AHC: A Quebec Rising during WWI
- Thread starter Tocomocho
- Start date
Not doable with a POD after 1900. You didn't have the concept of Quebec Separatism as we would know it post-WWII that led to much of the modern 'separation' attempts. Republicanism in Canada was also virtually non-existent during this time period.
However, you could see something like a large series of general strikes, work refusals, conscription resistance, provincial government refusing to bow to pressure from Ottawa, and potential overreaction from Ottawa leading to an 'occupation' of Quebec in response to a worse conscription crisis. Though this does require a more organized resistance movement that is exclusive of the general reluctance throughout Canada to conscription. Still, none of this would inspire a 'rising' in WWI.
Though to get something like what the OP would like, you have to have Quebec feel like it has even less stake in the war than it did OTL, a coherent Quebec Nationalist movement existing beyond 1867, and a strengthening of republican sentiment in Canada. The last one is really the hardest to do since it never had widespread support purely because of how Canadian identity developed OTL in direct opposition to its southern neighbor.
However, you could see something like a large series of general strikes, work refusals, conscription resistance, provincial government refusing to bow to pressure from Ottawa, and potential overreaction from Ottawa leading to an 'occupation' of Quebec in response to a worse conscription crisis. Though this does require a more organized resistance movement that is exclusive of the general reluctance throughout Canada to conscription. Still, none of this would inspire a 'rising' in WWI.
Though to get something like what the OP would like, you have to have Quebec feel like it has even less stake in the war than it did OTL, a coherent Quebec Nationalist movement existing beyond 1867, and a strengthening of republican sentiment in Canada. The last one is really the hardest to do since it never had widespread support purely because of how Canadian identity developed OTL in direct opposition to its southern neighbor.
Good analysis.
Remember, the division back then was much less between 'Anglo'and 'Franco' as between Protestant and Catholic. So the Irish were definitely on the 'Quebec' side, for instance.
Thanks! The religious difference was a big one, and Irish Catholics and French Catholics felt they couldn't get along in regiments comprised of Anglo-Canadian (mostly Protestant) volunteers, led by officers of a similar caliber.
The lack of French speaking officers was also a sticking point for a large degree of the French resistors which I should probably mention.
Eh, the French Canadians don't see themselves as having much connection with France. In fact, that's a basis as to why they were against conscription, because they were like "Why are they forcing us to fight in a war that has nothing to do with us? We'd rather do our own stuff..."
It's actually reminiscent of how modern-day Canadians would react to conscription...
TFSmith121
Banned
If Canada tried to impose conscription for overseas service,
If the Canadian government had tried to impose conscription in either world war to the point they were ordering wholesale arrests of opposition political leaders and sending troops into the streets, it's possible there could have been armed resistance ... There's a reason Canada's mobilizations in both world wars were limited in comparison to the U.S. and UK.
Whether such resistance would rise to the level of 1916 in Ireland is an open question - you'd need a much more "imperial-minded" government in Ottawa.
Best,
If the Canadian government had tried to impose conscription in either world war to the point they were ordering wholesale arrests of opposition political leaders and sending troops into the streets, it's possible there could have been armed resistance ... There's a reason Canada's mobilizations in both world wars were limited in comparison to the U.S. and UK.
Whether such resistance would rise to the level of 1916 in Ireland is an open question - you'd need a much more "imperial-minded" government in Ottawa.
Best,
Not true. Back then (and to a certain extent, today too) there was a love-hate relationship with France among French-Canadians. Most French-Canadians (especially in Quebec where the vast majority of French-Canadians live in) back then as today, don't feel a connection with the rest of Canada either. They think of themselves as Québécois first, Canadian second if at all.
It's one thing to oppose conscription forcing French-Canadians to fight alongside France but a BIG ANOTHER THING if Canada and France are on opposing sides and French-Canadians are forced to fight AGAINST France.
I see...From what I've read, that's why Levesque was so unusual in that he didn't care about France, but admired the US (unlike other prominent Quebec separatists).
I said "to a certain extent" there is a love-hate relationship today. Some French-Canadians would say "maudits français", others would like France, and others are indifferent.
Parizeau is another separatist that didn't care for France. He admires the UK. Bouchard admires the USA but was ambassador to France too.