Charles de gaulle speaks out in support of quebec independence

Charles de Gaulle speaks out in support of Quebec independence

In a controversial speech on July 24, 1967, French President Charles de Gaulle declared ''Vive le Quebec libre!'' from the balcony of Montreal's city hall in the Canadian province of Quebec. De Gaulle was ostensibly in Canada to visit Montreal's Expo '67, an exposition organized in honor of the Canadian confederation's centennial. He refused, however, an invitation to visit Ottawa and address the Canadian parliament, choosing instead to arrive in Quebec by a French warship that refused to fly the Canadian flag, a violation of international law. Wearing his general's uniform, he visited Quebec City and then traveled to Montreal, greeted everywhere by large adoring crowds of French Canadians. In Montreal, he spoke to a large and ecstatic crowd of Quebec separatists and compared his journey through Quebec to the liberation of France from the Nazis in 1944. De Gaulle's Montreal speech was condemned by Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson, who called it ''unacceptable'' and said ''the people of Canada are free. Every province of Canada is free. Canadians do not need to be liberated. Indeed, many thousands of Canadians gave their lives in two world wars in the liberation of France. Canada will remain united and will reject any effort to destroy her unity.'' De Gaulle ultimately cut short his Canadian visit, but he succeeded in his ambition of galvanizing Quebec separatists. The following year, the Parti Quebecois was formed, and in the 1970s it became a powerful force in Canadian politics. Independence referendums in Quebec were defeated in 1980 and 1995, but efforts by Quebec separatists to make their province a sovereign state continue today. This video courtesy of THE HISTORY CHANNEL.