1 n. — Politics, French relations
the secession of Quebec from Canada and its existence as an independent country.
Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Though sovereignty as a concept in the Canadian context is associated more frequently with actions taken at the start of the 1960s, the movement has roots in French Canadian nationalism from colonial times up to the 1957 formation of the Alliance Laurentienne (see the 1959 quotation). When the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s initiated rapid economic and social change within the province (see Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Quiet Revolution"), segments of the French-speaking population began to see the merits of a politically independent Quebec. Several separatist groups formed and each had varying political opinions on how to approach the question of sovereignty. René Lévesque, founder of the Mouvement souveraineté-association, precursor to the Parti Québécois (PQ), is known for his efforts to promote sovereignty-association, an agreement that would allow Quebec to separate from Canada but maintain strong economic ties (see sovereignty-association). The failed 1980 referendum on sovereignty-association and the 1982 Constitution Act, however, significantly weakened the PQ, and it was not until the mid-90s that Quebec nationalism resurfaced at a substantial level (see Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "French Canadian Nationalism"). The second referendum in 1995 also failed, this time narrowly, with 50.58% voting against Quebec sovereignty. The Supreme Court of Canada has since ruled that Quebec cannot legally secede from Canada without negotiations with the Rest of Canada (see Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Québec Referendum (1995)").
Note that COD-2 does not label the term "Cdn", although it labels "cultural sovereignty" as such.
See also: separatist ((adj.)) Parti Québécois separation (meaning 1) sovereignist sovereignty-association Rest of Canada Meech Lake Accord
- The point can be made that uses such as Quebec sovereignty, see e.g. the 1967 quotation, are not different from other scenarios, such as Scottish sovereignty. This is, of course, true. What the example shows is that uses such as in the 1977 quotation, which refers to the anti-sovereignty campaign and require our Quebec-centred definition (see meaning 1), are not the only way to discuss sovereignity issues in Quebec.
2 n. — Aboriginal, Politics
the right of the Aboriginal peoples to govern themselves and their land.
Type: 4. Culturally Significant — The term sovereignty in its Aboriginal context in Canada refers to the rights and power of the Aboriginal peoples to govern themselves with their own laws without interference from the Canadian government. Aspects of sovereignty include, but are not limited to, Aboriginal sovereignty over territory and resources (see the 1988 and 2009 quotations), education (see the first 2014 quotation), citizenship (see the 2014 quotation) and band membership (see the second 2014 quotation). While there have been political negotiations between the government and the First Nations and Inuit nations (18 self-government agreements with 32 communities, as of 2012), the Métis and other Aboriginal peoples that do not identify with a particular First Nation have yet to receive any sort of power of self-government (see Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Self-Government: Indigenous Peoples").
It is important to note the tensions between Aboriginal peoples' sovereignty and that of Quebec (see meaning 1). For example, the failed Meech Lake Accord (see Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Meech Lake Accord") was very much connected to the disparity between Quebec claims of sovereignty and the province's refusal to recognize Aboriginal peoples' sovereignty (see the 1991 quotation).