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Begin of Duplessis Era
Maurice Duplessis’ Union nationale was re-elected in 1944 and remained in power until 1960. Committed to protecting the French Catholic character of Québec society, Duplessis defended the province’s autonomy when the federal government intervened in provincial jurisdictions. The Union nationale favoured clericalism in politic and economic liberalism. -
Act to Promote Rural Electrification
In 1945, his government adopted the Act to Promote Rural Electrification By Means of Electricity Cooperatives. Farms that had electricity produced more, which stimulated economic development in the regions.
Duplessis believed that the province should be able
to depend on a prosperous agricultural sector for its development. The electoral districts situated in rural areas represented a large portion of his voters, and Duplessis relied heavily on these areas to ensure his election. -
Adoption of the Fleurdelisé (Québec’s Flag)
The Duplessis government was eager to affirm Québec’s identity within Canada. In 1948, it demonstrated this desire by inaugurating the of official flag of Québec (the Fleurdelisé), which is slightly different from today’s flag. -
Asbestos Strike
Workplace health and safety were at the heart of the dispute that paralyzed Thetford Mines and Asbestos for five months. In the 1950s, several other labour disputes erupted, including one in Murdochville, where close to 1000 miners were on strike for seven months -
Arrival of Television in Québec
The 30 years that followed the end of the Second World War were marked by economic prosperity in the Western world. In Québec, wages increased as did purchasing power. In the 1950s, more and more households had a television. -
Introduction of Provincial Income Tax (Fiscal Autonomy)
Duplessis also thought that the province of Québec should collect its own taxes in order
to enjoy greater autonomy. In 1954, it reintroduced the provincial income tax. -
Refus Global Manifesto Published
In 1948, 15 young artists, including painters Paul-Émile Borduas and Jean-Paul Riopelle, published a manifesto entitled Refus global. Their objective was to publicly protest against the social conservatism
of the Duplessis government and the Catholic Church.
They denounced the Church’s control over Québec society and held it responsible for what they considered to be Québec’s cultural lag.