La France et le Québec, 1945-1967, dans les archives du MAE
Institution:
Paris 8Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
From 1945 to 1960, the general department for french cultural relations gradually took charge of the organization and financing of all theatrical, musical and artistic events as well as of french films and books circulation. The french government also supported actively stanislas and marie de france french schoools in montreal and answered the universities' increasing needs of teachers, representatives and grants in quebec. On the other hand, narrow-mindedness and conservatism of maurice duplessis, quebec's prime minister, and the ivth republic's numerous crisis jeopardized quebec french political relations until 1960. Quebec french relations really were at their best during the sixties. Quebec's quiet revolution, the opening of quebec's consulate in paris and de gaulle's interest in that "country" brought about change. The bilateral cooperation became official through, first, educative and cultural agreements but then, paris-quebec-ottawa relations grew more bitter. Finally, the french foreign office exlusively centered its diplomacy on economical and technical relations, which resulted in french exhibitions in montreal in 1963 and at the world fair in 1967, french-technical committee and administrative or technical trainees. Big french firms (cge, renault, schneider. . . ) took part in quebec's industrialization and public works. In july 1967, de gaulle's own words "vive le quebec libre !" enabled quebec to be acknowledged in the world. The cooperation means were increased a fourfold thanks to the johnson-peyrefitte agreements in september. Therefore, the year 1967 crowned the french policy to develop more common relations, which were not naturally political.
Abstract FR:
Entre 1945 et 1960, la direction generale des relations culturelles prend progressivement en main l'organisation et le financement de toutes les manifestations theatrales, musicales, artistiques, ainsi que la diffusion des films et des livres francais. Le gouvernement francais soutient aussi activement, a montreal, les colleges francais stanislas et marie de france et repond aux besoins croissants des universites du quebec en professeurs, charges de mission et bourses. Par contre, le conservatisme tres etroit du premier ministre du quebec, maurice duplessis, et les crises nombreuses de la ive republique francaise compromettent les relations politiques francoquebecoises jusque 1960. Les annees soixante constituent veritablement l'age d'or des relations franco-quebecoises. La revolution tranquille du quebec et la creation de la delegation generale du quebec a paris, l'interet du general de gaulle pour ce "pays" modifient les donnees. Accords ou ententes, d'abord educatifs et culturels, rendent officielle la cooperation bilaterale mais plongent les relations franco-quebecoises dans le contexte plus conflictuel des relations triangulaires paris - quebec - ottawa. Enfin, a partir de 1956, le quai d'orsay axe sa diplomatie vers le tout economique et technique : expositions francaises de montreal de 1963 et 1967, comite france-technique et echanges de stagiaires administratifs (ena) ou techniques. De grandes entreprises francaises ( cge, renault, schneider. . . ) participent au gigantesque effort d'industrialisation et de grands travaux du quebec. En juillet 1967, le "vive le quebeclibre!" du general de gaulle marque la reconnaissance internationale du probleme quebecois. Les accords johnson-peyrefitte de septembre 1967 multiplient par quatre les moyens de la cooperation. 1967 marque donc le couronnement d'une volonte politique francaise d'intensifier et prendre en main des relations qui n'etaient absolument pas a caractere naturellement politique.