The 1980 Quebec Referendum: Why Quebec Considered Separating from Canada

As one of Canada's founding countries, Quebec believes that they were abused and French in other parts of Canada was ignored. In 1968, former journalist René Lévesque founded the first separatist party PartiQuébécois (www.pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca) in Canada. Levis wants to deal with the fact that Quebec society is unique and should be a Canadian independent country as it has views of domestic and foreign policy different from other parts of Canada (www. pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca).

Some French Canadians today wish to establish their own country different from the rest of Canada. Quebec made a public referendum (vote) in 1980, but only about 40% wanted separation. Another referendum was held in 1995, nearly 50% of the votes were in favor of leaving Canada. Since then, the people of Quebec are increasingly hoping to leave Canada, but this is still important for Quebec's politics. Today, about 25% of Canadians use French as the primary language. Many people speak French and English. Most French Canadians live in Quebec, but there are French communities and people in Canada. For example, 40% of New Brunswick and 20% in Manitoba have strong experience in France, and in Ontario there are people who are mainly at the border with Quebec.

In 1977, Quebec hoped to become an independent French-speaking country and began an independent movement from Canada. There are two referendums (1980 and 1995), whether Quebec remains in Canada or is a unique country. Both referenda failed and Quebec was under the rule of the Canadian government. In the north, the Canadian government gave Inuit a full autonomy right in the northwest and the whole of Nunavut, allowing them to maintain their cultural practices.

A referendum on state independence in the early 1980s could not provide the necessary support for withdrawal from Canada, but the outcome affected future federal compromise on language and cultural issues with Quebec . Québec enacts a law to review and strengthen French as the official language of the state, including the government and enterprises, and includes the 77 Canadian Constitution amended in 1982 and the free charter recognizing constitutional language rights 78 7 9 For example, paragraph 23 Guarantee Canadian citizens have the right to educate their children with their own official language, according to their actual needs. "All rights to communicate with the Federal Government and receive service from the Federal government allow the official language of the new Constitution and can be enforced in court.