Padlock Act (1937)

Enacted by the Union Nationale administration of Quebec under Duplessis, this anti-communist legislation authorized the closing of any premises suspected of producing or distributing communist propaganda. The law was eventually declared unconstitutional since the meaning of communism was not clearly defined.

Louis-Joseph Papineau (1786-1871)

He was the speaker of Lower Canada’s House of Assembly from 1815 to 1837. He pushed for a greater governmental independence from Britain and was against the union of Upper and Lower Canada. He was leader of the Patriotes during the Rebellion of 1837 and escaped to Paris. Granted amnesty in 1844, he returned to Canada.

Parti National

The Parti National originally was formed in 1871 but was not truly recognized until the Liberals and rebel Conservatives rallied under the party name after the execution of Louis Riel. Under the leadership of Honoré Mercier, the party came to power in 1886, but scandal brought it down in 1891.

Parti Quebecois

This political party was formed by René Lévesque after the Liberal Party under Lesage was defeated in 1966. The major aim of the party has been to attain sovereignty-association for Quebec. The wish of the majority of Quebec has been to remain with the rest of Canada.

Lester Bowles Pearson (1897-1972)

He was leader of the Canadian delegation to the UN, becoming President of the General Assembly in 1953 to 1953, Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1948 to 1957 and Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968. He was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1957 for his efforts in resolving the Suez Crisis. As Prime Minister, he was responsible to bringing in a comprehensive pension plan, socialized medicine and worked to quell the growing separatist feeling in Quebec.

Richard Pierpoint (1744-1838)

Born in the West African state of Bundu (also spelled Bondu, now part of eastern Senegal), Pierpoint was captured and sold as a slave in 1760. He was bought by a British officer fighting the French in North America as a personal servant, who probably gave him his English name (Richard=s birth name is not recorded, and slaves frequently took the last name of their owner). During the American Revolution, Pierpoint at some time around 1780 managed to escape and join the British army. After 17779, slaves who ran away from rebel owners to join the British army were given their freedom. Pierpoint served as a soldier with Butler=s Rangers, and after the war, settled in the Niagara area with many other veterans of this unit. In 1812, with Upper Canada facing invasion by the Americans, Pierpoint made a request to form a military unit made up entirely of Africans. Many of the Africans living in Upper Canada were exslaves, but any African that was captured by the Americans would face being sold into slavery, so victory for the African community was especially important. A unit of about 30 men called the Coloured Corps, under a white officer, Captain Runchey, was raised. Pierpoint, although over 60 years age, served as a common soldier. The unit saw action at the battles of Queenston Heights, Fort George and Stoney Creek. After the end of the war in 1815, many of the ex-soldiers were owed back pay by the government. Finally, the government offered land instead of money. Pierpoint asked for a return voyage back to his home in Bundu, but this was denied. The reason why is not certain. Possibly the government did not want to foot the bill if most of the many hundreds (possibly thousands) of Africans in the colony decided to return to Africa. Also the government may not have wanted veteran soldiers, who would be useful in any future wars, to leave the country. Instead he took a lot in the new township of Garafraxa, near present day Guelph. Pierpoint died here in 1838, and was apparently buried on his farm, but his grave site remains lost. An important early settler of Upper Canada, Pierpoint=s story was neglected for more than 150 years. Only in 1995 was a plaque erected commemorating Pierpoint at John Black School (located on Pierpoint=s former farm near Fergus).

The Plains of Abraham, September 13, 1759

In June 1759, Major General Wolfe sailed up the Saint Lawrence River to attack Québec city with about 9000 troops. He launched a frontal attack against the French entrenchments on July 31. The attack was unsuccessful. Near the end of summer, Wolfe was running out of time. The British fleet could not remain in the St. Lawrence. There was too great a chance of losing ships to autumn storms, and if the fleet left for safe harbours, Wolfe and his army would have to leave with it. It was a desperate move, but on the night of September 12, Wolfe moved about 5000 of his men downstream to a landing point about 2km southwest of the city. Scaling a steep cliff to the Plains of Abraham above Québec, the British troops cut the main road between the city and Montréal. However, the French garrison under Montcalm was still safe behind the walls of the city. For reasons which remain unclear to this day, Montcalm decided to attack. In what was to be called the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the French advancing in line were shattered by a series of British volleys, and retreated back into the city, which was surrendered shortly after. Both commanders were mortally wounded during the battle. Another French army still held out at Montréal, and made a counter-attack, but when the British fleet arrived with reinforcements in the spring of 1760 (which meant the French fleet would not be coming), the French had to surrender the entire colony.

Poppies, Remembrance Day see In Flanders Fields.

Progressive Party

Established in 1920, this party had the support of the farming community. In the 1921 federal election it won 65 seats on the platform of lower tariffs and a reciprocity agreement. Its leader, T.A. Crerar chose not to make the party the official opposition, although it had earned this status. As a result, Mackenzie King was able to cut away at the farmers’ support and by 1926, the party had practically disappeared.