Operation McGill français

Operation McGill français was a street demonstration that posed great significance in Canadian history. It took place in Montreal on March 28, 1969 in the midst of Quebec's Quiet Revolution.[1] On this day, approximately 10,000–15,000 protesters, largely leftist activists, trade unionists, leftists and a few students from McGill University's CEGEP, gathered and walked down Sherbrooke street towards the Roddick Gates emphasising pro-worker and nationalist ideals along with a demand for McGill University to become francophone.[2][3] These protesters held signs that read slogans such as "McGill aux Québécois!" and "McGill aux travailleurs", which loosely translates to "McGill to Quebeckers" and "McGill to workers" respectively. The political agenda of this demonstration, in which the demonstrators were trying to decolonize Quebec, was to attack a key symbol of Anglo-Saxon power.[4] The fight for the decolonisation of Quebec also included equal working rights and equal pay. Leading the charge of this demonstration were former McGill professor Stanley Gray and nationalist Raymond Lemieux who spoke to the crowd of people demanding equal rights for French peoples and also demanded McGill to go to Quebeckers. Afraid this demonstration might turn violent, 100 police officers were deployed as well as 1,300 police officers on call. Also awaiting the demonstrators at the Roddick Gates were 3,000 spectators. The demonstration was mostly peaceful, with some altercations taking place between demonstration supporters and some English students who responded to the demonstration by chanting "God save the Queen".[5]

Background

Prior to the demonstration, key demonstrator, Stanley Gray was fired from his position as a political science professor at McGill University in 1969. However, prior to his firing, he had established a group named the Students for a Democratic University (SDU) on November 23, 1967. It consisted of 150 students and professors who were also in favour of the idea of decolonisation and instituting more power to French people not only at McGill but throughout Quebec as well.[6] The SDU had begun many demonstrations, with each getting larger than the previous one. During the early months of 1969, before the operation, Gray and the other members of the SDU had interrupted a Senate meeting on January 24, 1969 echoing similar chants such as "Revolution", "Long live the Socialist Quebec" and "Long live Quebec".[7] The group would then again take similar actions on January 27, 1969 when they impeded a meeting of the Assembly of the Board of Governors. Later, the SDU would be renamed as the Radical Student Association (RSA). Gray was also a founding member of the Movement for the Integration of School (MIS), who organised the demonstration on that day. The SDU and the MIS would work together for the same goals.

Another key member of the MIS was Raymond Lemieux, an American with French-Canadian heritage.[8] He, along with fellow founding member Stanley Gray would gather approximately 3,000 members leading up to the demonstration.[9] The MIS would then strengthen the Saint-Léonard crisis when elected on June 28, 1968. The Saint-Léonard crisis largely developed from leftist thinkings which disallowed bilingual classes and adopted only unilingual French classes.[10]

The newspaper, the McGill Daily, also supported the cause heavily and distributed a special edition announcing the preparation of Operation McGill through 100,000 copies instead of its usual 14,000 copies. In it was a document titled "Welcome to McGill" written entirely in French and sent across the province of Quebec with the aid of students and the members of the CSN. In short, the document critisized the ruling elites of Quebec and argued that the people of Quebec were exploited both culturally and economically. Concluding the article with the need to democratise McGill for these reasons and why the workers, students and anyone who felt discriminated against should demonstrate.[11]

On March 26, 1969 activists Raymond Lemieux, Stanley Gray, Léandre Bergeron and CSN president, Michael Chartrand stated that they would be talking about the Operation via posters throughout campus with would be held in the ballroom of the University Centre.[12]

In the context of the Quiet Revolution

The Quiet Revolution, also known as La révolution tranquille, spanned roughly from 1960-1970 in Quebec, Canada. The Revolution began when Jean Lesage, leader of the Liberal party, was elected on June 22, 1960 winning 51% of the popular vote.[13] Lesage's hope was to change the power structure which enabled the discrimination of the French people during Maurice Duplessis's, and prior reigns. After this win, many movements started forming including the Women's Liberation Movement, Black Power Movement, Quebec's Labour Movement and the Francophone Movement. These events also incorporated a lot of Leftist thinkings during this period. The operation would connect in some way with all these movements. The goal of the operation was to hopefully improve and give rights to people who felt discriminated against.

Student movements

Francophone students did not fare well in the large scale of Quebec's education system. Very few Francophones were allowed into universities where a large percentage was Anglophone. Only 7% of McGill students had French as their mother tongue while the percentage of French-speaking people was 82%. Students who had English as their mother tongue accounted for 42% of university enrollments in Quebec which in greater context is higher compared to the 18% of students for the provincial population. As with other movements, the Francophone student population was not pleased with the lack of education. Education was and continues to be a key element through which people move up in society. The lack of education made it nearly impossible for the young Francophone population to succeed and could be a large reason why the Anglophones were elite in Quebec society.

