René Lévesque

1976 / 1981

1980 Quebec "Sovereignty-Association" Referendum

Anti-Lévesque 1981

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: 1922.08.22 - Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada.

DATE AND PLACE OF DEATH: 1987.11.01 - Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

OCCUPATION: Journalist. TV News Program Host.

POLITICAL PARTY:
Liberal (Parti Libéral du Québec): 1960-1967. Quit the PLQ when the Liberals refused to allow a sovereignty debate at the October 1967 convention.
Independent: 1967-1968.
Parti Québécois (PQ): 1968-1987.

PREMIER OF QUEBEC (Premier ministre du Québec):
25 November 1976 - 3 October 1985.

QUEBEC NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (Député):
1985 - Retired, did not seek re-election.
1981.04.13 - Taillon - Re-Elected.
1976.11.15 - Taillon - Elected.
1973.10.29 - Dorion - Defeated.
1970.04.29 - Laurier - Defeated.
1966.06.05 - Laurier - Re-Elected.
1962.11.14 - Montreal-Laurier - Re-Elected.
1960.06.22 - Montreal-Laurier - Elected.

SENIOR QUEBEC PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT:
Minister of Family and Welfare (1965.10.14 - 1966.06.16).
Minister of Natural Resources (1961.03.28 - 1966.01.19).
Minister of Hydroelectric Resources and Public Works (1960.07.05 - 1961.03.28).

PARTY LEADERSHIP:
Leader, Parti Québécois (October 1968 - June 1985). In the 1970 elections, the PQ won 7 seats and 23% of the vote. In the 1973 elections, the PQ won 6 seats (loss of 1 seat) and 30% of the vote. In the 1976 elections, the PQ won 71 seats (gain of 65 seats) and 41% of the vote, and captured a governing majority. In the 1981 elections, the PQ won 80 seats (gain of 9 seat), 49% of the vote, and held majority governing status. Resigned as Leader in June 1985 in a dispute over the PQ's future political strategy related to the sovereignty issue.

MISCELLANEOUS:
Founder of Mouvement Souveraineté-Association (MSA) in 1967, which soon merged with Ralliement National sovereigntist party to form the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in October 1968.

In May 1980, Levesque directed the OUI (Yes) campaign in the 1980 Quebec referendum on the PQ's so-called "sovereignty-association" plan. The result: YES - 40%, NO - 60% (with 86% turnout). Lévesque conceded defeat but his concession speech called upon sovereigntists to continue the fight "à la prochaine fois" ("until the next time").

WEBSITE: Assemblée nationale du Québec: René Lévesque, The Canadian Encyclopedia: René Lévesque, CBC Archives: René Lévesque's Separatist Fight and Radio-Canada.ca: René Lévesque : «Un parti à fonder, un pays à bâtir»