National Patriots' Day is a statutory provincial holiday observed annually in Quebec, Canada. For the year 2026, it will be celebrated on Monday, May 18th. This date is consistently set as the Monday preceding May 25th, thereby coinciding with the federally observed Victoria Day, though its historical and commemorative significance within Quebec is distinct.
The observance serves to commemorate the Lower Canada Rebellions of 1837-1838 and to honour the Patriotes movement, which advocated for democratic institutions, national recognition, and an end to British colonial rule in what was then Lower Canada. Key figures like Louis-Joseph Papineau are often associated with this period of political and armed struggle. The holiday formally replaced Fte de Dollard in Quebec in 2002, asserting an alternative historical narrative and celebrating those who fought for greater autonomy and self-determination for the French-Canadian population.
As a result, National Patriots' Day functions as a significant cultural and historical touchstone in Quebec, reflecting a distinct provincial identity and its historical struggle for political and social rights. It marks a period of reflection on foundational events in Quebec's history and the enduring legacy of democratic and nationalist aspirations within the province.
