Cyber Nations Wiki
Register
Advertisement

The history of Disparu covers a vast period of time lasting several centuries. Its history began after the migration of the Aboriginal peoples to what is now present-day Disparu, and continues to the present. The recorded history of Disparu, which starts from the 16th century, can be split into three general periods — the history of Disparu as New France, from about 1534 to 1759; the history of Disparu (as Quebec) under British and Canadian rule, from 1759 to 1936; and the contemporary history of Disparu, from 1936 to the present time. A recurring theme in Disparuean history is the conflict between French Canadians and English Canadians.

This article focuses more on details about the contemporary period, which can be split further into sub-periods. Information on the two other periods can be found under the history of Quebec and the history of Canada, respectively.

Since 1936, what is now known as Disparu has undergone numerous political, economic and social upheavals. Originally a conservative backwater, it was quickly transformed into a progressive and industrialized state during the 1960s. This rapid trend, and the October Crisis of 1970, led to the overthrow of the old state and the establishment of a communist nation known as Saboria. Under communist rule, Disparu flourished economically and technologically, pursuing numerous scientific endeavours and extending its influence throughout the world. After the communist state's collapse in 1990 after a referendum, the old Canadian state was reestablished. Continued conflicts between the French and the English resulted in the creation of Disparu in 2009. Since then, the new Disparuean state has undergone various changes of its own.

French and British rule[]

Quebec's recorded history encompasses nearly six centuries. It was originally inhabited by the Algonquian, the Iroquois and the Inuit. The Algonquian led nomadic lives based on hunting and gathering in what is now known as the Laurentian Plateau. The Iroquois were more settled, and planted squash and maize along the St. Lawrence Valley. The Inuit, meanwhile, fished and hunted whales and seals in the Arctic regions. Basque fishermen had traded furs with the indigenous peoples along the St. Lawrence River.

Cartier

Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

Colonization of the area was started by Kingdom of France during the 16th century. In 24 July 1534, Jacques Cartier, who was commissioned by French king Francis I to discover new lands west of the Old World, reached the Gaspé Bay and planted the cross to claim the land for France. Thus the land became the first province of New France. The cross-planting was observed by the Iroquois encountered by Cartier, who immediately understood Cartier's actions.

Cartier would again explore Quebec in 1535 and in 1541. In his second voyage, Cartier sailed through the St. Lawrence River towards the Iroquoian villages of Hochelaga (near present-day Montréal) and Stadacona (near present-day Québec). Upon his arrival at Stadacona, Cartier kidnapped Chief Donnacona along with other Iroquoians and brought them back to France. Many Iroquoians died during the trip, while all but one died during their stay in France. Upon his third voyage to New France in 1541 to find the legendary Kingdom of Saguenay and to establish a permanent settlement, French-Iroquoian relations deteriorated when the people found out that Donnacona and other Iroquoians died at France.

In his third voyage, Cartier and other colonists established the first French settlement in North America, known as Charlesbourg-Royal. The settlement was unsuccessful due to frequent attacks by the local Aboriginal nations and the harsh winter season that the colonists were unable to handle. The settlers found what they thought were diamonds and gold, but these turned out to be quartz crystals and iron pyrite, respectively. These disappointments caused France to lose interest in establishing a permanent colony in North America.

French interest in North America was revived when the fur trade in the area was established in the late 16th and early 17th centuries by European fishermen venturing into the area for longer periods of time. The first successful settlement in New France, the Habitation de Quebec (now Québec City), was eventually established in 1608 by Samuel de Chaplain. It was originally a sparsely-populated trading outpost, though it was eventually named as the capital of New France in 1663 after the colony became a Royal Province.

Death of General Montcalm

Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, shown here being taken to Québec City, was the commander of French forces during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

New France was eventually capitulated by British forces in 1759, after the French were defeated during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham of the Seven Years' War. The newly-captured colony was reorganized as the Province of Quebec. The Quebec Act, passed by the British parliament in 1774 to organize the governance of the new colony, played a role in the American Revolution. The act extended Quebec's borders to the Ohio River, effectively shutting out the thirteen colonies' claims. During the revolution itself, an attempt by American forces in 1775 to capture Québec City from British forces failed.

In 1791, an act by the British parliament split the province of Quebec into two halves, Upper and Lower Canada, in order to accommodate British loyalists who have left the newly-created United States. The former would be occupied by anglophones, while the latter consisted of francophones from the former French colony.

From 1837 to 1838, the francophone population of Lower Canada rebelled against colonial rule due to the large amount of power held by the anglophone minority. The rebellion was eventually quelled by the British. The British later launched an inquiry on the causes of the rebellion; the report by Lord Durham on the rebellion recommended the merger of both Upper and Lower Canada in order to assimilate the French population into the English population. Following Lord Durham's recommendations, the Province of Canada was formed in 1841.

Canadian Confederation[]

In 1 July 1867, the British colonies of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia formed a federal union known as the Dominion of Canada. The former Province of Canada was split into two new provinces: the province of Ontario and the province of Quebec. For francophones in Quebec, Confederation provided the benefit of removing political deadlocks with English Upper Canada, and gave themselves more control of their own lands.

RielAtTrial

The trial of Louis Riel, the Métis leader of the North-West Rebellion.

During the North-West Rebellion of 1885, tensions rose between English and French Canada over the trial of Louis Riel, the leader of the rebellion and a francophone. The trial was deemed unfair by the French as its jury was composed of British anglophones. Furthermore, the presiding judge, Hugh Richardson, sentenced Riel to death by hanging after the jury found him guilty, even though the jury itself recommended mercy.

Tensions between English and French Canada continued throughout the next three decades in the form of schooling rights; in 1890, the Manitoba government would pass the Manitoba Schools Act, abolishing funding for Catholic schools (which, at that time, were connected to instruction in French), as well as abolishing French as an official language. The issue soon became known as the Manitoba Schools Question; many wondered if French language and culture would survive within Canada. A compromise was eventually reached after Wilfrid Laurier became Prime Minister, the first French Canadian to do so — French schooling would be available where there was a significant population of French-speaking students.

Wilfrid Laurier would face another crisis during the Second Boer War in 1899. When the British asked Canada for help in the war, opinion within his ruling Liberal Party was split, as the party was supported by both anti-imperial French Canadians, who were universally opposed to the war, and pro-imperial English Canadians, who were in favour of active Canadian participation in the war. As a compromise, Laurier only provided volunteer troops, equipment and transportation to the British. Britain, however, would also be responsible for paying the troops and returning them to Canada after the war.

In 1917, during the First World War, a pro-conscription Unionist government, led by the Conservative Robert Borden, was elected during the federal elections on that year. The Unionists won 153 of the seats in Parliament, winning a majority in all provinces and territories except for Quebec and Prince Edward Island. The new Conservative government's enactment of conscription in the form of the Military Service Act sparked the Conscription Crisis of 1917. Violent opposition to conscription within Quebec resulted in riots within Quebec City. Federal troops from Ontario and the western provinces were sent in to bring down the rioters.

