John Ciaccia (born Giambattista Nicola Ciaccia; March 4, 1933 – August 7, 2018) was a Canadian politician who was provincial cabinet minister from Montreal, Quebec. He served as a member of the National Assembly of Quebec from 1973 to 1998, representing the Mount Royal riding for the Quebec Liberal Party. He occupied various posts in the cabinets of Liberal premiers Robert Bourassa, and Daniel Johnson Jr., such as minister of Energy and Natural Resources, International Affairs, Native Affairs, and Immigration and Cultural Communities.
At his resignation, Ciaccia was the longest-serving member of the Assembly. Ciaccia gained international attention for his efforts in negotiating the end of the Oka Crisis alongside his federal counterpart, Tom Siddon, in 1990. Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest described Ciaccia's political career as having "revolutionized relations with the native people and cultural communities of Quebec by always favouring an approach marked by respect."Ciaccia stepping down: [Final Edition] Elizabeth Thompson And Eileen Travers. The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 16 Sep 1998: A1
Early life John Ciaccia was born Giambattista Nicola Ciaccia in the Italian town of Jelsi in the Province of Campobasso, Molise region on March 4, 1933. He emigrated to Canada via Ellis Island in the United States, in 1937, with his mother and elder sister reuniting with their father, who had already come to Montreal in 1935. Ciaccia recalled the trials of growing up in another country, being viewed by some as an outsider. This was compounded during the years of the Second World War, as his native Italy fought Canada and the Allies. Ciaccia became fluent in both English and French at an early age, reading novels and encyclopedias in both languages as a child. Ciaccia attributes his academic success in part to the encouragement of his mother, with whom he kept a close relationship until her death in 1990.
Ciaccia attended the English-speaking, Catholic, D'Arcy McGee High School. Ciaccia received his BA from McGill University in 1953. He then pursued his studies at McGill's prestigious Faculty of Law, whose faculty, at the time, consisted of future Supreme Court and Superior Court justices. As a law student, Ciaccia became managing editor of the McGill Law Journal where he published an analysis, "Perron v. School Trustees of the School Municipality of Rouyn: Case and Comment". He received his law degree in 1956 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1957; he began practising for the Montreal-based firm, Malouf & Shorteno.
In 1959, Ciaccia began working for the legal department of the now-defunct Steinberg's grocery chain – at the time, one of the largest in Quebec. Ciaccia would eventually become the chain's director of real estate. Throughout the 1960s he continued to practice law.
While still practising law, he acted as a consultant for the Canadian department of Indian Affairs. In 1971, he was offered a position in the federal civil service, as assistant deputy minister of Indian affairs and northern development, headed at the time by future prime minister Jean Chrétien. Initially reluctant, Ciaccia's decision to quit practising law and accept the position was cemented by a case he had recently handled: where a "remorseless" client of his negotiating terms of a contract that would prove ruinous for the already financially strained other party. Ciaccia was later told by a colleague the soon to be bankrupt man left his clients' office in tears. This led Ciaccia to, "leave a thriving law practice in Montreal for a low-paying position in Ottawa to deal with the unresolved problems of mistreated peoples..."
Civil service As assistant deputy minister, Ciaccia helped negotiate development projects on native territory, addressing the sensitive issue of land rights. This often involved face-to-face meetings across the country with members of aboriginal communities, including elders and chiefs. Ciaccia implemented the native youth liaison program which employed natives to help coordinate native youth programs throughout Canada. The program proved controversial. Militant elements of the native movement interpreted it as an attempt to usurp power from the chiefs. Bureaucrats at the Ministry viewed the new program with apprehension as well. Ciaccia lashed out at both sides, denouncing both "power-hungry" Native politicians as well as "idiots in the Indian Affairs department who hate Indians." His remarks caused a brief uproar, with one Conservative MP calling for his resignation. Indian Affairs minister Jean Chrétien defended Ciaccia, noting the difficult nature of his deputy's workload.
In 1972, Ciaccia helped found the Indian Way School, in the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve south of Montreal. The school was established in response to concerns of natives that their children's culture was being assimilated at the (mostly white) Billings School in nearby Chateauguay. Days before Ciaccia officially resigned from the civil service to run in the 1973 Quebec general election, The Globe and Mail lauded Ciaccia for his initiatives that helped "decentralize Indian Affairs and give more power to Indians themselves."
1973–1976: MNA under Bourassa
Entry into provincial politics
On September 25, 1973, Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa called a general election for October 29. Bourassa asked Ciaccia to run in the newly formed electoral riding of Mont-Royal, a multicultural area of Montreal, regarded as a Liberal stronghold. Ciaccia accepted the offer, resigning from his Federal post in the department of Indian Affairs. Ciaccia was easily elected, with 83% of the vote and would go on to represent the riding for the next 25 years.
