Rene Lévesque

Biography

Family

Rene Lévesque grows with New Carlisle, a small village with majority anglophone and middle-class woman cash, at the time, nearly 1000 inhabitants, and located in the county of Bonaventure in Gaspésie - even if officially it is born on August 24th, 1922 at the hospital from Campbellton, at the New Brunswick, the hospital nearest to the area at the time. His/her mother is Diane Dionne-Pineault, downward of a line of the lords of Tilly.

Journalistic career

Beginnings with the radio

In 1936, at the 14 years age, it takes down a station of advertiser and reader of news at the radio station AM CHNC of New Carlisle. It is about an use of summer. Impassioned by this trade, it carries out then replacement like advertiser and writer with CHRC (Quebec) in 1941 and 1942, then always with Quebec with CBV.

War correspondent

In 1944, the American Psychological Warfare Department of the American army seeks journalists speaking several languages for the needs for an international radio in Europe, the Voice off America . Although he is opposed to the conscription, that does not prevent it from going voluntary (the Canadian Armée having refused a station with officer to him, as a correspondent)

June 5th, 1966, he is re-elected appointed in the district of Bay-tree. At the time of the electoral campaign, Rene Lévesque, always federalistic, question firmly chances of RIN (Gathering for national independence) founded by Pierre Bourgault 6 years before. However, the Liberal party does not obtain the majority of the seats and it is the National union of Daniel Johnson, father who seize the power with 56 seats and 40,82% of the voices against 50 seats and 47,29% of the voices. The election of 1966 marks the appearance on stage of the first two independence political parties: RIN of Pierre Bourgault and the national Rallying (RN) of Gilles Gregoire.

Not occupying more ministerial functions, Rene remains nevertheless appointed opposition. Following the speech of the General Charles de Gaulle with Montreal in 1967, Rene reacts in a moderate way without however giving him reason

Founder of the MSA and president of the PQ

November 19th, 1967, Rene Lévesque founds the Mouvement sovereignty-association (MSA) in order to promote his vision of Quebec independent and formally associated with Canada within the framework of a new similar union, in his principles, with the European Economic community.

Lévesque, just like Pierre Bourgault, hope for the unification of the independence political parties. December 28th marks the one period beginning of negotiations between the MSA, the RN and the RIN for the creation of a political party unifying all the partisans of the accession to independence by peaceful means.

In January 1968, the MSA publishes a proclamation entitled Option Quebec which is the work of Lévesque. April 19th, the MSA holds its first congress of orientation.

October 11th, to Quebec, first national congress of the new party born of fusion enters the MSA and the RN, but without the RIN. The 14, the congressmen elect Rene Lévesque with the presidency of the new Québécois Party (PQ).

October 26th, the members of the RIN vote in favor of the dissolution of their organization. Some fifteen days later, the major part of its: 14000 members joined the Québécois Party.

In spite of the creation of the Québécois Party in 1968, Rene Lévesque continues to sit as a deputy independent in the district of Bay-tree until the election of April 29th, 1970. The Québécois Party will then collect 23,06% of the voices and 7 seats. However, Rene Lévesque will not be elected in his district and will collect 38,08% of the 36.000 votes. It is the liberal deputy André Marchand which will be elected in Laurier.

He becomes chronicler with the Journal of Montreal and with the Journal of Quebec . It will remain it until its election in 1976.

Thereafter, with the election of 1973, the Québécois Party finishes once more with the second rank behind the Liberal party directed by Robert Bourassa. This time, it will collect 30,22% and 6 seats. Rene Lévesque, then carried candidate in the district of Dorion (become Bay-tree-Dorion in 1994), will still not be elected. He will collect 46,66% of the 29.100 votes, behind the deputy Alfred Bossé of the Liberal party which will collect 47,68%.

As from 1974, he writes in the Day directed by Yves Michaud, the first daily newspaper souverainist.

First mandate (1976-1980)

See also: Government Rene Lévesque

November 25th, 1976 at October 3rd, 1985

To the election of November 15th, 1976, it leads the Parti Québécois to the capacity vis-a-vis the Liberals Robert Bourassa by collecting 41,37% of the vote and 71 of the 110 districts. This time, Rene Lévesque, in the district of Taillon with a clear majority of 62,65% front the liberal candidate Fernand Blanchard will be elected. Rene Lévesque becomes Prime Minister for Quebec later ten days. He engaged inter alia holding a referendum before engaging the process of accession to independence.