A similar, but less severe, conscription crisis would occur later on during the Second World War; this is because the Liberal government, led by Prime Minister King, initially instituted conscription for "home defence". The need for troops to fight overseas eventually forced the government to hold a referendum on rescinding its promise to not conscript troops overseas during the 1940 elections. A French Canadian party known as the Bloc populaire would be soon formed by politicians opposed to conscription.

Quebec nationalism[]

Due to the contrasting cultures of French Quebec and English Canada, a nationalist movement has always been present within Quebec. Though such a movement can be traced as far back as the Lower Canada Rebellion, modern Quebec nationalism perhaps began to stir in the 1930s.

During this time, a majority of Quebec's businesses were owned by an English-speaking minority, thus shutting out Québécois workers from their own province. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church had a strong grip on Québécois' daily life, as the Church controlled Quebec's education and healthcare systems.

Duplessis and the Grande Noirceur[]

Maurice Duplessis

Maurice Duplessis was the 16th Premier of Quebec; his leadership was termed the "Grand Noirceur" ("great darkness").

In August 1936, Maurice Duplessis and his conservative Union nationale swept to power in Quebec, after exploiting a scandal involving former Quebec Premier Louis-Alexandre Taschereau. Duplessis was dedicated to the idea of la Survivance, which described the mission of French Canadians to preserve their culture following the capitulation of New France in 1759. This was to be done through the French language, their mother tongue, and the Roman Catholic Church, their faith. Using this idea, Duplessis shut out the province from the rest of the Confederation, except from business. Due to this, the province would fall into what would be referred to as the Grande Noirceur (great darkness).

In the public eye, he sought to maintain the "traditional" Québécois culture, refusing federal programs (such as education rights, which he believed to be a threat to Quebec's culture) and supporting traditional agriculture over urban development (he obtained a majority of his support from rural voters). He barely invested on social programs, instead opting to fund the Church's school (which barely contained scientific or technical courses) and healthcare system.

Behind closed doors, however, he courted investment from Americans, the British and English Canadians. As mentioned before, a majority of wealth and businesses within Quebec were owned by Anglophones rather than Francophones. French Canadians were treated badly in these businesses. He was opposed to trade unions; Duplessis always took management's side whenever workers went on strike. Furthermore, he often implemented harsh measures against striking workers in order to force them back to work.

In an effort to show a strong stance against Communism, Duplessis enacted the authoritarian Padlock Law (officially the Act to protect the Province Against Communistic Propaganda), which went after individuals and organizations accused of distributing material sympathetic to Communism.

He was briefly unseated in 1939, at the start of World War II. This was because the federal Liberals, led by William Lyon Mackenzie King, promised not to enact conscription, a promise that proved to be popular within Quebec. During this time, he opposed the implementation of women's suffrage within Quebec by the Liberal government of Adélard Godbout.

Duplessis and the Union nationale resumed power in 1944. The prosperity in North America that followed World War II, which kept unemployment low, and his program of rural electrification would prevent the opposition Liberals from obtaining power. His government would introduce the flag of Quebec in 1948, replacing the unpopular Union Jack as the province's official flag. During this time, Duplessis was solely referred to as "le Chef" ("the boss"). His government was known for being autocratic, with corruption and electoral fraud being rampant. Duplessis would remain Premier for 15 years until his death in 1959.

He was replaced by Paul Sauvé, but he died three months later. He was then succeeded by Antonio Barrette, who announced elections in 1960. This allowed the Liberals, led by Jean Lesage, to take power from the Union nationale.

Lesage and the First Quiet Revolution[]

Jean Lesage

Jean Lesage, the 19th Premier of Quebec, led the province into an era of rapid social change termed as the "First Quiet Revolution".

Under Lesage and the Liberals, Quebec underwent a rapid period of social change that is now known as the First Quiet Revolution. Under the slogans "Il faut que ça change" ("Things must change") and "Maîtres chez nous" ("Masters of our own house"), Lesage enacted numerous reforms that still remain the backbone of Disparu's modern society.

To combat corruption, he created a professional civil service to counter the previous government's habit of appointing government jobs to its supporters. In order to increase Québécois participation in the management of their province's economy, Lesage and the Liberals empowered those studying business to management positions in order to increase local control of the economy.

Lesage nationalized the production of hydroelectricity through the establishment of Hydro-Québec (now known as Hydro-Disparu). They began many megaprojects and invested in urban development in order to help modernize Quebec. Lesage and the Liberals encouraged Québécois engineers, scientists and intellectuals to lead these projects.

Lesage began to move away from the Church, establishing secularization within Quebec. Soon, the Church was seen as an institution that was holding back Quebec's progress.

The government took over the healthcare system from the Church, and also increased spending in social welfare programs. The government also took over education, placing it under provincial control. Lesage established many educational institutions (such as universities); in the school curriculum, an emphasis was placed on business, science, and applied and practical studies. Through these reforms, most Québécois, who previously did not continue past the elementary level, began to pursue higher learning; enrollment rates to post-secondary institutions increased.

Lesage also advocated for special status for Quebec within the Canadian Federation. The revolution had caused the rise of the Quebec sovereignty movement, and realigned politics between separatists (who wanted Quebec to form its own nation) and federalists (who wanted to remain in Canada).

Rene Levesque

René Lévesque was the founder of the Mouvement Souveraineté-Association and the Parti Québécois.

René Lévesque, who had been a prominent member of Lesage's government, would quit the Liberal Party in order to form Mouvement Souveraineté-Association (MSA, Movement for Sovereignty-Association), a political movement dedicated to unite all pro-sovereignty groups. This goal was achieved when the main separatist groups agreed to merge and form the Parti Québécois (PQ). Lévesque's PQ would later play a significant role in the politics of Quebec, and later attempts to make Quebec secede from Canada.

Radical Separatism and the FLQ[]

On 10 September 1960, the Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale (RIN, Rally for National Independence) was founded, a political party dedicated to "the promotion of Quebec independence from Canada". On 9 August 1960, the Action Socialiste pour l'Indépendance du Québec (ASIQ, Socialist Action for the Independence of Quebec) was created by Raoul Roy, and began a project known as "independence + socialism".

The political ideals of both groups helped create the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ, English: Quebec Liberation Front) in 1963. The FLQ was a terrorist group composed of a loose association of cells. Starting in 1963, the group stole money from organizations and bombed businesses owned by English Canadians, railways and universities. In 1969, they detonated a bomb at the Montréal Exchange, injuring 27 people, and at the home of then-Montréal mayor Jean Drapeau.

This culminated in the October Crisis in 1970. Members of the Liberation Cell and the Chénier Cell kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross and Quebec Vice Premier Pierre Laporte on 5 and 10 October, respectively. The FLQ demanded half a million dollars in ransom, safe passage to Cuba, the release of so-called political prisoners (FLQ bombers), and the broadcast of the FLQ Manifesto. Only the last demand was met — the manifesto was broadcast on Radio-Canada. By 14 October, students at the Université de Montréal and prominent figures in Quebec began demonstrations in support of the FLQ. Fearing an insurrection, on 16 October 1970, following the advice of the Quebec Government, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau implemented the War Measures Act, suspending civil liberties and giving the police far-reaching powers. Troops of the Canadian Forces were immediately sent into the streets of Quebec to locate the two kidnapped officials and secure order within the province.