Negotiating James Bay Agreement
In the 1960s, the province of Quebec began developing potential hydroelectric resources in the sparsely populated North, inhabited mostly by various native groups, such as the Cree and Inuit. In 1971, the government of Premier Robert Bourassa created the James Bay Development Corporation to pursue the development of mining, forestry and other potential resources starting with the James Bay Hydroelectric Project. The proposed project faced fierce resistance from the native Cree and Inuit populations. By early 1973, he was touting it as "the key to economic and social progress in Quebec." In September, a general election was called for October 29. Early in the campaign, Bourassa sought to make the issue a key pillar to the Liberal party platform, pledging to pursue the multibillion-dollar project if re-elected.
In the immediate aftermath of the Liberal victory, it had been widely anticipated Ciaccia would be given a cabinet post in the new Bourassa government. However, on November 20, 1973, he was chosen as the premier's personal representative for negotiations with native groups affected by the proposed James Bay project. Ciaccia, considered a "specialist on native peoples", was tasked with finalizing a deal between Quebec and the natives. The project had gained a sense of urgency in recent days. The Quebec Superior Court had recently granted the Cree and Inuit a temporary injunction, essentially shutting down the project costing the government an estimated $500,000 a day.
Elected as an MNA and subsequently chosen as the government's chief negotiator, John Ciaccia sought to find common ground. On December 21, 1973, the provincial government's position was strengthened when the Supreme Court ruled against the current injunction granted weeks earlier. In exchange for ending further legal obstruction to the project, Ciaccia initially offered affected native communities a reported $100 million in royalties along with increased hunting and fishing rights. In early February 1974, Cree and Inuit leaders officially refused the offer, stating that land concessions and recognition of native rights throughout Quebec—not money—were the main sticking points. Ciaccia publicly suggested native leaders were overstating their peoples' genuine opposition to the project, offering to personally travel North to gauge the reaction himself. Ciaccia made good on his offer and in April 1974 visited the Cree village of Fort George in northern Quebec. He spent hours answering questions from hundreds of residents in a school auditorium. Negotiations continued throughout 1974 with an agreement in principle being reached in November. It would take another 12 months for the details to be finalized. In the early hours of November 12, 1975, Cree and Inuit leaders signed the landmark treaty which granted them a combined 60,000 square miles in land rights and $225 million over 20 years. The agreement was seen a precedent for similar land disputes in other provinces. James O'Reilly, one of the lawyers representing the native groups, praised Ciaccia's level-headed approach during negotiations, "playing it cool" in the face of emotionally charged discussions.
Opposition to Bill 22
In early 1974, it was reported the Bourassa Liberals were preparing legislation that would limit the ability of non-English speaking parents to send their children to English schools. However, as the 1974 National Assembly session begun, it became clearer that language of schooling was only part of a bolder proposal to establish French as the official language of Quebec: Bill 22. The proposed legislation was largely opposed by both Anglophones and immigrant communities, seen as the imposition of second class citizenship on non-Francophones. Ciaccia, one of nine Anglophone Liberal MNAs at the time, opposed the Bill, criticizing its discriminatory nature. By March 1974, Ciaccia along with four other Anglo MNAs announced their intention go against party lines and vote against the Bill. Ultimately, Ciaccia and George Springate were the only Liberal MNAs to vote against the Bill in its second reading when it reached its second reading in July 1974. Responding to criticism from within the party that two MNAs voted against the government, Premier Bourassa suspended both Springate and Ciaccia, barring them from Caucus meetings. Ciaccia nevertheless continued his role as chief government negotiator with the Cree and Inuit on the James Bay project. Bourassa would eventually welcome Ciaccia and Springate back into the caucus after less than 2 months.
1976–1985: Member of the Opposition On October 20, 1976, with the Liberals high in the polls and a divided opposition, Premier Robert Bourassa called an election for November 15. The Liberals however, ended up losing to a Patri Québecois majority. John Ciaccia was one of 26 Liberals who managed to hold on to their seats. Over the next 9 years of separatist Parti Québecois rule, Ciaccia was an eminent voice for both federalism and Quebec's non-francophones. During his years in the opposition, he occupied various shadow cabinet posts, acting as critic for native affairs, transport, housing, and industry and commerce.
Ciaccia was a vocal opponent of the Parti Quebecois' 1977 landmark Charter of the French Language, characterizing the legislation as one "that restricts our liberties and a vision which will result in the phasing out of the English [community in Quebec]."
During the 1977–1978 Liberal leadership race (Bourassa having resigned after the 1976 election defeat) Ciaccia announced his support for Claude Ryan, a former publisher at Le Devoir. At a press conference alongside Ryan, Ciaccia highlighted Ryan's opposition to the controversial Bill 101. During the press conference, Ryan surprised many in the room, Ciaccia included, by speaking in Italian for the next 2 minutes, thanking the MNA for his support. Ciaccia's endorsement of Ryan was significant, as Ciaccia was considered a leading "spokesman for Quebec ethnic groups"—a traditional bastion of Liberal support. Ryan would go on to become Liberal leader.