The Murdochville strike was a notable mining strike in Quebec during the regime of Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis

Maurice Duplessis

Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...

. It provided the impetus and inspiration for other labour leaders to emerge and future calls for labour rights to become vocalized .

It was publicly supported by Pierre Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...

 who, as a lawyer in 1957, stated on CBC television that the strikers needed the "whole force of public opinion" in order to win in their efforts. Trudeau called the Murdochville strike a "fight for recognition" and advocated for all trade unions throughout Quebec to show their solidarity and the economic influence they collectively possessed .

Duplessis's labour laws and action against strikers in the Asbestos and Murdochville strikes have been cited by individuals such as Pierre Vallières

Pierre Vallières

Pierre Vallières , was a Québécois journalist, and writer. He was considered an intellectual leader of the Front de libération du Québec ....

as providing catalyst for the development of his own social and political consciousness and actions.