The use of the War Measures Act sparked opposition from many Québécois sovereigntists. Protests spearheaded by student groups and unions started in major cities such as Montréal and Québec in order to show their opposition to the deployment of Canadian troops in Quebec. Attempts to quell these protests led to riots and civil unrest as protesters fought back against police forces. Injuries and even some casualties resulted from skirmishes between protesters and police. Impressions of police brutality and attempts to suppress the democratic freedom of assembly led to unrest spreading to the more rural regions of Quebec, thus bringing chaos into the province.

Saboria and Communist Canada[]

Merkel-State-Dissolution

Canadian Chairwoman Angela Merkel announces the dissolution of communist Canada to the world in 1990.

Return to Confederation[]

Quebec referendum, 2006[]

Increasing tensions between French and English Canada led to calls from both politicians and the public for another referendum on pursuing a sovereignty-association relationship with the Canadian state. On 5 September 2006, the Parti Québécois and the ADQ jointly tabled a bill in the National Assembly of Quebec that called for a binding referendum on the subject, under the conditions set forth by Reference re Secession of Quebec. The bill sparked controversy and numerous debates both in Quebec and Canada. However, the bill eventually passed on 20 October 2006 by a small margin of votes. The referendum on sovereignty-association was scheduled a month later.

The upcoming referendum resulted in vigorous campaigns from the supporters of both the "Yes" and "No" sides. Supporters from both sides organized demonstrations throughout Quebec in support of their side. Numerous political debates about the referendum, attended by experts and members of the public, were held both in Canada and Quebec. Advertisements supporting either the "Yes" or "No" side quickly flooded televisions, newspapers, and the Internet. Preliminary polls taken by various organizations were all inconclusive on the expected results of the referendum: some showed support for the "Yes" side, while others showed support for the "No" side.

On the day of the referendum, 20 November 2006, the people of Quebec were presented with the following question:

Acceptez-vous que le Québec soit souverain, tandis que le maintien une association politique et économique avec le Canada?
Do you agree that Quebec should be sovereign, while maintaining a political and economic association with Canada?

The question was structured in a way that it would meet the conditions of the Clarity Act. In polling stations within an area with a significant Aboriginal population, the question was also presented in the necessary language.

The day of the referendum was marked with controversy. Observers from both sides reported various cases of electoral fraud and irregularities at some polling stations. Nevertheless, the referendum had one of the highest voter turnouts in Canadian history, as organizers from both sides encouraged apathetic voters to vote on the referendum. Ultimately, when the results of the referendum were finalized, Quebec sovereignty was rejected by a margin of 0.58%.

In response to the defeat of the separatists by such a small margin, Canadian Governor General Caitlin Darach, who was secretly a separatist, voiced her support for Quebec sovereignty, and led the creation of the Disparu Committee on 29 November 2012. The Disparu Committee aimed to unify all Québécois to support sovereignty from Canada, regardless of their political stances, their language, or their background. The creation of the Committee, as well as the Darach's lead role in it, led to her removal from the position of Governor General by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Canadian Crisis[]

The Quebec referendum of 2006, while resulting in defeat of the "Yes" side by a small margin, nevertheless came at a volatile time in both Canada and the international community. Increasing unrest and conflicts throughout the world, as well as the rise of extremist governments, led to exponentially rising oil prices, thus affecting consumers all over the world. Fearing an energy crisis, the Canadian Government passed laws lowering the cost of oil produced by the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta, in an effort to keep prices down for Canadians.

Upset by the loss of profit caused by federal legislation, workers and corporations alike, seeing the events taking place in Quebec, petitioned the Albertan government to launch a referendum on the secession of the province from Canada. The Albertan government agreed to the petition, and scheduled a referendum on the topic. The Canadian Government criticized the move, noting that it was a referendum designed to increase profits for oil companies, rather than a legitimate referendum by the people. Nevertheless, once the results of the referendum were finalized, it was revealed that over 80% of Albertans supported secession from Canada.

As the Canadian and Albertan governments debated the terms of Alberta's secession, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador separately announced that they too would launch their own sovereignty referendums, citing economic reasons for doing so (notably, both provinces were one of the largest producers of petroleum in Canada). When both referendums resulted in a large majority of voters supporting secession, fear about political instability spread to other provinces.

In January 2007, following the moves of Newfoundland and Labrador, a joint announcement from the Maritime provinces was released, stating that their respective provinces would also hold a referendum on secession, and noted that they would join Newfoundland and Labrador if a majority of voters answered "Yes" in their respective referendums. A majority of voters in these provinces, fearing uncertainty in their future, voted "Yes" to secession. On the other side of the country, British Columbia, fearing that remaining in Canada would isolate them, also announced their own referendum a month later, which also received a large amount of support for the "Yes" side. A movement in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon campaigned for the territories to join the United States, which received considerable support from the population. These secession movements were followed by civil unrest, with some riots being sparked in city centres.

Political instability in Canada caused the 2010 Olympics to be transferred from Vancouver, British Columbia to Frankfurt am Main, Germany. This instability also caused the world to turn a blind eye to events taking place in Quebec, where the Disparu Committee was campaigning for support for Quebec's secession from Canada and leading programs and initiatives that addressed problems in Quebec that arose after the onset of the crisis.

With only three provinces not preparing for secession, the Canadian Government began to take drastic actions to secure the Confederation. Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, citing the Emergencies Act, enacted martial law throughout Canada, sending troops to quell riots in seceding provinces, and to secure Canadian authority while terms for secession with each province were discussed. Meanwhile, Parliament debated on whether or not each referendum on secession met the terms of the Clarity Act; in an effort to preserve the Confederation, Conservative MPs, as well as some opposition MPs, declared that the referendums did not meet the terms of the act, which required a clear question to be presented to voters.

DisparuHistory1

A Canadian aircraft launching a missile during the Canadian Crisis.

The drastic actions taken by Harper, as well as the disregard of the democratic process by Parliament, led to more unrest in seceding provinces. As troops began to defect from the Canadian Forces in order to defend their own provinces, the provinces and territories that had successful referendums began to unilaterally secede from Canada. Harper, accusing the seceding provinces of being traitorous, ordered attacks against them in order to forcefully return them to the Confederation. The provinces resisted, and began attacks against Harper's forces. Conscription was enacted by both sides in order to address the shortage of voluntary troops that the conflicts had caused.

In this confusion, the newly-found Republic of New England invaded Quebec and managed to occupy the region now known as the Grand Gaspésie. Meanwhile, the people of northern Quebec voted to join the three former Canadian territories, and unilaterally seceded from Quebec as well.

The conflict ceased six months later on October 2007, when a United Nations-sanctioned peacekeeping force, composed of many nations, intervened and separated the battling forces. The peacekeeping force took over the Canadian Government, unseating Harper and the Conservatives, in order to properly handle the secession of the provinces. Deals were negotiated and, on January 2008, the provinces formally seceded from the Confederation. Following this, the rebuilding of infrastructure damaged during the conflict began. The three provinces still in Canada remained under UN control for the remainder of their existence.