Rene Lévesque starts his mandate in a difficult context: unemployment rate exceeds the 10%, the trade balance with outside is overdrawn, the budget deficit crossed the billion dollar, the social situation remains tended. The new Prime Minister recognizes that prudence is of setting. The objective is always sovereignty, but the 40% obtained at the time of the elections confirm that there is still much work to make before a possible victory chief clerk.

The sessions of 1977 and 1978 show the efforts of the Lévesque government to prove that it is able to act in a responsible way in good government , such as it promised it at the time of the countryside of 1976. It presents no measurement to it to extend the role of the State, except in the field of the automobile insurance where it makes adopt a law made necessary by the situation of the policy-holders. Indeed, the private insurers try by dilatory procedures to delay the payment of the allowances due to the policy-holders; whereas the lawyers profit, as for them, unduly of the system. The new law nationalizes the mode of automobile insurance on the level of the person.

Rene Lévesque holds also more than very to make adopt a law on the financing of the political parties, obliging those to publish their financial statements. From now on, the contributions to the parties should not come any more but from the only individuals and either from interested groups.

July 12th, the minister Camille Laurin files in the bill 101, which contains the first incarnation of the Charter of the French language.

From now on, only the parents having received an English education in Quebec can make inform their English children, it is what one calls the clause Quebec . This provision of the law will be amended by the constitutional laws of 1982, the parents having received an English education in Canada will be able to make inform their English children (and reciprocally other Canadian having received a French education in Canada can make inform their French children). The mode of linguistic tests, created by the Law on the official language (law 22) of Robert Bourassa, is repealed. The companies having more than 50 employees are held to undertake a program of Francization. French becomes the prevalent language of the courts and only authorized in the external commercial billposting display. Bill 101 is adopted by the National Assembly on August 26th, 1977, and becomes law.

The mediums liberal and conservative of the anglophone, minority majority on the Québécois territory, react negatively to the adoption of this law. During the period 1977 to 1982, lawyers montréalais will try to make declare the law anticonstitutional.

Several companies, the such insurance company Sun Life like Cadbury , do not await their decisions to transfer their administrative center or their factory in Ontario.

Other important social laws are adopted by the Lévesque government: the law anti strikebreakers (law antiscabs) prohibited the recourse to temporary manpower during a legal strike, except in the essential services and the cases of protection of the property; the law on agricultural zoning, adopted with the autumn 1978, aims at protecting the arable lands near the St. Lawrence; the taxation of clothing, the shoes and furnishing is abolished; the minimum wage is indexed at the cost of living; the exemption from payment of the dental care is given to the young people of less than 16 years.

In same time, the Lévesque government endeavors to find allies external for its project of sovereignty. It tries initially a first starter on the side of the Americans. In January 1977, its speech with the Economic Club of New York however proves a failure, the idea of separation of Quebec somewhat destabilizing the American business men who inevitably think of the American Civil War. A few weeks later, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, in visit in Washington, declares that separation of Quebec would be a crime against humanity , and the US president, Jimmy Carter, known as to prefer to deal with plain Canada that with two independent countries at its northern border.

The efforts of the government pequist with France are much more satisfactory. In November 1977, Rene Lévesque is received in Paris like a Head of State. It meets the president Giscard d'Estaing in the Elysium and this one gives the rivet washer of the to him Légion of honor. On its side, Jacques Chirac, mayor of Paris, does not hide to him its sympathy to the sovereignty of Quebec. During this visit, one decides that the Prime Ministers for Quebec and France will meet from now on annually. This event somewhat destabilizes the federal government which reproaches France its interference in the Canadian businesses.

The relations between Quebec and Ottawa remain besides tended during the years 1976 - 1980. Trudeau keeps the same intransigence as at the time of the Bourassa years. The federal-provincial conferences are disappointing, that they relate on the economy or the possible repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. In 1978 the quarrel bursts on the tax of sale. Of spring, Ottawa requires of the provinces to reduce their tax of sale and promises in return to refund to them the amount to amount of 3%. Quebec is the only province to refuse the offer: for Lévesque, it is a question of an attempt of federal of entering a reserved tax field subtly to the provinces.

The relations with Ottawa somewhat improve with the come to power of the conservatives of Joe Clark the May 22nd 1979.

