From: beaurega@ireq.hydro.qc.ca (Denis Beauregard)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Emigration US/MB (was Re: Denied access to English schools?)
Date: 29 Aug 92 22:48:42 GMT
Organization: Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Quebec, Varennes, Canada

In article <Bto3AA.EAv@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca> gordon@maxwell.uwaterloo.ca (Gordon R. Strachan) writes:
>Well, as I said in another post I am not trying to defend what happened in the
>west.  But I also pointed out that during the period that Manitoba was
>officially bilingual, English migration to the province greatly out numbered
>French migration.  If you combine this with the massive immigration from
>eastern Europe that occured then there is no reason to believe that the west
>would be any less predominately English than it is today.  But, of course,
>all either of us can do is express an opinion since neither of us can prove
>what might have happened.

Migration from Quebec to USA :
1840-1850   35,000
1850-1860   70,000
1860-1870  100,000 (estimate)
1870-1880  120,000
1880-1890  150,000
1890-1900  140,000

From 1870, this is over 10% of Quebec population (i.e. 1870-1900
is roughly one third of Quebec population that leaved).  
A lot of them come back to Quebec and language was one reason with
very bad working conditions.

If Manitoba had laws welcoming this population, the proportion of
francophones would have been greater.

..My own quote about promoting franco toward west.>
>Actually this is new and unknown to me.  I would be interested in learning
>more if you can provide me with some references.
Clergy tried this and clergy was very powerful at that time.  
Some politican did too.  I think someone posted a reference about that.
About 1890, orangists founded Equal Rights Association which favored
Canada to be unilingual English and has campaign ant-French in Ont and Man..

>
>Very true and we should also make sure we don't repeat it.  There are many
>people that fell that Quebec is doing now exactly what Manitoba did in 1890
>with its Bill 101 and 178.  I know you would not agree with that statement

Not exactly the same situation.   1890 law against people already in
Manitoba.  Quebec school law concerns recent immigration.

>Schools act.  You can not force the English in Quebec to assimilate and all
>these laws do is create ill will.  So yes, we all should remember our history.

But, you still have access to a lot of radio and TV stations in English.
And access to English theater.  And a unilingual country 60 miles south
of Montreal.  The situation is far from comparable.  
>
>Beyond that it really doesn't matter.  Take for example this division of
>federal/provincial powers in the latest constitutional proposals.  Do you
>think the average man on the street really cares which government sends him
>his unemployment check?  I can't imagine it would make much of a difference

No.  But, if the fact Canada and Quebec are doing the same thing (and Quebec
has the right to do it bycause it is her domain) and moey is wasted,
then the man in the street will care, because he will pay higher taxes.

>constitutional debate.  Most of it is about petty power grabs by civil servants
>and nothing to do with the people.

What I see in newspapers is in your favor.  The Quebec liberal party accepts
the agreement because it is from Boubou, not because it is efficient.

>Gordon


-- 
  \_\    Denis Beauregard  *  internet:beaurega@ireq.hydro.qc.ca
 /   \   Genealogiste officiel : Beauregard/Jarret/Jarest/Vincent
J   __>  Un Quebec renouvele dans une Amerique renovee
\_.-===                                                  Opinions ? Et pis non !