Parti Quebecois governments led by former charismatic political leader of the decades of the 1970s, René Lévesque was almost the norm.
The party and issues of the day, primarily and perpetually language that synergetic companion, were the electoral duality and synergy of political victory in any Quebec election. For the electorate and politicians alike, it became the political and electoral synergy of the era. What with the rise of social and political/provincial nationalism in a province that at the time perceived itself as a “have-not” part of Canada, and used its status as such to democratically extract as much as it could from the other parties of the Confederation.
That was reflected In the 1976 provincial elections, which resulted in the Parti Québécois winning a substantial number of seats to form the provincial government for the first time, taking 71 of the 110 available seats in the provincial house of government.
What with Quebec’s separatist premier René Lévesque now positioned to shake the Canadian Maple tree/flag more forcefully with a louder voice at the constitutional and national political table.
Quebec was on its way not just to major political change, but more importantly to assume a greater political role in the federation. What with new separatist premier Lévesque now positioned to make more demands of the federal government led at different times by, among others, one Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
Decades on, 2022, a Quebec provincial government, the CAQ, under the leadership of one Premier François Legault, not as charismatic as his decades-long predecessor, René Lévesque, is, if media stories are accurate, is on the verge of forming a second majority government in the October 3 elections according to the political commentators and poll watchers.
He, too, is playing language politics with English students’ education at the college level and the number of French classes students enrolled in English classes (at given cégeps) must pass in order to graduate.
Heads up! If you’re thinking about registering in an English college, whether you plan to live and work here or not; practice your French. It will also be financially beneficial, and will also open relationship and other doors to, and for you…
Bilingual or not many of us made it through those “hardscrabble” 1970s PQ-era days and are still standing, fighting… Many people chose to move on to other places where English is still spoken and acceptable. Opportunities beckoned, so they responded and are happy they did.
Life, after all, is about chances and following dreams. Long as you got skills there will be opportunities… beckoning.
Keep your eyes open and follow them.
Don’t allow Bill 96, 21, or any other steal your dreams. Quebec is not the world, just a speck of the real world. Got skills? “Go make some money,” as an ole timer used to say. He’s gone now, but his advice still rings true.
Chase your dreams, and catch them. Don’t let language/politics stifle or steal, or defer your dreams.
LAWS BILLS: CAQ AND THE P.Q. 2.0
