History
The citizens of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu organized, in 1937, the Fêtes du centenaire de 1837, in order to commemorate the "struggles of the Patriotes of 1837–1838 for liberty, the national recognition of our people and for democracy." The festivities took place at various sites across the colony, and some residents produced souvenirs of the event.
Beginning in 1962, year of the 125th anniversary of the 1837 rebellions, the popular gathering in Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu to mark the uprisings became an annual event. 20 years later, on 6 October 1982, the Journée des patriotes was declared by the Quebec Governor-in-Council as occurring each year on the Sunday closest to 23 November. The desire to see the Journée des patriotes gain a more official character incited some citizens to campaign for the celebration to be declared a statutory holiday, either as a new holiday or in replacement of an existing one. In 1987, the Club Souverain de l'Estrie started the movement "For a paid holiday in memory of the Patriots," while other civil organizations, such as the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal and the Comité du 15 février 1839 (founded by Pierre Falardeau in 1997 to help the financing of the movie 15 février 1839), later joined in the campaign.
During the National Congress of the Parti Québécois (May 5—7 2000), party members adopted a resolution inviting the government to "decree a paid holiday in memory of the Patriots of 1837–1838 in replacement of an existing holiday."
On 21 November 2001, Bernard Landry proposed a motion in the National Assembly of Quebec inviting that body to "underline the importance of the struggle of the Patriots of 1837–1838." An Order in Council was then issued on 20 November the following year, establishing the Journée des patriotes– thenceforth known as National Patriots' Day– as the Monday preceding 25 May, thereby replacing the Fête de Dollard; the moving from November to May was motivated by the will to highlight the starting point of the numerous public meetings organized by citizens throughout Lower Canada from May to November 1837 in reaction to the passing of British Home Secretary Lord John Russell's Ten Resolutions by the House of Commons
The first official celebration of National Patriots' Day took place on 19 May 2003.
Read more about this topic: National Patriots' Day
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