“In Quebec." he thundered, "people are moved too often by passion and too little by intelligence. We lack political maturity. We ignore questions of vital interest for our selfish own motives. For us, democracy is a British institution dyed in doubtful liberalism and revolution, but true democracy is government by laws and not by the individual.”

The gathering of what was then known as the Quebec Federation of Industrial Unions, (soon to be merged with the Quebec Federation of Labour) was held over two-days at the storied Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. It was covered extensively by the Montreal Star.

You can read more of the paper’s coverage of the future Prime Minister’s address to delegates below.

By Harold Poitras, Montreal Star

The aggressive Quebec Federation of Industrial Unions… fired a parting shot at what was called Quebec's backwardness in comparison with the progressiveness of other Canadian provinces.

The criticism led by Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Montreal… took up the major part of yesterday afternoon's opening ceremony…  

Quebec, Mr. Trudeau said, is the wealthiest of the provinces, yet its wealth is in the hands of strangers. He also deplored the province's education system. “After Newfoundland," he said, "Quebec is the province which spends least per capita on education. We are crying for engineers and technicians." He added that as a result it has less to show in the cultural field. He also regretted that college professors were not interested politics because if they were the education of Quebec's youth would not be what it is.”

Mr. Trudeau said that all the benefits which Quebecers have obtained such as family allowances, unemployment insurance and old age pensions came not through the efficiency of the provincial governments, past or present, but from the Federal Government, He also said that Quebec will undoubtedly be the last province in Canada to adopt the national health plan.

"In Quebec" he said, "people are moved too often by passion and too little by intelligence. We lack political maturity. We ignore questions of vital interest for our selfish own motives. For us, democracy is a British institution dyed in doubtful liberalism and revolution, but true democracy is government by laws and not by the individual.”

Mr. Trudeau said even Montreal Jail at Bordeaux was 50 years behind other penal institutions in Canada and the United States.

"Some of its regulations are unchristian and nothing is done by government authorities to ameliorate them, “he said.  

Salaries in Quebec are lower than Ontario; the province was the last to develop technical schools, and 83 per cent of Montreal residents live in rented dwellings, unlike in Toronto where the same proportion own their own homes. Quebec also permits Montreal to have the most anti-democratic administration in North America whereby some councillors elected are office while others not.  As a result, this same civic administration is against a slum clearance plan.

If Quebec considers itself an agricultural province, then it’s a shame the slim support that is allocated to farmers, added the speaker.

He added that while Ontario was progressing, Quebecers in some centres have argued strenuously about bilingualism while drinking "whisky blanc" and accepting $5 for their vote.

Mr. Trudeau urged all organized workers after the two provincial labour bodies have merged to support a newly created labor assembly, composed of educators, prominent businessmen, professional men and labor representatives, to compel government to work for the benefit of the people rather than for certain individuals or certain enterprises.