In 1979, the Lévesque government undertakes its first negotiations with the employees of the public sector and parapublic, with an aim of negotiating the new collective agreements. It offers initially wage rises of 3.5%, quickly refused by the trade unions which, them, ask for a minimum wage of 265 $ per week. A Common front, the third since 1972, is formed the May 7th. After a series of disengagings and strikes rotary, the , Minister for Finance Jacques Parizeau, proposes, with the autumn, of the wage rises varying from 6.4% to 9.5% and one weekly wages from approximately 200 $. In front of the threat of a general strike, the government makes adopt a special law the November 12th, suspending it for one 15 days duration. After intensive negotiations, an agreement in principle is concluded the November 21st. The members of CEQ reject the agreement and start a general strike the January 28th 1980. Finally, a new agreement in principle is signed with the CEQ in February. Rene Lévesque leaves bitter these negotiations, several trade unionists having threatened to vote Non with the referendum if it did not reach their requests.

(Reform of the Electoral law , new Law governing the financing of the political parties , Law on the popular consultation , Law on the consumer protection , Law on the auto insurance and Charter of the French language refitting of the regional municipalities of county, reforms municipal taxation, law antiscabs, law of health and safety with work, abolition of the private clubs of hunting and fishing, mode of saving-action, helps at SME, creation of the ministry for the Foreign trade).

Law on the protection of the agricultural territory adopted on December 22nd, 1978.

Referendum on Sovereignty-Association

See also: Referendum of 1980 in Quebec, Referendum on Sovereignty-Association

With the autumn of 1979, the circumstances seem favorable to the Lévesque government to engage the process chief clerk. The conservative Joe Clark is with the capacity in Ottawa, where it directs a minority government. Trudeau itself announces its withdrawal of the political life. The November 1st, white paper on sovereignty-association is deposited with the National Assembly and, the December 20th, Rene Lévesque make public the chief clerk question.

The same month, however, the conservative government is reversed. The February 18th 1980, the Liberal party of Pierre Trudeau gains the federal elections, raflant inter alia 74 of the 75 districts in Quebec. In spite of this bad news for him, the Lévesque government starts the debate chief clerk with the National Assembly in March. A Crop survey, at the end of the month, even states that 55% of the Inhabitants of Quebec are said favorable to the concept of sovereignty-association.

The minister Lise Payette makes a boob then by comparing the woman of the liberal chief Claude Ryan, Madeleine, with a Yvette , model of subjected woman whom one finds in certain school handbooks of the time. Three weeks later, a group of liberal women want to prove that they can, at the same time, being feminists and federalists and found the Movement of Yvettes. This movement becomes extensive and culminates the April 7th when 15,000 women gather with the Forum of Montreal to listen there, in addition to Madeleine Ryan, Therese Casgrain, Jeanne Sauvé, Solange Chaput-Roland and Lavoie-Russet-red Therese. The camp of Not has now the wheel in motion, the surveys starting to indicate a significant decrease of supports to Yes in the population.

The federal government helps the Committee of Not of Claude Ryan while directing a systematic fear campaign: the elderly will lose their old-age pensions; the price of the gasoline will climb to 50 hundreds the liter; the energy bill of a family will increase of more than 1200 $ in one year. The May 15th, a speech of Pierre Trudeau to the Center Paul-Saved is interpreted as having contributed to the victory of his camp He then promises to renew the Canadian federation in the direction of the aspirations of Quebec. We put our seats concerned , declares it.

The May 20th, the referendum results in a defeat for the Lévesque government. 59.4% of the Inhabitants of Quebec voted for Not, 40.6% for Yes. A thin majority of French-speaking people decided for Not. The evening, in the Paul-Saved Center, Rene Lévesque tries to alleviate his disappointed militants (“If I include/understand you well… you are saying… to the next time. ”) while summoning the government of Ottawa to fulfill its promises (" the ball is now in the federal camp ).

Later, it will be proven that the Trudeau government spent 7.5 million $ during the program of 1980, that is to say 8 times more than the law chief clerk allows it, with which it did not feel dependant.

Constitutional negotiations

See also: constitutional Conference of 1981, Reference relative to a resolution of constitutional modification

A few days after the referendum, Trudeau starts new negotiations with the provinces. Its objective is to repatriate the Canadian Constitution, always with London, and to match it of a Charter of the rights protecting the individual rights, and of a formula of amendment having to govern the future constitutional changes. The Lévesque government decides to temporarily put side its option and to negotiate in good faith.

