The National assizes of 1967 were the second convening of the Estates General of French Canada, a large‑scale consultation organized to examine the political, cultural, social and economic situation of French‑speaking Canadians. The gathering took place from 23 to 26 November 1967 at Place des Arts in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Background and preparation
Planning for the 1967 assizes began shortly after the Preliminary assizes held in November 1966. The organizing body launched a subscription to raise C$300,000, which covered election costs, travel expenses for delegates from outside Quebec, staff salaries, venue rental, publicity, and administrative supplies. In December 1966 the organizers publicly clarified their constitutional positions in response to accusations of separatism.
Participants
A total of 2 059 individuals attended, comprising 1 623 elected delegates and 436 observers.
- Territorial delegation – 1 620 delegates (15 from each of Quebec’s 108 electoral districts) were elected by roughly 17 000 representatives of civil‑society organisations. Voter turnout among eligible electors was about 79 %.
- Associations’ delegation – 549 French‑Canadian associations were invited to appoint representatives; 261 delegates were appointed and 167 participated.
- Exterior delegation – 430 delegates represented French‑Canadian and Acadian minorities outside Quebec (Ontario, the Maritime provinces and Western Canada), accounting for roughly 17 % of Canada’s French‑speaking population.
- Observers – 491 observer passes were issued; 437 people used them, including diplomats, members of the Quebec and Canadian parliaments, senior officials, academics, press representatives and others.
Structure of the assizes
The work was organised into 255 teams of eight delegates each, which formed 17 study groups divided among four thematic workshops:
- Cultural – education and research; language status; radio and broadcasting; inter‑Canadian French‑Canadian relations.
- Social – labour legislation; population and immigration; social security and health care; family policy.
- Economic – financial and trade legislation; fiscal policy; economic development; agricultural policy; banking and currency.
- Political – constitutional arbitration and penal organisation; territorial integrity; extensible powers; international relations.
Each workshop produced draft resolutions for Quebec and for French‑Canadian minorities outside Quebec. These drafts were examined by revision groups before being voted on in plenary sessions.
Key resolutions
On 24 November, economist François‑Albert Angers delivered a speech titled “Preliminary declaration on the right to self‑determination.” The delegates subsequently adopted a resolution asserting:
- French Canadians constitute a nation.
- Quebec is the national territory and fundamental political milieu of that nation.
- The French‑Canadian nation possesses the right to self‑determination and may freely choose its political regime.
The resolution was approved by an overwhelming majority of Quebec delegates (98 % in favour). Among delegates from Acadia, 52 % supported it, while in Ontario only 35 % voted in favour, reflecting regional divergence on the issue.
Significance
The 1967 National assizes represented a major moment in the post‑Quiet Revolution era, highlighting the growing political consciousness of French‑Canadian communities and the contested nature of Quebec’s status within Canada. The resolutions and debates from the assizes contributed to subsequent discussions on federal‑provincial relations, language policy, and the question of Quebec’s self‑determination.