Secession of Quebec[]

The Canadian Crisis, and continued unrest overseas, resulted in an unstable political and economic environment in the remaining provinces of the Confederation. This instability caused the rise of militant monarchists and gang activity in Manitoba and Ontario, respectively. The United Nations peacekeeping force stationed in Canada was unable to deal with the situation effectively due to red tape, inadequate funding, and opposition from the leaders of nations who were part of the peacekeeping force, many of whom were unwilling to continue their interference in Canada.

In Quebec, many members of the public became concerned about the spread of these problems, as organized crime began to take root in the western portions of the province. In response, the Disparu Committee revealed its extensive plans for the successful secession of Quebec from Canada through a democratic referendum. With the support of many Québécois, the Disparu Committee managed to persuade nearly all members of the Quebec National Assembly to hold another referendum, this time on the full secession of Quebec from Canada. Politicians from the two other provinces severely criticized the move, arguing that it was the previous Quebec referendum on sovereignty-association that led to the Canadian Crisis.

Despite criticism from the two other provinces, a referendum was planned to be held on March 2008. On the "Yes" side, the Disparu Committee, its supporters, and other separatist groups led campaigns and demonstrations in support of separation. In contrast, the "No" side was barely promoted, since a majority of Québécois already supported outright secession due to the effects of the Canadian Crisis, as well as the earlier initiatives of the committee. The referendum itself, again having a high voter turnout, resulted in nearly 80% of Québécois supporting secession.

After the referendum, representatives from the Disparu Committee and the Quebec Government travelled to a conference in Toronto to meet with officials from the Canadian federal government, Ontario, and Manitoba. The conference, meant to negotiate the terms of Quebec's separation, quickly devolved into chaos, as many officials opposing Quebec's separation walked out of the conference. Other officials accused Quebec of having destroyed the Confederation, and of being uncooperative and unhelpful.

The lack of progress made in the conference, as well as the Canadian Government's unwillingness to negotiate, forced Quebec to unilaterally secede from Canada. The lands seceding from Canada consisted of the Quebec regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Capitale-Nationale, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Côte-Nord, Estrie, Lanaudière, Laval, Laurentides, Mauricie, Montérégie, Montréal, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Outaouais (the other remaining regions had either seceded during the Canadian Crisis or were occupied by New Englander forces). These regions were merged by the Disparu Committee into two provinces: Coronet to the west and Almia to the east.

The move was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court of Canada, but it did not have the resources to enforce its judgement. Even the Canadian Government was unable to secure the seceding province, as it did not have a military. Canadian requests to the United Nations to intervene in Quebec were largely ignored, as the organization's members were concerned about affairs elsewhere and did not have the funding needed to expand its missions in Canada. Nevertheless, Canada pursued all possible means in isolating the new nation both domestically and internationally.

Dawn of Disparu and Growth[]

In the face of a Canadian political and economic blockade, the Disparu Committee turned its attention to the establishment of the legal framework of the new nation. As it had the most political power and economic resources, the committee was able to command conventions and meetings held to determine the future of the new nation. The Disparu Committee's members were instrumental in the creation of the new nation's Constitution. Meanwhile, the Committee's members also led an interim caretaker government, and also worked on securing international and domestic support for the new nation. Through the Committee, Quebec was able to survive despite opposition from Canada.

Nearly a year later, the Committee unveiled its extensive work on the creation of the new state. The new government was a constitutional monarchy and a federal parliamentary democracy, with some Roman elements incorporated into the system. The controversial decision to have a Monarchy was claimed to have been designed to unify the new nation during a volatile time. In reality, however, the Monarchy was designed by Darach herself in order to maintain her prominent position after the formation of the new state. Nevertheless, the Disparu Committee's important role in the creation of the new state led to the new country being called "Disparu" by both the people of Quebec and the international community.

The Committee eventually disbanded before the first elections in the new country in order to form separate political parties. The three main political parties that formed were the Democratic Party, the Empire Party and the Green Party. On 25 February 2009, the first federal election was held. The election resulted in the Democratic Party winning the most seats in the Commons, the lower house of the nation's new Parliament. The Democratic Party's leader, Lance Pikachurin, was also elected as the Chancellor, the new nation's head of government.

MontrealDisparu

Residents of Montréal celebrating the creation of Disparu.

On the next day, 26 February 2009, Chancellor Pikachurin officially announced the establishment of the Federation of Disparu to the world from Eterna (now Férin), which at that time served as the de facto capital of Disparu. The announcement was met by celebrations from the people of Disparu and some acknowledgement from the international community. However, it was met by scorn from Canada, which continued to claim lands held by Disparu as its territory.

In order to strengthen Disparu, Pikachurin enacted numerous programs and initiatives that encouraged investors from all over the world to invest their money on the Disparuean economy. Pikachurin also began a program of rapid industrialization, focusing on developing infrastructure in rural areas, while at the same time repairing or renovating infrastructure in urban areas. This program was extremely successful and resulted in a significant boost to Disparu's economy.

To legitimize its status as a sovereign nation, Pikachurin opened Disparu to international trade, becoming a member of the Aqua Trading Sphere. While finding difficulty in joining the United Nations and its associated agencies due to Canadian opposition, Disparu managed to gain membership at the Francophonie and the Democratic Order. Through membership in these organizations, continued unrest abroad, and the eventual decline and fall of Canada, Disparu was able to secure its position as an independent nation.

DisparuLabradorFlags

The flags of Disparu and Labrador are raised during the admission of Labrador into the Federation of Disparu.

On 25 March 2009, Labrador unilaterally seceded from the Dominion of Newfoundland and voted to join Disparu. The residents of Labrador believed that its economic interests were not being addressed by the Dominion, and also believed that it would be able to develop a more prosperous economy within the Disparuean Federation. Labrador was welcomed by Disparu as a province, granting it seats in its Parliament.

Due to its increasing regional power and international recognition, Pikachurin began several initiatives intended to expand Disparu's borders to what had been Quebec's borders. On 1 April 2009, after much persuasion, the northern parts of former Quebec were incorporated into the Federation of Disparu as the Territory of the Northern Frontier, in exchange for monetary compensation to the new territory's residents. The Northern Frontier became a full-fledged province on 21 June 2009. In a referendum on 20 November 2010, a majority of the Northern Frontier's residents voted to change the province's name to "Nunavik".

The Government soon began using its military to expand Disparu's borders and to demonstrate its power. On 18 August 2009, the Government would order the Disparuean Forces to occupy and annex Anticosti Island. On 1 September 2009, Akimiski Island, Charles Island, Digges Islands, Smith Island, the Belcher Islands, the Ottawa Islands, Akpatok Island and Mansel Island, all located either in Hudson Bay or Hudson Strait, were incorporated into Disparu by a military expedition sent there by the Government. The annexation resulted in a treaty, signed on 4 September 2009, between Arctica and Disparu, which guaranteed passage for Arctican ships in the Hudson Strait, now controlled by Disparu. The treaty is notable for being the first signed by Disparu.

On 7 August 2009, in order to formalize diplomatic relations with other nations, and to encourage the recognition of Disparu's sovereignty by the international community, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a program that would encourage other nations to exchange ambassadors with Disparu. The program, the Disparuean Embassy Exchange Program (or DEEP for short), was successful in meeting its goal; several nations immediately applied for the program, and recognized Disparu's sovereignty.

