National Patriotes Day
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The National Patriotes Day (French Journée nationale des Patriotes) commemorates the memory of Lower Canada Patriots' heritage in Quebec. It is celebrated in that province on the Monday preceding May 25, the same day as Victoria Day, a Canadian Statutory Holiday. The holiday now officially commemorates the memory of patriots who struggled for democratic institutions during the Lower Canada Rebellion, part of the Rebellions of 1837-1838.
Because many Quebecers did not wish to celebrate Canada's ties to the British monarchy, a competing celebration was set up on Victoria Day. In 1918, almost two decades after the first celebration of Victoria Day, the Fête de Dollard was set up by Lionel Groulx, in honor of a 17th century French settler who was martyred trying to defend a French settlement against Iroquois attackers. The day later became a statutory holiday in Quebec.
The celebration was changed to Journée nationale des Patriotes in 2002, in part because the myth of Dollard des Ormeaux lost its appeal to Quebec youth over the generations.
[edit] See also
- History of Quebec
- Timeline of Quebec history
- Patriote movement
- Quebec nationalism
- Quebec independence movement
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