The Politics of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal

Abstract

The Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montreal (SSJBM) is a Quebecois nationalist organization. For more than 160 years its members have been promoting interests of Francophone Canadians. Today voice of this two thousand-member organization is in forefront of those who advocate Quebec sovereignty and protection of French language in Quebec. This article, based on documents and published materials, as well as participant observation and interviews with twenty-six key members, presents a history of society, highlights its political agenda, and notes its relationship with political parties. Patriotic Beginnings The Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montreal traces its origin to a banquet organized by Ludger Duvernay that was held in Montreal in 1834 (Paulette 1980; Rumilly 1975). In 1827 Duvernay had become publisher of Montreal newspaper, La Minerve. By 1832 subscriptions to La Minerve had grown from 240 to more than thirteen hundred. This was due mainly to fact that La Minerve publicized and supported claims of Parti Patriote, which was trying to reform government of Lower Canada so that it would adhere to liberal democratic principles (SSJBM 1994). At that time elite of English-speaking merchants and military officers, men who were opposed to democratic ideas of Patriotes, had established a Freemason's Lodge in Montreal. Each 24 June they held a banquet to celebrate foundation of their lodge, or perhaps more trenchantly, their business success, which was result of a series of speculative partnerships. Their organization was not open to French Canadians (SSJBM 1994). In 1834 Duvernay showed his disdain for this English-speaking oligarchy by organizing a banquet on 24 June to celebrate Canadian nation. On 26 June 1834 La Minerve reported that twenty-five toasts were made by sixty guests. The first of these was Duvernay's salute to the people, source of all legitimate authority (SSJBM 1994, 14). Other toasts praised Louis-Joseph Papineau, leader of Patriotes, and Elzear Bedard, who had presented ninety-two resolutions calling for reform of Legislative Council (the powerful unelected upper chamber). Also saluted were (elected) Assembly of Lower Canada and United States government. The banquet was indeed a political event. Furthermore, participants decided to make their national celebration an annual activity to be held each 24 June (Rumilly 1975). In calendar of Roman Catholic Church this is Feast of St. John Baptist. Because of date's proximity to summer solstice, it had been celebrated in Europe and New France with a ritual of lighting bonfires, which dated from pagan times. In Montreal long, warm days of this season were an ideal time for celebration of fete nationale (Rumilly 1975). The following year more than 100 diners participated in banquet at Hotel Rasco. The hall was decorated with maple leaves and green, white, and red horizontally striped flag of Patriotes (Moniere 1987). The violence of an unsuccessful attempt to throw off British rule in 1837-38 interrupted celebration of holiday. Duvernay was sought by British troops. He and other leaders of Patriotes who were not killed or imprisoned fled to exile in New England (SSJBM 1994). Concern for People's Welfare Duvernay returned to Montreal in 1842, after Upper Canada had been united with Lower Canada. The 1840 Act of Union ensured that French Canadians would have a numerical minority in legislative assembly, even though they constituted a majority of population. However, it did eventually result in responsible government; that is, government in accord with wishes of elected representatives of people. Indeed, Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, who had been present at first banquet became co-prime minister of United Canada (Rumilly 1975). …