Soon after the launch of the project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began to take steps in order to gain full recognition from all sovereign nations. Initiating discussions with Viniland and Tahoe, both of which established a protectorate in Quebec following communist Canada's collapse, the Treaty for the Recognition of Disparu was drafted by representatives of these nations. The treaty was signed and ratified by Tahoe, Viniland and Disparu on 14 August 2009, removing all obstacles that Disparu faced in obtaining recognition. This paved the way to Disparu's inclusion into the United Nations and its affiliated agencies.

Darach Crisis[]

Main article: Darach Crisis

The Darach Crisis was caused by the assassination of Disparu's first Monarch, Caitlin Darach, on 1 August 2009, during her visit to the newly-constructed capital of Jubilife. The Monarch's assassination prompted a lockdown of the capital as security forces searched for the assassin. The assassination also caused some instability within the Government, as officials were forced to find a new Monarch (Lance Pikachurin, the first Chancellor, would eventually be voted as the new Monarch; Cynthia Celeste would succeed him as Chancellor). The assassin and his accomplices were found and arrested on 4 August 2009. The assassin himself was sentenced to death by lethal injection (to date, the assassin's execution is the only instance of capital punishment within Disparu), while his accomplices were sentenced to life in prison.

The crisis had an unintended effect of demonstrating Disparu's growing relevance in the international community. The assassination caused reactions from other nations: most expressed sympathy while some offered to send special operations troops to Disparu to help find the assassin.

Unknown War[]

Troops on Patrol

Disparuean troops patrolling a town in the Great Lakes States during the aftermath of the Unknown War.

Main article: Unknown War

The Unknown War refers to the series of wars, skirmishes, and military operations between Disparu, New England (and its successors), and the various regimes that controlled the Great Lakes region from 30 August 2009 to 2 May 2011.

The war started after a terrorist organization known as the United Organization (TUO) overthrew the government of the Great Lakes States through military force and cyber warfare. Disparu and its ally, New England, was pulled into the war after refugees fleeing from the terrorists began to flood into their territories. Both governments then began combat operations against the terrorist organization in order to restore order.

This was then followed by periods of peace and instability. Occasionally, peaceful governments intent on making good relations with its neighbours would be established in the Great Lakes; however, the strong presence of TUO within the country often led to that government's overthrow. The Great Lakes States would eventually be split into two zones - a southern one controlled by both Disparu and the Federated States of America (the successor to New England), and a rogue northern one controlled by terrorists.

On April 2011, the Unknown War started to end after Disparuean forces stormed the weakening terrorist forces, with the help of other nations. On 2 May 2011, the entire Great Lakes region was finally captured by Disparuean forces. The two halves of the country were reunited and turned into a join Disparuean-American protectorate.

Unification of the Québécois[]

Satellite Image of the Gaspé Peninsula

A satellite image of the Gaspésie and surrounding areas.

On 5 May 2011, after a period of media blackout in the Federated States, it was revealed that the former regime was toppled by a military coup led by Richard Mercton, the former President of J Andres. In a media broadcast, Mercton announced his intent to dissolve the Federated States and establish the third Maritime Republic of J Andres. During the broadcast, he also announced his intent to transfer treaties held by the former Federated States to J Andres, which included the Good Neighbour Treaty. Mercton also announced that J Andres did not have any interest in Michigan, and allowed Disparu to take over the protectorate for them.

After recognizing J Andres's sovereignty, congratulating the nation for its establishment and reconfirming its ambassador to J Andres, the Government of Disparu sent a letter to Andrean Minister of Foreign Affairs Mickey Bethesda about the possibility of holding a referendum in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, both having been part of Quebec. The two regions were annexed by New England (the predecessor of the Federated States, which in turn is the predecessor of J Andres) during the Canadian Crisis, which was the reason why they were not part of Disparu during Federation.

Minister Bethesda agreed to the Government's idea of holding a referendum, and on 6 May 2011, a referendum was held on both regions. Two days later, on 8 May 2011, the referendums' results were validated by Andrean election officials, and the Andrean Government immediately ordered all Andrean troops and officials to withdraw from the two regions. Both Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (with the exception of the Magdalen Islands) and Bas-Saint-Laurent were transferred to the control and jurisdiction of Disparu on the same day.

The Commons of Disparu passed a law to approve the regions' entry into Disparu and merge both regions into one province - the Gaspésie. The Commons also passed laws to establish the Gaspésie's political and economical structures, and passed laws to grant the Gaspésie seats in the Parliament of Disparu. The Gaspésie officially joined Disparu on the eve of 9 May 2011 during a ceremony.

Cessions and Secessions[]

Soon after the formation of a Disparuean protectorate on Ontario and Michigan, the Government of Disparu began a series of cessions to several foreign governments. The first case was the formation of Coruscanta in northern Ontario on 2 May 2011. Following the new nation's declaration of existence, it was reported that Legislative Triumvir Paul Berlitz visited Coruscanta and attended a secret meeting with its government. It is rumoured that Berlitz signed a treaty during the meeting, however this has not been confirmed. Coruscanta has since collapsed after a devastating war, and its former territories have been occupied by various nations in North America.

On 15 May 2011, the Protectorate of Michigan ratified the constitution of the third United States and became one of its first thirteen states. The Protectorate's ratification had previously been approved by the Government of Disparu following a referendum in the area, hence its admission to the United States had been legitimate. Following the United States' declaration of existence, both nations started formal relations with each other when the United States applied to exchange embassies through DEEP.

On 22 May 2011, the Great Lakes Provinces, the successor state to the Great Lakes States, was established in the rest of the Ontario protectorate. The new nation had originally attempted to reclaim Michigan due to its historic ties to the area, and nearly started a diplomatic conflict with the United States before grudgingly giving up on its claims.

On 1 June 2011, the former province of Labrador set up a republican provisional government independent of all Disparuean governmental institutions following a movement of secession in the former province's Commons, as well as a referendum held by the former provincial government to gauge public interest. Shortly after Labrador's declaration of independence from Disparu, the Government duly recognized the new nation's sovereignty. During a press conference outside of the New Parliament Building, King Lance gave the following speech about the province's secession:

As you all know, the province of Labrador has recently seceded from the Federation to become a sovereign, independent nation. While the Government of Disparu is quite saddened that our former brethren have decided to leave the Federation, we still recognize the fact that there are times when the people of a certain area decide that they no longer wish to be puppets of a puppeteer hundreds of miles away from them. There are times when the people no longer want someone else above them, someone who had the ability to impose laws indifferent to them. Sometimes, the people want to be independent and free, free from the chains of federal control. Such is the case in the former province of Labrador. The people of Labrador have said their wish to become a free, sovereign nation, and the Government of Disparu has no choice but to recognize their wishes. Therefore, by the power vested in me by the Constitution, I hereby declare that the Province of Labrador has been dissolved, and recognize the sovereignty of the Republic of Labrador.

The King's speech was criticized by many as being "anti-Disparuean", though it has also been applauded by secessionist groups.

Labrador eventually collapsed on 27 June 2011 following a series of economic crises and terrorist attacks within the short-lived nation. Disparu immediately responded by dissolving the nation's nearly non-existent government and establishing a protectorate there.