The talks begin in June and a first federal-provincial conference takes place in September 1980. The Ontario and the New Brunswick take party for Ottawa, but the other provinces, which are afraid to see notching their capacities, decide to be combined with Quebec in order to counter the Trudeau project. In front of the failure of the conference, Canadian the Prime Minister announces that it will repatriate the Constitution unilaterally. Several provinces, whose Quebec, then decide to carry their cause in front of the Courses of call. Those do not get along, but that of Newfoundland decides for the illegality of the project, which obliges Ottawa to call upon the Supreme court.

Meanwhile, Lévesque gains the elections of the April 14th 1981 where it obtains nearly 50% of the vote. Its promise fulfilled of good government contributed to the results, but of other reasons enter in account: it indeed engaged so that sovereignty is not a stake during the next mandate and shows effectively that the PQ is the only ready one to defend the interests of Quebec vis-a-vis the aimings of the federal government. On its side, PLQ is badly prepared with the election and the arrogance of its chief, Claude Ryan, the fact badly of appearing.

Two days later, the April 16th, Lévesque meet 8 provincial Prime Ministers with Vancouver (those of New Brunswick and Ontario desisted) in order to negotiate a formula of amendment. He agree to give up the right to veto, and its allies accept that the Charter of the rights is not enchased in the Constitution. Moreover, those decide to support it in its request to obtain a right of retirement with compensation which he prefers with the right to veto, because thus a province can refuse a federal program without preventing the others from adhering to it.

The September 28th 1981, the Supreme court rules that the Trudeau project is legal, but not legitimates, because it is necessary for him for that a substantial assent of a majority of provinces. Trudeau then invites its provincial counterparts with a conference of the last chance at at the beginning of November.

It is during this conference, in the night of the 4 to the November 5th, that the Trudeau government manages to get along with 9 provinces out of 10, following night negociations to which Quebec was not invited. The chief negotiators are Jean Chrétien, Roy Romanow, Roy McMurtry and Allan Blakeney (see Nuit of the Long Knives (Quebec)). The wording of the agreement is signed the morning in front of flabbergasted Québécois representatives. The Charter of the rights and freedoms is enchased in the Constitution (with the addition of a clause notwithstanding for certain key fields); the formula of withdrawal with compensation is abandoned; a right to veto is granted to the provinces of the West and the Atlantic, allowing them a certain authority on their natural resources, but Quebec does not obtain it; the mobility of labor interprovinciale is facilitated with the risk to compromise certain provincial programs of job creation; finally, article 23 makes illegal the Quebec clause, invalidating thus certain provisions of the Loi 101.

Lévesque returns to Quebec, humiliated and wounded. Its close relations agree to say that never again it will be the same one.

The federal takeover by force has an immediate consequence on PQ. With the eighth congress, in December 1981, the militants pequists adopt a resolution putting at the rancart the concept of association. Lévesque in vain tries to make them reconsider their decision and even threatens to resign. A few days later, he announces the behavior of an internal referendum in the Party aiming at cancelling the discussed resolution. It is what one called the renérendum , expression invented by Ian MacDonald, chronicler with the newspaper The Gazette . The February 9th 1982, the results are more than satisfactory for Lévesque: 95% of the 143,000 members of the PQ give him their support.

Second mandate (1981-1985)

Rene Lévesque is re-elected on April 13rd, 1981 vis-a-vis Claude Ryan, with an increased majority of 80 seats out of 122. The PQ obtains the strongest majority of its history with 49,26% of the vote of the voters whereas the Liberal party follows with 46,07%.

Return to journalism

Having decided to withdraw itself from the active policy, Lévesque returns to its first passion: journalism.

He dies of an heart attack the 1 {{er}} November 1987 in Montreal (with the Island-of-Sisters). Tens of thousands of people testify to him their recognition at the time of his funeral with Quebec. Its body is buried with the Saint-Michel cemetery of Sillery, in suburbs of Quebec, on November 5th.

Private life

In 1947, it marries Louise the Happy, girl of Eugene the Happy, director of the newspaper the catholic Action of Quebec, which its was already promised in marriage before the war. The couple will have three children: Pierre, Claude and Suzanne.

Rene Lévesque, presented like a seducer of women by his entourage, has a extra-marital love affair with his coanimatrice Judith Jasmin.

An unhappy incident makes the cuff as a févier 1977. In the night of the February 6th, Rene Lévesque cramp mortally, with its car, Edgar Trottier, a 62 year old homeless person who was on the road. Some say that Mr Lévesque was in a state of intoxication this evening there. The police officers who presented themselves on the spot do not have good year to make pass the regulatory tests to the man, considering the high position which it occupied at this time.

