[2] On this day, approximately 10,000–15,000 protesters, gathered and walked down Sherbrooke street towards the Roddick Gates calling for McGill University to become Francophone, along with pro-worker and nationalist demands .
It consisted of 150 students and professors who were also in favour of the idea of decolonisation and instituting more power to French people not only at McGill but throughout Quebec as well.
In it was a document titled "Welcome to McGill" written entirely in French and sent across the province of Quebec with the aid of students and the members of the major trade union in Québec, the CSN.
[12] On March 26, 1969 activists Raymond Lemieux, Stanley Gray, Léandre Bergeron and CSN president Michael Chartrand stated that they would be talking about the Operation via posters throughout campus which would be held in the ballroom of the University Centre.
[14] The Liberal Party of Quebec's manifesto called for a number of important changes to modernise Quebec society after Maurice Duplessis's, and prior reigns, including the creation of a modern welfare state (including guaranteed education, healthcare and income support), the intervention by the state in the economy, an Office of the French Language, as well as several proposals that would go on to form the cornerstone of Quebec-Canada relations (inter-provincial conferences, a Minister for Provincial-Federal Affairs).
In a time of increasing awareness and discontent with the economic and social inequalities between Quebec's Anglophone and Francophone communities, the lack of educational opportunities was seen as a key issue.
Motivated by the discrepancies in educational provision and general economic inequality, several student movements adopted leftist thinking such as l'Union générale des étudiants (UGEQ).
In October, Quebec government officials declared that about 20,000 students of the CEGEP system would not be allowed the opportunity to study at a university level come the following school year.
[17][18] Many student groups decided at this time that conciliation with the government was no longer a viable option, and direct actions and more radical demands became more important.
[19] Although a portion of those attending and organising the demonstration had the goal of a general improvement in Quebec's higher educational system, some groups used it to call attention to the perceived notion that McGill University was directly influencing American Imperialism and thus, allowing discrimination against the French people.
Thus, Operation McGill français was part of a greater effort during the Quiet Revolution to incorporate better education and social equality.
Two scholars named Jean-Marc Piotte and André Major were attempting to fight for the equality of the French-Canadian population of Quebec (soon to be known as "les Québécois").
The political movements participating in McGill were closely aligned with the objectives and ideas espoused by the authors in Parti Pris.
In response to the administration's lack of action, 200 students and protesters peacefully overtook the ninth floor of the Hall building of Sir George Williams University on January 29, 1969.
The Sir George Williams affair would turn violent with over 2 million dollars worth of damage to computers and the school, though the initial intention was to remain peaceful.
In 1966, Pepin would go on to change the situation with his 'moral report', which would then go on to explain the urgency for multiple worker movements and if need be, a call for arms and further resistance.
[32] The CSN and MIS coalition would support the Operation showing how the demonstration was acting in the context of allowing better work for the Francophone people.