Labrador Referendum

A shot from the DNN report of the Labrador referendum.

On 19 July 2011, it was announced that a referendum would be held in the protectorate of Labrador a week after the announcement. The original question was:

Should Labrador join the Federation of Disparu as a territory?

There were only two choices to this; 'Yes' or 'No'. However, a group of Labradorean citizens petitioned the Government to determine if the population was willing to reform as a sovereign nation. This petition was successful, much to everyone's surprise, and the Government changed the question to:

What should be the fate of the Disparuean Protectorate of Labrador?

There were now three choices: 'Become a sovereign nation', 'Become a Disparuean territory' and 'Remain as a Disparuean protectorate'. After a week of campaigning from all three sides, the referendum was held on 26 July 2011. Its results were released by Elections Disparu at exactly 12:16 AM ADT on 27 July. According to Elections Disparu, there was a 82.7% voter turnout and around 99.91% of the ballots were accepted. 'Become a sovereign nation' won with 48.3% of the vote, while 'Become a Disparuean territory' and 'Remain as a Disparuean protectorate' received 45.4% and 6.3% respectively. On the next day, the formation of a Kingdom of Labrador was announced. Since the new government announced itself with the flag of the Beiyang Fleet, many members of the international community jokingly suggested that Labrador had become a Chinese colony. In response to this, the Labradorean government later reverted their flag to their original one, though the international community continued to ridicule the newly-found kingdom as a Chinese colony. The Disparuean Government later stepped in, which assured the international community that Labrador was a sovereign nation.

War and Peace with the GLP[]

As mentioned before, on 22 May 2011, a Great Lakes States-connected regime known as the Great Lakes Provinces (GLP) reestablished itself in the Disparuean Ontario protectorate. The new regime further attempted to reclaim Michigan back from the United States, however it abandoned its efforts after international backlash against it. Disparu, meanwhile, reluctantly recognized the new nation's sovereignty and withdrew its troops stationed there. From this point on, relations between the two nations began to degrade rapidly.

There was a sudden re-uprising of the terrorist forces believed to have already been destroyed by Disparuean and forces from the former Federated States. The terrorist group launched attacks against the Great Lakes Provinces and the United States (an ally of Disparu). These attacks affected the continent's security, and after a series of miscommunications and arguments, both the GLP and the US (and its allies) were at the brink of war when both nations reluctantly cooperated with each other to detain the remaining terrorists and revert the damages caused by them.

Later on, Thomas Hankie of the Nationalist Party was elected as the President of the GLP. Under Hankie's regime, the GLP became more hostile to its neighbours and began to militarize. He approved the reconstruction of a border defence system once employed by terrorists, and had caused extreme damage earlier to Disparuean troops attempting to enter the nation. After receiving no response from an inquiry sent by the Government, the Government was forced to convert a small strip of land along the border into an extensive border defence system, though it was less damaging compared to the GLP's. Tensions between the two states continued to increase during this time, and resulted in the Government imposing trade and travel restrictions on the GLP.

Eventually, Hankie was impeached by the GLP Legislative and detained due to his supposed insanity. Former Vice President Mays Billy was then appointed as the new President, and relations between the GLP and Disparu began to slightly improve. President Billy began a series of reforms, such as slightly demilitarizing the GLP, which was applauded by many nations, including Disparu. As a sign of goodwill, the Government lifted the restrictions it imposed earlier (though it remained suspicious of the nation) and applied for an embassy exchange program with the GLP on 14 July 2011. Relations between the two nations continued to improve upon the signing of the James Bay Agreement, a non-aggression pact between the two nations that also gave the Great Lakes Provinces access to Disparuean waters, with several restrictions and caveats. The two nations also began a massive undertaking in upgrading some locks of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which were left unfinished due to the events that would follow.

Relations were strained when it was discovered that the GLP was aiding secessionists from Blue Heaven (an ally of Disparu), a group which the Government had, ironically, condemned. The previously-signed James Bay Agreement was suspended to avoid Disparuean involvement when a nation friendly to Disparu, Canuckistan, established an extrajudicial zone in the GLP's westernmost provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan. This was done to prevent any belligerent parties from undermining Canuckistan's actions. The agreement was cancelled altogether following Canuckistan's annexation of the two provinces, and the Government threatened war against the Great Lakes Provinces if they decided to retake the two provinces by force.

Strahlenschutz uebung

Emergency personnel in Montréal carrying a victim of the biological attacks.

A war against the Great Lakes Provinces was finally sparked in early September 2011, shortly after the short-lived nation of North Canada attempted to launch an invasion of the Great Lakes Provinces' land along James Bay in an operation called "Operation Scorpion's Sting". While the North Canadian invasion failed, it was soon followed by a much stronger and better equipped invasion by Disparu. After a series of battles that occurred in both Disparuean and GLPer waters, as well as a missile strike against a military stronghold in northern GLP, the GLP launched two biological attacks against Montréal and Québec in retaliation. The latter failed after the missile carrying the biological payload was shot down by the Disparuean Aurasphere (the nation's missile defence system), but the attack in Montréal was successful, albeit at a much lower scale than expected. Most of downtown Montréal was immediately evacuated and quarantined; 26 people died from the attack as a result. This became a turning point for Disparu in the war as several nations severely condemned the attack, including many of Disparu's allies. A counterattack against the GLP was launched, this time accompanied by forces from Canuckistan, the Hudson Reich, Blue Heaven and J Andres. The attack was successful and forced the GLP to start peace talks with Disparu.

The peace talks were held in the nation of Blue Water and was attended on one side by Canuckistan's Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Colonel Qing Li, Disparuean Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Wallace Muddkip and Disparuean Deputy Defence Minister Terry Palkia, and on the other side by General Bark of the GLP's military and the mysterious leader of the Freedom Equality Organization (later revealed to be ex-president Thomas Hankie), a terrorist organization based in the GLP. The GLP's delegation was considered extremely suspicious, as both represented two warring factions in the GLP.

At the talks, the Disparueans presented an ultimatum to the GLP, an ultimatum that would essentially bring the GLP under total Disparuean control. After hours of arguing, the GLP officials left, claiming that they had to discuss it with their superiors and would be back in two days. The two officials never returned, as it was found out that they killed each other. The two leaders' factions immediately declared war on each other.

Disparu, seeing an opportunity to bring the war to an end, launched an invasion of its own, but was suddenly met with a massive resistance, despite the fact that the GLP was supposedly in total chaos. Fearing the major casualties that would've resulted if Disparuean troops decided to attack the GLPers head-on, the Disparuean Forces retaliated against them by bombarding several military targets along the border, by launching EMP attacks on targets throughout the GLP, and by launching a cyber-attack on the GLP's digital infrastructure. These attacks damages key infrastructure and lowered morale within the GLP, paving the way for a successful Disparuean invasion. After overcoming defensive positions along the border, Disparuean troops flooded into the GLP and quickly brought down incoming resistance from GLPer forces. News of the incoming Disparueans also encouraged acts of resistance against the GLP's military government, some of which were more successful than others and played a key role in liberating the land. After capturing the GLP's capital, Toronto, the Disparuean military quickly gained control of the entire country from there. The Disparuean military defeated the last remnants of the GLP's military on 8 December 2011.

