Community in Crisis : French-Canadian Nationalism in Perspective

The federal ist , on the other hand , wi ll pay mo re attention to the seven sea ts than to the 25 per cent of the popula r vote: he will interpret the result as a vote for Canadian unity, giving the impress io n that the sepa rati sts fell far short of what they actuall y hoped 10 accomplish.) Then, in the fa ll of 1970, came the abduct ion of James Richard Cross and the murder of Pierre Laporte, [...] Nonetheless, my per sonal point of view back in 1966 is evident enough in the pages of the book: I be lieved in a unique Canad ian experience which might serve as a model elsewhere in the world; I hoped for the development of a new federa lism which, although bound to encounter perennial difficulties, might reduce the separatist threat ; and I attached a high priority to the survival of the Frenc [...] The Royal Proclamation of 1763 imposed a "judicial system of civil and criminal courts governed by law and equity as near as may be agreeable to the laws of England."10 Instructions from London advised the governor to do everything in his power to further the construction of Protestant schools and the engagement of Protestant teachers, "to the end that the Church of England might be established bo [...] It was in this context that Governor Sir James Craig envenomed the quarrel by launching his "Reign of Terror," a series of mea sures designed to break French dominance in the Assembly, put the Roman Catholic Church under the control of the Crown, and restrict the operations of Catholic parish schools. [...] Protest assemblies were organized and at one of these Honore Mercier, later premier of Quebec, addressed the crowd: "Riel, our brother, is dead, victim of his devotion to the cause of the Metis whose leader he was, victim of fanaticism and treason: of the fanaticism of Sir Jo bn and some of bis friends; and of the treason of three ofoUI own kind who, to save their portfolios, sold their brother."n