heiress to
615-630: The Order of Quebec , is an order of merit in Quebec . Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Governor Jean-Pierre Côté granted royal assent to the Loi sur l'Ordre national du Québec (National Order of Quebec Act), the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour current or former Quebec residents for conspicuous achievements in any field, being thus described as
656-535: The Victoria Charter , which quickly unravelled when Bourassa backed away from the proposed deal after it was strongly criticized by Quebec opinion leaders for not giving Quebec more powers. On 8 October 1971, Trudeau announced in the House of Commons that, after much deliberation, the policy of multiculturalism would be implemented in Canada. Bourassa documented his strong opposition to Trudeau's policy in
697-471: The "King of Construction". In response to the violence at the LG-2 site, which confirmed long-standing rumors about thuggish practices on the part of construction unions, Bourassa appointed a commission consisting of a well respected judge Robert Cliche , a prominent Montreal labour lawyer Brian Mulroney and Guy Chevrette , the vice-president of the Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec , whose legal counsel
738-448: The "no" side (which was eventually successful) of the 1980 Quebec referendum on a sovereignty-association agreement with the federal government. In 1983, Bourassa was elected Liberal leader again, replacing Claude Ryan . Bourassa led the PLQ to victory in the 1985 election . However, he lost his own seat to Parti Québécois candidate Jean-Guy Parent . On January 20, 1986, he was elected in
779-536: The Bourassa government worked hand in glove with gangster union leadership in the province's construction industry." The Cliche commission had little impact on the problem of corruption in the Quebec construction industry, but turned public opinion against Bourassa, whose special adviser had asked the corrupt construction unions to help the Liberals win a by-election in exchange for giving firms that employed workers in
820-490: The City of Montreal without any consultation with the people of the city caused an immediate controversy, though many of those opposed to the change considered it a fait accompli . The proposal spawned substantial grass-roots opposition, both because of the lack of prior citizen input and because Park is itself a meaningful street name, associated with the city's Mount Royal park. In addition to protests and active opposition by
861-646: The Cliche commission presented its report in May 1975, the document was described as an exposé of "an organized system of corruption without parallel in North America" as the commission noted that it was political corruption that had enabled the corruption in the construction industry. In an editorial, the Montreal Gazette wrote about the Cliche commission report: "A devastating document. For some four years,
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#1732772084840902-482: The National Order of Quebec are sought in Quebec's daily and weekly media publications and are directed to the Council of the National Order of Quebec, elected by and amongst the members of the order for a period of three years and headed by a president elected by the council for two years. This body is mandated to short-list candidates and forward their suggestions to the Governor-in-Council . Any person born, living, or who has lived in Quebec, save for anyone serving as
943-597: The Order of Quebec, members are presented with various insignia of the organization—a medallion, miniature, and button. All are administered by the Regulations for the Insignia of the National Order of Quebec and were designed by Madeleine Dansereau , who was inspired by the heraldic elements of the provincial flag , notably the colours of blue and white used on the order's ribbon and the fleur-de-lis . The badge of
984-594: The United States. He remained in political exile until he returned to politics by winning the Quebec Liberal Party leadership election on October 15, 1983. On June 3, 1985, he won a by-election in Bertrand . Bourassa resigned as Liberal leader and exiled himself for nine years into academic obscurity. During these nine years, he spent his time overseas. In 1980, Bourassa campaigned in favour of
1025-611: The age of 63, and was interred at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal. In March 2015, a section of University Street (from Notre-Dame Street to Sherbrooke Street) in the downtown core of Montreal was renamed Robert-Bourassa Boulevard. On October 18, 2006, Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay announced that Montreal's Park Avenue would be named after Bourassa. On November 28 the Montreal city council voted in favour (40–22) of renaming Park Avenue after Bourassa. If, as had been expected, Quebec's Toponymy Commission had approved
1066-547: The commission, but Mulroney prevented this, saying that having the Premier of Quebec testify before the commission would be a violation of "executive privilege". Nonetheless, the Cliche commission established the Quebec construction industry was dominated by a casual brutality with thuggish union bosses teaching union organizers how best to break legs. Workers who complained about corruption on the part of their bosses had their dogs murdered and their teenage children beaten up. When
1107-524: The corrupt unions exclusive contracts to work on the James Bay project. Bourassa lost the 1976 provincial election to René Lévesque , leader of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois , in a massive landslide brought on by the language controversy and the corruption scandals, among other things. Bourassa himself was heavily defeated in his own riding by PQ challenger Gérald Godin . He resigned as Liberal Party leader and accepted teaching positions in Europe and
1148-457: The highest honour in Quebec. In 1986, the order was expanded to include honorary membership for people outside Quebec. Although the National Order of Quebec was established with the granting of royal assent by Quebec's lieutenant governor and the Canadian sovereign is the fount of honour , the viceroy does not, as in other provinces, form an explicit part of the organization. Instead,