After the war, the Disparuean Government turned the GLP into the Protectorate of Ontario, and began efforts to restore the region's infrastructure and government. A democratic government was set up at Queen's Park, headed by Dalton McGuinty.

FLQ Crisis[]

Raising of the Flags in Eterna

The flags of communist Canada, the FLQ, and Saboria are raised in front of the National Assembly House following the FLQ's takeover of Eterna (Férin).

Main article: FLQ Crisis

The FLQ Crisis refers to the series of terrorist attacks done by the second incarnation of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) from 1 July 2011 to 11 October 2011. The crisis began with the destruction of the Eterna Stock Exchange on the eve of 1 July 2011, which gravely affected the Disparuean economy. Two days later, FLQ sleeper agents working for the DNN station in Jubilife hijacked the station, and broadcast a message stating their role in the Exchange's destruction and their goals, and encouraged listeners to stage a protest at the Black Mesa Research Facility in northern Disparu. The hijackers were able to escape before police forces could confront them.

On 15 July 2011, a large crowd gathered in front of the Black Mesa Research Facility to protest the Government. Troops were sent in to protect the facility. Troops reported an unusual amount of balloons during the protest - it would later turn out that some of the balloons were filled with napalm. These balloons were ignited and produced large explosions, quickly sending the crowd below into chaos. Troops rushed in to neutralize those who were igniting the balloons; the crowd responded by attacking the troops, causing many injuries and deaths. Meanwhile, a news helicopter accidentally crashed into another helicopter and fell into the crowd below, causing many deaths. This event would eventually be referred to as the "Black Mesa Tragedy".

Three days later, former Chancellor Cynthia Celeste held a news conference in Jubilife about the tragedy. A FLQ commander named Giles St. Danoche managed to sneak into the conference with a firearm and assassinated Celeste. Celeste's assassination sparked outrage and sympathy within Disparu and the international community. Rowan Atkin succeeded Celeste as the Chancellor of Disparu; Atkin vowed to hunt down those who perpetrated the assassination.

On 23 August 2011, the FLQ amassed a large force outside Eterna and overwhelmed the Disparuean troops stationed there. The FLQ quickly took control of various institutions within the city and arrested their perceived opponents. On 6 September 2011, Robertson used the DNN to broadcast her declaration of secession from Disparu, and the establishment of the Technocratic Commune of Nouveau Saboria.

The city was eventually liberated on 11 October 2011 by the Disparuean Forces' Special Operations; the method used to liberate the city remains controversial.

Tensions with Labrador[]

Fall of Disparu[]

Most historians agree that the beginning of the process that would eventually dissolve Disparu was on 4 January 2012, when several reports began to come to light about the Government's Machiavellian decisions and sheer incompetence during the FLQ Crisis. While this by itself would've already been enough to stir dissent, it was further revealed that the Government had attempted to cover up its activities by destroying evidence or sealing up archives detailing its faults. The formerly apathetic populace immediately sprung up and protested against the Government; as a result, many inquiries were launched regarding the Government's activities in closed doors.

Soon, it became further revealed that a sizable number of internal and international dealings by the Government were unconstitutional, as they simply bypassed constitutional protocol and other necessary red tape. For instance, an investigation revealed that Minister of Science and Technology Isabelle Auberjonois approved a top-secret project involving a research project somewhere in northern Disparu without parliamentary approval (even today, the documents detailing the project have been withheld at the request of unknown international organizations due to their sensitivity).

QuebecReferendum

Protesters in Montréal supporting Lamont de Solidor's movement.

A newly-formed movement, led by Lamont de Solidor, began to gain momentum throughout the nation. The movement and its followers believed that the Government's violations of the Constitution essentially made the Government's own legitimacy questionable. The movement demanded that a referendum regarding the dissolution of the Government and the Federation should be held. This was further fueled by nationalist groups, many of which criticized the Government's cultural policies, such as the implementation of bilingualism (with English and French being the official languages) within the country, despite the fact that a majority of the country's population are Francophones.

The Executive Council relented, but only if de Solidor could gather a hundred thousand signatures - the amount dictated by the Constitution and various laws regarding citizen-launched petitions. However, when de Solidor immediately procured the signatures, the Council raised the amount to twelve and a half million signatures, or more than three-quarters of the population at that time. They argued that such an important decision needed the approval of a majority of the nation.

Unfortunately for the council, de Solidor quickly gathered the signatures in a short amount of time, and a referendum had to be launched. After a short period of campaigns from both sides, a referendum was finally held on 15 January 2012. When the referendum closed, it was announced that 97% voted in favour of dissolution (2% voted for no, and 1% of the results were invalid; the referendum had a voter turnout of 96%, the highest in Disparuean history). The Government recognized the referendum's results and, on the same day, Monarch Lance Pikachurin announced the dissolution of the Federation outside of Château Jubilife. The Monarch's speech is as follows:

My fellow Québécois: Tonight, I speak to you not as your Monarch, nor as a Disparuean citizen, but rather as a citizen of Québec – a part of the living culture that embodies us. You see, while the Government may choose to use force in an attempt to keep the nation bound by its laws, as many states have done before, we choose not to do so. You see, the spirit and strength of a state lies not on its military might or its political strength, but in its people. You, the Québécois, are the ones that kept the dream of the Disparu Committee alive; it is also you that shall decide the direction which the state shall go. I, Caitlin, Cynthia and the other members of the Disparu Committee were glad to serve Québec, and aid it in its plight to assert its sovereignty. We have now done our part – now that the Québécois have voted to dissolve our current state, and move on to a more stable one. I, as the head of state of the Federation of Disparu, hereby declare the Constitution, Government, and the Federation of Disparu null and void. I ask Pravus Ingruo and any of our immediate allies to establish law and order within Québec so that a state of anarchy shall not triumph within it. The Federation has always believed in peace, order, and good government, and we believe that should continue even though we are now gone.

Following the speech, the scene was attacked by anarchists, and a riot began throughout the city. The city's core was completely wrecked the next morning. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, though there were many injuries. Most of the federal Government's officials reportedly escaped the anarchists' attack.

The fall of Disparu resulted in the creation of a political and economic void within the area. The resulting confusion resulted in nearly one-third of the population fleeing from Disparu. In the wake of Disparu's collapse, various interim governments were formed throughout the former territories; the more successful ones were supported by incoming troops from Pravus Ingruo, whom the former Monarch asked to intervene within the former Federation in his speech. Pravus Ingruo eventually established a protectorate within the area, and asked that other nations keep out of their peacekeeping efforts.

Second Quiet Revolution[]

As order and law were slowly reestablished throughout the former nation, with the help of Pravus Ingruo, various factions and groups began to form. Nearly all of them were united in their goal: the reestablishment of a sovereign Québécois state. The problem, however, was that these groups had a wide range of ideas in how this goal would be accomplished. Some sought peaceful and diplomatic ways, while others were more rash and wanted to use violence to quickly expel foreign forces and form an independent nation.