To try and gain control of their education, a large amount of student movements adapted leftist thinking such as l'Union générale des étudiants (UGEQ).[14] The UGEQ united the many other student bodies in Quebec, 1964 and would go on to form many student movements which the leaders of the Operation did consider as motivation. In the latter half of 1968, the UGEQ picked up its radical agenda. The CEGEP system was put in place to allow more citizens to attain an education. These junior colleges were established all throughout Quebec. However, these colleges, as most of the education system during this time in Quebec, would again disallow the French from attaining a higher education. In October, Quebec government officials had declared that about 20,000 students of the CEGEP system would not be allowed the opportunity to study at a university level come the following school year. This led to about 5,000 to 10,000 students protesting this affair on October 21, 1968 shouting "étudiants ouvriers" and demanding the allowance of a better education for the students under this system.[15][16] No longer were the students going to try to collaborate with the government. Instead, they were going to fight for themselves within the context of student power and direct action.[17]

Although a portion of the demonstration was to fight for a better education system, it was also used to call out the perceived notion that McGill University was directly influencing American Imperialism and thus, allowing discrimination against the French peoples.[18] This not only affected the student movement but also all the other movements during the Quiet Revolution as well the fight against racism, to the workers movement and ending with the Women's Liberation Movement. Thus, Operation McGill français was part of a greater effort during the Quiet Revolution to incorporate better education and social equality.

Connection to the Parti Pris

The journal, Parti Pris, also began around this time in 1963. Two scholars named Jean-Marc Piotte and André Major were attempting to fight for the equality of the French people.[19] Experiencing the discrimination firsthand, they were trying to join the common fight for the decolonisation of Quebec. They wrote many journal articles fighting for better education and worker rights. They too were supportive of left wing politics. With this journal, they created a new language of resistance during the early 1960s and continued to do so even after the revolution was finished.[20] Their goal of reuniting all men seemed to gain stronger support with each new edition. However, their readings were not the only way that the journal connected citizens. The leaders of the Parti Pris also organized discussions, street protests, public meetings and reading groups.This newspaper was one of many journals in which the protesters of Operation McGill found support.

Connection to the Sir George Williams affair

Just a couple of months prior to Operation McGill was another large protest known as the Sir George Williams affair. This was a protest in regards to Quebec's discrimination towards its black citizens when 6 black students argued racial discrimination from then assistant professor of biology, Mr. Perry Anderson. Much like the rest of the workers, feminist and student movements, the citizens involved in the Black Power movement felt like they were not being heard. In response to the administrations lack of action, 200 students and protesters peacefully overtook the ninth floor of the Hall building of Sir George Williams University on January 29, 1969.[21] They overtook the computer centre and stayed there until February 11 when they were forcefully taken by police officers after starting a fire to keep around 30 police officers out. Nevertheless, the police officers were successful in detaining and arresting 96 students involved in the affair.[22] It may just be considered the largest school riot in Canadian history.

The school protests at the time of the Quiet Revolution appeared to be all the same in regards to trying to peacefully protest the discrimination felt towards minority groups, The Sir George Williams affair would turn violent with over 2 million dollars worth of damage to computers and the school, but the initial intention was to remain peaceful and get their word across.[23] This affair led to other school protests throughout Quebec which included Operation McGill during which both protests share the efforts of Quebec's decolonisation.

Both protests also did an efficient job of using their own respective newspapers, The Georgian and The McGill Daily to gain support for their causes.[24]

Workers movements

Quebec in the 1960s and prior was largely ruled by Anglophone elites. Francophones were not happy with this arrangement, since the vast of the majority of the population were French speakers. Anglophones and Francophones often lived in different conditions with the Anglophones living in wealthy areas and the Francophones living in the poorer areas. Anglophones consisted of 56% of Montreal's best-paid workers and only consisted of about 24% of the labor force. Furthermore, Francophones only controlled 20% of the economy and also represented 40% of Canada's total unemployment rate.[25][26] Even though they lived in a French province, a large percentage were being forced to learn English to be able to work and almost half the time, workers were required to speak to their managers in English.[27] During the early years of the Revolution (1961-1965), there was an average of about 67.6 strikes per year. In the later years (1966-1970), this number nearly doubled to 143 strikes per year.[28] During these strikes, workers argued against poor housing conditions, unemployment, price increases and discrimination.

To change this, leftist parties engaging in nationalist ideas started organising worker movements. Such movements were led by then president of the CSN, Marcel Pepin. In 1966, Pepin would go on to change the situation with his 'moral report', which would then go on to explain the urgency for multiple worker movements and if need be, a call for arms and further resistance. This would later influence those involved in the October Crisis and members of the CSN to revolt in Operation McGill. Leftist thinkers believed that the French population as a whole had a right to defend themselves, and this did not exclude workers.[29]

Examples of this led to many groups such as the Mouvement de libération du taxi, citizens' and workers' committees, the Chevaliers de l'indépendance, the Comité Vallières-Gagnon and the Montreal Central Council of the CSN assisting the MIS coalition gaining over 50,000 supporters.[30] The CSN and MIS coalition would support the Operation showing how the demonstration was acting in the context of allowing better work for the Francophone people. It would try to allow French to strive in the workplace instead of English, which demonstrated power over the French people much like McGill had.

