Regionalism in Canada

Key Terms

Allophones (p. 149) Canadians whose dominant language is neither French nor English.

Charlottetown Accord (p. 145) A failed accord in the early 1990s that proposed to renew the consti- tution, but was defeated in a national referendum.

Clarity Act (p. 147) Federal legislation passed in 2000 that sets out the terms for the federal government to deal with a province proposing to secede.

Laurentian myth (p. 154) A theory that historic perceptions of central Canadian dominance have spawned regionalist resentment in peripheral parts of the country.

Meech Lake Accord (p. 144) A failed constitutional accord in the late 1980s that would have recognized Quebec as a “distinct society.”

Nationalism (p. 138) A unifying ideology among people who share a common homeland, ancestry, and language or culture.

Political culture (p. 127) A society’s innate political characteristics, embodied in the structure of its institutions and beliefs of its members.

Quebec nation motion (p. 148) A non-binding federal motion passed in 2006 that recognized the unique character of the Québécois.

Quiet Revolution (p. 143) An early 1960s modernizing movement in Quebec, geared toward a stronger provincial government and outward nationalism.

Regionalism (p. 125) An allegiance or psychological connection to a territory with its own unique political characteristics.

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016 Secessionism (p. 140) A widely held sentiment that a province or territory should leave the Canadi- an federation.

Sectionalism (p. 135) An emotional connection with one’s regional homeland, rather than with one’s country.

Sovereignty–association (p. 144) A proposed legal arrangement whereby Quebec would be politi- cally independent but maintain economic ties with Canada.

Sponsorship scandal (p. 148) An affair in which Liberal advertising agencies received public funds for work that was never performed.

Western alienation (p. 136) Political discontent in areas west of Ontario, normally encompassing frustration with perceived political favouritism to areas east of Manitoba.

Review Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to the text, what is a form of subnational identity? a) Regionalism b) Secessionism c) Federalism d) Western alienation

2. According to Garth Stevenson, what is region primarily defined by? a) Political culture b) Human organization c) Territory d) Sectionalism

3. How are Western Canadians often viewed? a) As right wing b) As individualists c) As populists d) All of the above

4. Foremost, what do the majority of Canadians identify themselves to be? a) Province first, but also Canadian b) Canadians c) Equally Canadian and province d) Province only

5. Which of the following cities is called the “diamond capital of Canada”? a) Iqaluit b) Whitehorse

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016 c) Yellowknife d) Charlottetown

6. What type of regionalism best applies to Ontario? a) Sectionalism b) Separatism c) Nationalism d) Autonomism

7. Which of the following groups have not staked claim on being nations? a) First Nations b) British Columbia c) Newfoundlanders d) the Québécois

8. Who led the first Party Québécoisgovernment in 1976? a) Jean Lesage b) Maurice Duplessis c) Robert Bourassa d) René Lévesque

9. Which of the following is the most recently formed Western-based protest party? a) the Reform Party of Canada b) the Progressives c) Social Credit d) Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

10. Which act set out the terms for the federal government to deal with a province wanting to sepa- rate? a) Bill 101 b) Bill 99 c) Clarity Act d) Canada-Quebec Accord

Discussion Questions

1. Why is there a strong division among the different regions in Canada?

2. Describe the different types of Canadian regionalism. Which type of regionalism do you feel is the most challenging to overcome?

Further Resources

Websites  Mowat Centre http://mowatcentre.ca/

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

This independent public opinion think-tank dubs itself as Ontario’s non-partisan, evidence- based voice on public policy.

 Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/Eng/Pages/Home.aspx

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, an official government-website, provides historical, cultural, and economic information on Atlantic Canadian provinces.

 Provinces and Territories, Government of Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/ENGLISH/newcomers/pt/index.asp

The Government of Canada provides new residents and immigrants a basic guide on the breakdown of Canadian provinces, including information on provincial culture, employment opportunities, and resources.

 Provinces and Territories, Parliament of Canada http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/ProvinceTerritory.aspx?Menu=ProvinceTerritory

This website offers a more detailed account of individual provinces and territories, specifically focusing on their legislatures, election details, their Lieutenant-Governors, Commissioners, etc.

 Provinces and Territories, Statistics Canada) http://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/reference/province-eng

Statistics Canada breaks down each province’s and territory’s population, demographic information, crime rates, economic growth, and other relevant statistical analysis.

 Quebec Portal, Gouvernement du Québec http://www.gouv.qc.ca/EN/Pages/Accueil.aspx

The official website of the government of Quebec, which is available in both English and French, provides information to citizens and businesses.

 Charter of the French Language, Publications du Québec http://www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/english/charter/

Publications du Québec makes available the official Charter of the French Language, which is available in both English and French.

 Western Economic Diversification Canada, Government of Canada http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/home.asp

This government website provides historical, cultural, and economic information on Western provinces.

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016 Articles/Books  Christopher Cochrane and Andrea Perrella, “Regions, Regionalism and Regional Differences in Canada,” Canadian Journal of Political Science 45, no. 4 (2012): pp. 829–53

This article looks at the divisional lines among the different regions in Canada. The main focus of this article is on the differing viewpoints on the term region and regionalism and how these concepts apply to Canadian regions.

 Robert J Lawson, “Understanding Alienation in Western Canada: Is ‘Western Alienation’ the Problem? Is Senate Reform the Cure?” Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d'Études canadiennes 39, no. 2 (2005): pp. 127–155.

Lawson studies western alienation as a form of regionalism in Canada, which also suggests ex- ploring institutional reforms—particularly Senate reform—as a cure for alienation of Western Canada.

 Brian O’Neal, “Distinct Society: Origins, interpretations, implications,” Library of Parliament: Polit- ical and Social Affairs Divisions BP-408-E (1995). http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/researchpublications/bp408-e.htm

This paper, prepared by the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament, out- lines the origins of the term “distinct society” and how it affects Quebec’s culture and political systems.

RSS Feeds  CBC RSS FeedsRSS Feeds http://www.cbc.ca/rss/

 La Presse news (Quebec) http://www.lapresse.ca/rss.php (French)

Answers to Review Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. a (p. 125) 6. a (p. 135) 2. c (p. 127) 7. b (p. 140) 3. d (p. 128) 8. d (p. 143) 4. b (p. 133) 9. a (p. 136) 5. c (p. 131) 10. c (p. 147)