Artifact #2: An Election Poster for Jean Lesage

Citation: 

Quebec Liberal Party Campaign Poster. 1962, De Gaspé Beaubien Museum. https://degaspebeaubienmuseum.com/history/the-quebec-inc

Label:

The Poster has the slogan "Maîtres chez nous" ("Masters in our own house”) which was a central symbol to the campaign by Lesage and the Quebec Liberal Party who wanted to reaffirm Quebec’s control over its own resources and economy. The clenched fist with electric bolts in it are a symbol of the desire of Lesage and the Quebec Liberal Party to nationalize the company Hydro-Québec. The Quebec government hoped by transferring ownership of the company from the private sector to the provincial government, Quebec aimed to gain more economic independence and use their resources to the benefit of the people of Quebec which is quite in character as the Quite Revolution lead by Lesage was characterized by a surge of Quebec Nationalism. The poster also represents the wider shift of Quebec’s society as it transforms from dominance of the Catholic Church to the secular progressive governments we come to expect of Quebec today.

Bibliography:

”Quiet Revolution". The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quiet-revolution.

"Masters of our own house, N.L. throne speech declares". CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/masters-of-our-own-house-n-l-throne-speech-declares-1.647371