Night of the Long Knives (1981)

The Night of the Long Knives (in French Nuit des longs couteaux) is the name Quebec nationalists use to refer to the night in November 1981 when the Constitution Act 1982 was agreed upon by the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial Premiers, excluding René Lévesque the Premier of Quebec. Some believe that the usage of the phrase "Night of the Long Knives," which is an obvious reference to the Nazi Night of the Long Knives, is somewhat melodramatic as Lévesque was not purposely left out of the "eleventh hour" meeting. It is also known as the "Kitchen Accord" because the agreement grew from conversations started in the kitchen. The events of the night are amongst the most controversial in Canadian history.