DCHP-3

Bloc Québécois

DCHP-2 (Nov 2016)

Spelling variants:
BQ, Bloc

n. — Politics, French relations

a federal political party that advocates sovereignty/separatism for Quebec.

Type: 1. Origin — The Bloc Québécois was founded by Lucien Bouchard in 1991 as a federal party after the failure of the Meech Lake Accord. One of the party's main aims is to achieve political sovereignty for the province of Quebec (see Canadian Encyclopedia reference). From 1993-1997 Bloc Québécois was the second largest party in the House of Commons and thus, ironically, "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition."
See also COD-2, s.v. "Bloc Québécois", "Gage-5, s.v. "Bloc Québécois", which is described as "a Canadian federal political party", ITP Nelson, s.v. "Bloc Québécois", which is described as "of Canada".
The term separatism and associated terms like separatist is the dominant term in Anglophone Canada. In much of Francophone Quebec, the preferred term is sovereignty. Note that separatism carries negative connotations (the desire to destroy an existing federation), while sovereignty carries positive connotations (the right to self-determination).

Quotations

1990
Will 1991 be a recovery year for Mulroney? The latest polls are like a do-it-yourself jigsaw puzzle. The pieces can be fitted together various ways. The New Democrats lead, mainly because of their showing in British Columbia and Ontario. The Liberals have the best show of nation-wide strength. The Bloc Quebecois and Reform Party have burgeoned in their separate regions.
1995
From the 1974 language law -- Bill 22 -- to 1991's Bill 150 enacting a referendum on sovereignty, Bourassa led the way. He encouraged Bouchard to found the Bloc Quebecois, set up the Belanger-Campeau hearings on Quebec's future, which gave separatism a platform, and signed the Allaire report, which demanded that Ottawa abdicate almost all powers, while the new Constitution would recognize Quebec's right to secede "after giving notice.''
1999
Montreal MPs Clifford Lincoln, Marlene Jennings and Bernard backed a BQ motion opposing any change to the 10-per-cent rule. Nick Discepola, another Montreal-area MP, ducked out of the Commons before the vote while John Godfrey of Toronto remained seated during the roll call, in effect abstaining.
2005
Let's start with the premise of the question. I'm not convinced that there is truly a resurgent pro-sovereignty movement in Quebec. The sabre-rattling is coming from the same (aging) secessionist population in only a portion of Quebec. In the 2004 election, the Bloc Quebecois won 54 seats and the Liberals won 21. There was no Conservative presence.
2013
In releasing its report on Wednesday, the National Commission Examining Employment Insurance, co-chaired by former Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe and former Parti Quebecois minister Rita Dionne-Marsolais, also called for the creation of an "autonomous" employment insurance fund managed at arm's length from Ottawa by an independent body.
2015
One might forgive Duceppe for his chutzpah, if not his choice of clothing. Four years after its historical collapse in the 2011 election, the Bloc is struggling to become the fourth player in what is emerging as a three-way race in Quebec.

References