In order to provide a forum for these factions, a National Convention was convened in Québec City, featuring delegates from factions, political groups, and the various regions of the former nation. The National Convention, which included figures such as Lamont de Solidor and Paul Berlitz, discussed the current state of the land, as well as the direction they would take in reestablishing a Québécois state.

Foreign Imperialism[]

In this confusion, however, foreign powers with imperialistic agendas, such as the United States of JBR, seeked to take advantage of situation and establish a colony within the former nation. Even though the former nation was under the protection of Pravus Ingruo, and that nation warned that any attacks on the protectorate would be considered an attack on Pravus Ingruo, problems and wars elsewhere in the world dragged Pravus Ingruo's attention away from the protectorate; this gave the JBRicans an opportunity to pursue their plan. JBRican forces were sent into the former nation, and the colony of "New Disparu", a territory of the United States of JBR, was established. In practice, however, the JBRicans did not actually control large portions of the territory.

The establishment of this new colony was mostly ignored by the international community, but was met by severe opposition from virtually everyone in the National Convention. In response, the United States of JBR limited their colony's borders to those of the former province (and current region) of Coronet. Nevertheless, the JBRicans ignored both local and limited international opposition to the colony. In an attempt to gain legitimacy for their new colony, the JBRicans presented officials claiming to be members of the former Royal Family; these impostors dressed and acted like the Pikachurins themselves. These impostors, claimed to be Disparueans, were 'integrated' into the JBRican government, and they themselves noted their support for the colony. This plan backfired, as the Disparuean Monarchy in general was viewed with contempt and opposition by the Disparuean public. Members of the Disparu Committee and high-ranking officials in the former Government saw through the deception and criticized the JBRicans for their underhanded tactics. The JBRicans would later admit to this deception.

In opposition to these imperialist moves, several militant groups in western Disparu declared the establishment of the "Free State of Quebec", and cited the National Convention as their primary governing body. This de facto state received limited international recognition, and was also opposed by a considerable majority of the National Convention for their violent attempts in establishing an independent state.

Francis Roy Wanted

A poster issued by the JBRicans, accusing former Communist Party leader Francis Roy of leading militant groups within their colony. Despite this, no solid evidence has ever been presented by the JBRIcans supporting this accusation.

These groups, referred to as the "Disparuean Independence Movement" by the JBRicans, were claimed to be led by former Communist Party leader Francis Roy by the United States of JBR; the JBRicans further claimed that these groups were connected to belligerent forces in a greater war that the United States of JBR was fighting in. Despite these claims, no solid evidence was ever presented by the JBRicans, and it has been argued that this was merely an attempt to discredit Disparuean efforts in resisting their imperialistic agenda within Disparu.

In the midst of a unified opposition and the possibility of an armed rebellion, the JBRicans withdrew from the area and claimed to cede their colony to the newly-established Free State. Fearing further imperialist intrusions into Quebec, the National Convention decided to declare the Free State of Quebec as a transitional, sovereign authority within Disparu.

Nation-Building[]

With imperialists no longer attempting to interrupt their work, the National Convention resumed their debates on the future of Disparu. After many heated discussions that lasted several days, it was agreed that, due to the former Federation's large amount of international support, it would be necessary to revive the old state, but with many sweeping reforms in order to address the old state's flaws. Once this has been agreed upon, the National Convention's delegates returned to their respective factions, groups or regions in order to discuss the debates' results with them. The delegates also agreed to communicate their responses with other delegates.

Sentiments regarding the establishment of a reformed Disparu varied depending on the faction. More nationalist factions opposed the move, whereas more moderate ones were either supportive or neutral. In the end, concerns about another imperialist attempt in subjugating the lands and concerns about the international community's response (or lack of) to the established Free State of Quebec prompted nearly all factions to agree to the plan to reestablish Disparu.

Disparuean National Convention

Delegates of the National Convention celebrate the completion of the Basic Laws of Disparu.

Once this was agreed upon, work regarding the new state began. Delegates of the National Convention, consulting with lawyers, professors, former politicians, economists, historians and the public in general, began work on the Basic Laws of Disparu, which would establish the legal framework of the new state and supersede the old Constitution. The writing of the Basic Laws was unique, as it was written over the Internet; the progress of the Basic Laws' writing could be seen by anyone connected to the Internet. The Basic Laws borrowed ideas heavily from other constitutional texts, such as the Constitution of Großgermania, the Constitution of the French Fifth Republic, the Basic Law of Germany and even the old Disparuean Constitution.

The new Basic Laws transformed Disparu into a republican unitary state, headed by an elected Administrator and governed by an elected unicameral National Assembly. The Basic Laws transformed the four former provinces of Disparu into nineteen departments. The Basic Laws also reformed the executive and judicial branches of government, clearly defining the separation of powers within government, and establishing safeguards to the constitutional democratic order of the state. Electoral reform was also pursued; a system of proportional representation in the National Assembly was established. The executive functions of the new government were being prepared. The ministries were redefined, and their functions, roles, and responsibilities were clearly stated within the Basic Laws.

The Basic Laws also ingrained the French culture of the Québécois, something that the former Constitution deliberately forgot to do. However, many symbols of the old state, such as the flag, were retained so that the international community would be more receptive to the new state's claim of being the old Disparu's successor state.

In the meantime, the Disparuean dollar was phased out by the National Convention and replaced by the Disparuean franc, in order to reflect the changed nature of the new state. Reforms in other areas, such as education and health, were also researched, tested and implemented. State symbols throughout the country were also revised in order to reflect the changing nature of the new Disparu.

The National Convention also declared that the capital of the new state would be Férin (a declaration that was opposed by nationalists, who wanted the capital to be Québec City), and funded the construction of government buildings formerly located in Jubilife. In addition to this, the National Convention began to direct funds to infrastructure that had been damaged following the fall of Disparu.

The National Convention also declared the establishment of a National Tribunal, which would put officials guilty of corruption and contempt on trial; those found guilty would be sentenced to prison. The most prominent trial was that of Dr. Isabelle Auberjonois, who was found to have hidden many of her Ministry's initiatives from Parliament, but was eventually acquitted. In fact, many of the accused were acquitted, though those found guilty are now serving time in prison.

While the delegates worked on the legal and economic framework of the new state, the National Convention sent representatives to neighbouring nations, most notably Pravus Ingruo and the newly-found state of Greater New England, in order to secure their recognition and support for the new Disparuean state.

As work on the new state and government progressed, the delegates of the National Assembly, as well as other political figures throughout the land, began to form political parties. When elections for the new government were held on 10 June 2012, parties that were formed by those involved in the National Convention (namely, the Centrist Coalition Party, the Christian Democrats, the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Social Democrats) would receive a majority of votes and form nearly a majority of the National Assembly. The Liberals and the Social Democrats, both being the top-two parties in the election, agreed to form a coalition for the new government.

Re-Proclamation[]

The new Federation of Disparu was finally proclaimed on 24 June 2012, coinciding with the Quebec National Holiday, in the balcony of the National Assembly House, where the old state was also proclaimed. The reestablishment of Disparu was met with celebration from the public throughout the country, as well as support from many nations and international organizations. The National Convention was then formally dissolved. The newly-elected Government began its functions the next day.

Advertisement