1189-763: The language charter. These compromises reduced the controversy over language that had been a dominant feature of Quebec politics over the previous decades. During the Oka Crisis in 1990, Bourassa invoked the National Defence Act for the second time, requisitioning the Canadian Armed Forces to help police. Bourassa also pushed for Quebec to be acknowledged in the Canadian constitution as a "distinct society", promising Quebec residents that their grievances could be resolved within Canada with
1230-453: The monarch's representative is related to the order only by virtue of his or her place in council , collectively termed the government of Quebec , to which the constitution of the Order of Quebec makes specific reference. The order contains three grades, each with accordant post-nominal letters and place in the Canadian order of precedence for honours, decorations, and medals . They are, in descending hierarchical order: Nominations to
1271-439: The most effective means of completing the modernization of Quebec and sustaining job creation. He successfully led his party into government in the 1970 election , defeating the conservative Union Nationale government and becoming the youngest premier in Quebec history. One of Bourassa's first crises as premier was the October Crisis of 1970, in which his deputy, Pierre Laporte , was kidnapped and later murdered by members of
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1312-399: The name change, all of Park Avenue and its continuation, Bleury, would have been renamed Robert Bourassa Avenue. This would have caused the newly named street to intersect René Lévesque Boulevard , named after a long time political rival to Bourassa. That boulevard, in turn, had been renamed from Dorchester Boulevard in 1987, in a decision that was also not without controversy. This decision by
1353-576: The official language in a number of areas: That English was an official language in Quebec as well was declared on July 19, 1974, by McGill University law faculty's most expert counsellors, disputing Bill 22. The testifiers were Dean Frank R. Scott ; John Peters Humphrey , the chief planner of the United Nations ' Universal Declaration of Human Rights ; Irwin Cotler ; and four additional legal teachers: Section 1, which provides that French
1394-417: The people of Quebec)—and a serial number at the base of the vertical bar. The badge for Officers is of a nearly identical design, but made of arms 50 millimetres (2.0 in) long by 25 millimetres (0.98 in) wide, the obverse plate in 18k gold with an applied gold fleur-de-lis, and the rear in sterling silver . Knights have a medal with a 40 millimetres (1.6 in) diameter, brushed silver medallion with
1435-418: The powerful shipbuilding Simard family of Sorel, Quebec. Later, he studied at Keble College , University of Oxford and also obtained a degree in political economy at Harvard University in 1960. On his return to Quebec, he was employed at the federal Department of National Revenue as a fiscal adviser. He also worked as a professor of public finance at Université de Montréal and Université Laval . Bourassa
1476-790: The same fashion as the men. The ribbon for miniatures is 18 millimetres (0.71 in) wide. The regulations of the National Order of Quebec stipulate that the premier presents new inductees with their insignia, either on the National Holiday of Quebec or another day during the National Week. The ceremony takes place in the Salon Rouge of the parliament building in Quebec City , though exceptions are sometimes made when inductees cannot be present (notably for some non-Quebecer appointments). The insignia remain property of
1517-628: The status of the French language in Quebec. In 1974, he introduced Bill 22 , which declared French to be the sole official language of the province. As a result, Quebec was no longer institutionally bilingual (French and English), though the rights of anglophones were still protected under the British North America Acts . Many businesses and professionals were unable to operate under such requirements. Bill 22 angered Anglophones while not going far enough for many Francophones; Bourassa
1558-533: Was another prominent lawyer Lucien Bouchard to investigate corruption in the construction industry in Quebec. The Cliche commission as it became known held 68 days of hearings on live TV, interviewing 279 people from the construction industry, who testified to widespread corruption and violence in the construction industry, and to the close ties between the Bourassa cabinet, the Mafia and corrupt construction union bosses. Bouchard had wanted to have Bourassa testify before
1599-494: Was defeated in a nationwide plebiscite in 1992; it was heavily defeated even in Quebec, partly due to the perception that Bourassa had given away too much at the negotiations. Bourassa retired from politics in 1994. He was replaced as Liberal leader and premier by Daniel Johnson Jr. , who lost an election to the sovereigntist Parti Québécois after only nine months. In 1996, Bourassa, who had spent much of his vacation time in hot climates, died in Montreal of malignant melanoma at
1640-484: Was first elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (MLA) for the riding of Mercier in 1966, then won the Quebec Liberal Party leadership election on January 17, 1970. He positioned himself as a young, competent administrator. He chose "100,000 jobs" as his slogan, which emphasized that job creation would be his priority. Bourassa felt the extensive hydro-electric resources of Quebec were
1681-657: Was vilified by both groups. In response Trudeau described Bourassa as a “mangeur de hot-dogs” (“hotdog eater”). Bourassa initiated the James Bay hydroelectric project in 1971 that led to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement of 1975 with the Cree and Inuit inhabitants of the region. The Bourassa government also played a major role in rescuing the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal from huge cost overruns and construction delays. Bourassa's government became embroiled in corruption scandals. On 21 March 1974, workers belonging to