Post Operation McGill at McGill University

After Operation McGill français, a few other events appeared to protest the discrimination and continue with the fight of decolonisation at McGill University. A major event was the creation of the Birth Control Handbook which affected many women at McGill University and continued debates on whether or not McGill University should become French.

Birth Control Handbook

The Birth Control Handbook was considered part of the Women's Liberation movement as a way of decolonizing Quebec and being accepted into the general population. Women seemed to be tired of men controlling their decisions and life choices. The Birth Control Handbook, created by McGill Students Society, was an attempt to gain their longed for control of their own bodies and choices during the late 1960s.[31] Although it was published in 1968, the handbook took off in the summer of 1969 when it had sold 50,000 copies and two years later it would reach nearly 2 million copies.[32] This handbook demonstrates that there were still persistent problems being argued at McGill university during this time and that Operation McGill played into the bigger picture of decolonized Quebec and better equality for all.

The Legacy of Operation McGill français

There is no true legacy that exists for Operation McGill français. It did bring together thousands of people to protest unequal rights and for better services in the Anglo-Saxon community they lived in, but did not have much significance prior to such. In fact, it is something that historians have barely researched in regards to its influence on the Quiet Revolution and Quebec's history in general.

McGill University today

Today, McGill University continues to be one of three English universities in Quebec, demonstrating that the efforts to make McGill french had failed. However, today the student body is approximately 20.3% Francophone.[33] This is a significant improvement over the Francophone student body during the Quiet Revolution that consisted of approximately 3%. Students now have the opportunity to write any work in English or French even though the language of instruction continues to be predominantly in English.

References

  1. ↑ Young, Brian J. (2000). The Making and Unmaking of a University Museum: The McCord, 1921-1996. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0773520509.
  2. ↑ Cauchy, Clairandrée (March 28, 2009). "McGill francais il y a 40 ans impossible union de causes qui s'opposent". Le Devoir.
  3. ↑ Brownwyn, Chester (April 8, 1999). "McGill francais and Quebec society". McGill Reporter.
  4. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  5. ↑ Warren, Jean-Phillipe (Winter 2008). "L'Opération McGill français. Une page méconnue de l'histoire de la gauche nationaliste". Bulletin d'histoire politique. 16: 97–116.
  6. ↑ Warren, Jean-Phillipe (Winter 2008). "L'Opération McGill français. Une page méconnue de l'histoire de la gauche nationaliste". Bulletin d'histoire historique. 16: 97–116.
  7. ↑ Warren, Jean-Phillipe (Winter 2008). "L'opération McGill français. Une Page inconnue de l'histoire de la gauche nationaliste". Bulletin d'histoire historique. 16: 97–116.
  8. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  9. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  10. ↑ Sancton, Andrew (1985). Governing the Island of Montreal: Language Differences and Metropolitan Politics. California: University of California Press. p. 77. ISBN 978-0520049062.
  11. ↑ Warren, Jean-Phillipe (Winter 2008). "L'opération Mcgill français. Une page méconnue de l'histoire de la gauche nationaliste". Bulletin d'histoire historique. 16: 97–116.
  12. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  13. ↑ Murphy, Michael (2005). Quebec and Canada in the New Century (PDF). Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-55339-018-3.
  14. ↑ Mills, Sean (September 2009). "Une douce anarchie: les années 68 au Québec (review)". The Canadian Historical Society. 90: 535–537 – via Project MUSE.
  15. ↑ Warren, Jean-Phillipe (2008). Une douce anarchie: Années 68 au Québec. Montreal: Boréal. p. 242. ISBN 978-2764605950.
  16. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  17. ↑ Mills, Sean (September 2009). "Une douce anarchie: les années 68 au Québec (review)". The Canadian Historical Society. 90: 535–537 – via Project MUSE.
  18. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Monteal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  19. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Monteal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7735-36951.
  20. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  21. ↑ Minerva (Summer 1969). "The "Siren" Affair". Minerva. 7: 762–778. JSTOR 41822664.
  22. ↑ Minerva (Summer 1969). "The "Siren" Affair". Minerva. 7: 762–778. JSTOR 41822664.
  23. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  24. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  25. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postocolonal Thought and Political Activism in Sixities Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  26. ↑ Levine, Marc V (1999). The Reconquest of Montreal: Language Policy and Social Change in a Bilingual City. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. 23–25. ISBN 9780877228998.
  27. ↑ Coleman, William D (1984). The Independence Movement in Quebec 1945-1980. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-0802065421.
  28. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  29. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  30. ↑ Chodos, Robert (1972). Quebec: A Chronicle 1968-1972. Toronto: Lorimer. p. 42. ISBN 978-0888620255.
  31. ↑ Mills, Sean (2010). The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-7735-3695-1.
  32. ↑ Cherniak, Donna (1972). Women's Unite! An Anthology of the Canadian Women's Movement. Toronto: Canadian Women's Educational Press. pp. 109–110.
  33. ↑ McGill University (2017). "Quick Facts". McGill University.
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