Originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, Quebec was colonized by France, then conquered by Britain in 1760. Unusually, Britain allowed French civil law and Catholic practices to continue – creating a distinct society within the British Empire.

Quebec joined three other British colonies to form Canada, similar to how American colonies united to form the United States. However, Quebec maintained its unique French legal system and Catholic institutions.

By the mid-1900s, Quebec francophones faced systematic marginalization. In Montreal’s business district, corporate executives were overwhelmingly English-speaking – francophones hit a “glass ceiling” and were told to “speak white” (speak English) to advance. The Catholic Church ran education like a medieval system, emphasizing Latin, religion, and classical studies while neglecting science, business, and technical skills that could compete in the modern economy. French-Canadians were economically subordinate in their own province.

The Quiet Revolution (1960s) was called “quiet” because it achieved radical transformation through elections and legislation rather than violence, this period saw Quebec rapidly modernize under Liberal Premier Jean Lesage. The government seized control of education from the Church, creating a modern public school system focused on math, science, and business. It nationalized hydroelectric companies to create Hydro-Quebec, launched public healthcare, and established government pension plans. The slogan “Maîtres chez nous” (Masters in our own house) captured the drive for economic and cultural self-determination. This institutional revolution sparked modern Quebec nationalism and the rise of the separatist Parti Québécois.

Tensions escalated into FLQ terrorist kidnappings (1970), followed by two independence referendums in 1980 and 1995. The second failed by less than 1%, nearly breaking up Canada.

When Canada patriated its Constitution in 1982, Quebec refused to sign, feeling excluded from the process.

Two attempts to bring Quebec in both failed:

Meech Lake Accord (1990): Would have recognized Quebec as a “distinct society.” Indigenous MLA Elijah Harper killed it by refusing procedural consent in Manitoba, protesting the deal’s silence on Indigenous rights.

Charlottetown Accord (1992): A broader deal addressing Indigenous rights and Senate reform. Rejected by 54% of Canadians in a national referendum – voters were angry at politicians generally, and even Quebec voted it down.

Quebec remains the only province that has never formally accepted Canada’s Constitution. Quebec operates within Canada while maintaining its distinct identity through French language laws, secular governance, civil law system, and economic autonomy.

It has transformed from a rural, Catholic society into a modern knowledge economy centered in Montreal, all while fiercely protecting its unique character.