This qualitatively-oriented thesis explores, describes, and interprets the emergence of Quebec's environmental movement, placing it in its proper historical and socio-political setting. The environmental movement was one of the myriad of new social movements that arose in the 1960s and '70's in western nations. Although it transcended national boundaries, development of environmental movements in Europe and North America differed, just as they did at more regional levels, depending on cultural distinctions, the structures of opportunity, and the amount of available resources, among other things. With its Quiet Revolution, Quebec society gained a new pluralism, secularism, and liberalism that gave the rising middle class and the large proportion of educated youth a greater say in decisions and fostered the development of public interest groups, such as environmental groups. These were aided by government grants that became available after the October Crisis in 1970. Between 1970 and 1980, environmentalism in Quebec became a legitimate societal concern as various associations and individuals began working separately and together on urban air and water pollution problems, recycling projects, and transportation and energy issues, among others. The impetus to act on behalf of the province's environment was due in part to the severity and distribution of pollution problems and to the moral and ideological convictions of group leaders and core members of environmental groups. Informal social and communication networks, such as the counterculture, the antinuclear movement, and health-food coops provided the burgeoning environmental movement with ideologies, members, and solidarity. Unlike its parallel in the United States, Quebec's movement had few historical or ideological links with efforts to preserve wilderness and it developed social- rather than nature-protection principles. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.22560 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Barr, Jane E. |
| Contributors | Wenzel, George (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Arts (Department of Geography.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001462688, proquestno: MM05357, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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