From what I understand (from an op-ed by Conrad Black in the National Post), is it true that from World War I to the bicultural policies of Pearson and Trudeau in the 1960s, the French-Canadian political/cultural elites insisted that biculturalism should become reciprocal and not just the French learning English from economic necessity?
Is it also true, from what I understand, that the French-Canadian elites (at least in Quebec) greeted the federal promotion of biculturalism in the 1960s as an attempt at assimilation (which it certainly was not), and for that reason Quebec nationalism was embraced at that point (cutting loose the French-Canadians outside Quebec and discriminating against Anglos in Quebec)?
First of all, if you're looking for objective facts about Quebec, don't read the National Post.
Second, "French-Canadian elites" is an oxymoron. An elite in political and sociological theory, is a small group of people who control a disproportionate amount of wealth and/or political power. In Quebec, this small group was strictly English-Canadian. This situation started to change with the "Révolution Tranquille" in the 60s and the arrival of the Parti Québécois in the 70s, but our economy is still dominated by the English-Canadians. 1961 statistics of the salaries of Quebec men based on ethnic origin revealed that French Canadian incomes lagged behind all other ethnic groups, with the exception of Italian Canadians and aboriginal Canadians.
Third, you state that the federal promotion of biculturalism in the 1960s was certainly not an attempt at assimilation. This is false. The father of multiculturalism, P.E. Trudeau, was a fervent opponent of québécois nationalism, and included the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism in the Constitution Act of 1982, but with a twist: while Canada would remain a bilingual nation, it would pursue a policy of multiculturalism rather than biculturalism. This small change would relegate French-Canadians to a simple ethnic group. As of 2014, the government of Quebec has never formally approved of the enactment of the act.
Many English-Canadians still think that Canada is a precursor of cosmopolitan democracy, and that to despise Quebec culture and indulge in Quebec bashing is to do the work of civilization.