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* Read [[opinions by individual militants]] | * Read [[opinions by individual militants]] | ||
* See the list of [[books]] written by advocates of Quebec independence | * See the list of [[books]] written by advocates of Quebec independence | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 15:51, 9 February 2007
This page gathers various on line documents and resources chosen by us to help visitors understand what Québec sovereignists and other independentists are fighting for. Whenever possible, we provide English language material and we have even translated some documents ourselves for the sake of our English-speaking visitors. However, bare in mind that most of the pro-independence literature has not necessarily been translated to English.
Now, be ready to discover the story of a very old national liberation movement that just won't give up...
Basic Notions
- Take some French lessons on line or immerse yourself into our society by moving to Québec! ;-)
- Learn to spot a fallacy when you see one
- Learn of common myths and fallacies in the Quebec debate
- Have a look at a few important facts you should not miss
- Read our answers to some frequently asked questions
- Learn some of the key concepts in Quebec politics
- The reality of the situation of English speakers in Québec
- Consult our terminology page
Québécois and Canadian intellectuals agree on the basics...
- Read Common declaration of sovereignist and federalist intellectuals from Canada and Québec, by Les Intellectuels pour la souveraineté
- Read Open Letter in Support of the Democratic Right to Self-Determination for Québec, by Michel Seymour
Historical Arguments
243 years of a just political resistance to imperialism and assimilation in the name of human dignity.
Overview
- Read our translation of the Political Testament of Louis-Joseph Papineau
- Read the page dedicated to the history of our movements
- Discover famous people in the history of Québec
- Read a few selected texts on Québec democracy by the Ministère des relations internationales (PDF)
- Read the section dedicated to other independence movements
Documents
- 1970: The manifesto of the Front de libération du Québec
- 1960: The manifesto of the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
- 1958: The manifesto of the Alliance laurentienne
- 1934: The manifesto of the Action libérale nationale by Paul Gouin
- 1867: The Political Testament of Louis-Joseph Papineau
- 1853: An account of an An Excusion to Canada by Henry David Thoreau
- 1839: The History of the Insurrection in Canada in refutation of the report of Lord Durham by Louis-Joseph Papineau
- 1839: The Report on the Affairs of British North America by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham
- 1838: The Declaration of Independence of Lower Canada by Robert Nelson
- 1837: The address of the Fils de la liberté of Montreal to the young people of the colonies of North America
- 1834: The Ninety-Two Resolutions of the Parti patriote
- 1831: The notes taken by Alexis de Tocqueville while visiting Lower Canada
- 1784: An excerpt of the Call to the Justice of the State by Pierre du Calvet
- 1775: The Letter to the Inhabitants of Canada of the Second Continental Congress
Québec's demands
From the Secrétariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes of the Government of Québec:
- Québec's Positions on Constitutional and Intergovernmental Issues from 1936 to March 2001
- A Quebec-Canada Constitutional Law Lexicon (PDF)
- Québec's historical position on the federal spending power 1944-1998 (PDF)
- Québec and its Territory (PDF)
- Québec's Political & Constitutional Status (PDF)
Failure of constitutional reforms
Understood to be a pact between two founding peoples, the 1867 confederation was not always rejected by a majority of Quebec nationalists. The failure of constitutional talks in 1971, 1982, 1989 and 1992 has pushed yet more so called "soft" nationalists to adopt the sovereignist thesis.
- Read Canadian federalism and the autonomy of Québec: a historical viewpoint by Marc Chevrier (PDF)
- Read Constitutional saga on this site
- Read on Institutional bilingualism on this site
Linguistic & Cultural Arguments
Since the 1950s, the Quebec literary and artistic community is very engaged in the struggle for the independence of Quebec, the defence of the French language and development of Quebec's national culture. The support of talented artists and intellectuals is largely responsible for the wide support Quebec nationalism receives in the general public. You will find many writers, poets, playwrights and song writers under Opinions by individual militants just below.
The complex demolinguistic situation
To understand the desire for independence, we believe it necessary to fully comprehend the fate of Quebec French, language of the majority in Quebec, but language of a national minority inside Canada. Basic notions of language demographics and sociolinguistics are a must.
- Read The real force of French in Quebec, a translation of a December 2005 article by Charles Castonguay
- Read Conference: The French fact in Québec and Canada: The Hidden Storm by Jean-François Lisée, a conference held at the American University Summer Institute, Washington D.C., June 2004
- Read French is on the ropes. Why won’t Ottawa admit it ? by Charles Castonguay, in Policy Options / Options politiques, 20, 8 : 39-50, 1999
- An good introductory read: Getting the facts straight on French : Reflections following the 1996 Census by Charles Castonguay, in Inroads Journal, volume 8, 1999, pages 57 to 77
- Read a Transcript of a Standing Joint Commitee on Official Languages hearing with Charles Castonguay, recorded on April 28, 1998
Poems, songs, movies
- Read all our Translations of poems and lyrics
- Peek through the Independentist Music Directory (French)
- Read some Independentist & Sovereignist Poetry (French)
- Discover movie director Pierre Falardeau (French)
- Read the article A Sovereign Presence - The poet and the politician in Gérald Godin by Jack M. Ruttan
- 1974: The political poem Speak White by Michèle Lalonde
- 1972: The poem L'alouette en colère by Félix Leclerc ( >> English translation << )
- 1948: Read an English translation of the Refus global manifesto by Paul-Émile Borduas
- 1888: Read the novel A Family Without a Name: Into the Abyss, by French writer Jules Vernes, on the insurrections of 1837-1838
Opinions by militant organizations
St-Jean-Baptiste Society
The oldest patriotic institution of Quebec, the St-Jean-Baptiste Society was founded in 1834 by Ludger Duvernay.
- Read the section dedicated to the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
Les Intellectuels pour la souveraineté (IPSO)
- Website of IPSO (in French)
- Sovereignty: A Legitimate Goal, around 1998
- A Yes for Change, June 1995
Political parties
Parti québécois (PQ)
Founded in 1968, the Parti québécois still is today the main political party of Quebec advocating secession from the federal state of Canada.
- Website of the Parti québécois
- Five Q & A to understand why the PQ wants Québec to become a sovereign country, by the PQ
- Budget of a sovereign Québec, by François Legault, October 2005 (PDF)
- See our page on the presidents of the Parti québécois
SPQ Libre
The SPQ Libre (Syndicalistes et progressistes pour un Québec libre) is a "political club" officially recognized by the PQ in 2006. The political stance of its member is similar to that of Québec solidaire parti members, however they have refused to completely break away from the PQ.
- Website of the SPQ Libre
- Declaration of principles (French only)
Québec solidaire (QS)
Opinions by individual militants
- Read opinions by individual militants
- See the list of books written by advocates of Quebec independence
See also
- List of organizations advocating the independence of Quebec
- Read on the range of attitudes towards Québec
- Read some famous quotes by various contemporary and historical figures
- Quebec’s Struggle for Nationhood on Maxists.org
- http://mondoquebec.canalblog.com/archives/english/index.html