No charge will be carried against him, but Rene Lévesque will remain marked by the incident. It will be revealed thereafter that its momentary was not his wife, but a secretary of the name of Corinne Côté. The marriage of Rene Lévesque will be balanced then by a divorce then it will marry, on April 12th, 1978, Corinne Côté, girl of Romeo Côté and Irma Tremblay, with the Law courts of Montreal. This one had a notable influence on the decisions of Rene Lévesque. For example, following the night of the Long Knives, it encourages it to remain in station, in spite of the spite of Lévesque with regard to the political operations of which it made the expenses.

Political heritage

With his death in 1987, Rene Lévesque leaves last him an important political heritage. At the time of its passage in the political life of Quebec, he plays a determining role in the reorganization of the responsibilities allotted to the State by the citizens, just as in the relationship between the citizens and the political parties, the citizens and the public administration, the French-speaking majority and the minorities english-speaking and allophone, in addition to sowing in the heart and the spirit of a big number of his fellow-citizens the desire and the determination to lead Quebec to his independence by peaceful and democratic means.

Hydro-Quebec

Québécois party

Electoral system

Reform electoral law, financing of the political parties and referendums, reforms fallen through way of voting, but continued by many militants.

Linguistic policy

Although it was modified on several occasions following judgments given by the Supreme court of Canada, the Charter of the French language, the principal legal instrument on which the linguistic policy of Quebec rests, is always into force today.

Project of country

Although they cooled the heats of some of its more former partisans, the failures chief clerks of 1980 and 1995 did not make disappear the project from country, always in the middle of the political program of the Québécois Party and some other groups and parties, in particular interdependent Quebec.

Chronology

1922 - on August 24th, birth of Rene Lévesque at hospital of Campbellton, New Brunswick. (It grows in New Carlisle in Gaspésie).
1937 - on June 18th, death of his/her father.
1947 - on May 3rd, he marries Louise the Happy one to XXX.
1957 - Olivar-Asselin Price.
1960 - on June 22nd, he is elected appointed in the electoral constituency of Bay-tree.
1960 - on July 5th, he becomes Minister for the Hydraulic resources and public Minister for Labor.
1961 - on March 28th, he becomes Ministre for the Natural wealths.
1962 - on November 14th, he is re-elected appointed in the electoral constituency of Bay-tree.
1965 - on October 14th, he becomes Minister for the Family and the social Wellbeing.
1966 - on June 5th, he is once again re-elected in the district of Bay-tree.
1967 - on September 4th, it leaves the Liberal party of Quebec.
1967 - on November 19th, it founds the Movement sovereignty-association (MSA).
1967 - on December 28th, beginning of the negotiations between the MSA, the RN and the RIN for a fusion.
1968 - on January xx, publication of its proclamation Option Quebec .
1968 - on April 19th, held of the first congress of orientation of the MSA.
1968 - on October 11th, to Quebec, first national congress of the new party born of fusion enters the MSA and the RN.
1968 - on October 14th, he is elected president of the new Québécois Party (PQ).
1968 - on October 26th, the members of the RIN vote in favor of the dissolution of their organization. (Fifteen days later, the major part of its 16.000 members join the Québécois Party.)
1970 - on April 29th, it east demolishes in Laurier by the liberal André Marchand.
1970 - the xx XXX, he become chronicler with the Journal of Montreal and the Journal of Quebec .
1973 - on February xx, he is re-elected president of the PQ.
1973 - on October 29th, it east demolishes in the district of Dorion.
1976 - on November 15th, he is elected appointed in the electoral constituency of Taillon.
1976 - on November 25th, it is sworn in Prime Minister for Quebec.
1976 - on February 6th, it is implied in a road accident. The car which it leads runs up against Edgar Trottier, homeless person a 62 year old who will die on the blow. Mr. Lévesque was suspected of having led in a state of intoxication, the police officers who presented themselves on the spot never made him pass the test of ivressometer…
1977 - on November xx, it is made Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor
1977 - on November xx, it receives the medal of the town of Paris.
1979 - on April 12th, he marries Corinne Côté.
1979 - on July xx, his/her mother dies.
1981 - on April 13rd, he is re-elected appointed in the electoral constituency of Taillon.
1981 - on April 30th, it is sworn in Prime Minister for Quebec second once.
1987 - on November 1st, death of Rene Lévesque, 65 years old, in Montreal (Island of the Sisters).
1993 - the Association of the journalists independent of Quebec creates the Prix Rene-Lévesque.

Writings

Rene Lévesque is the author of some books and texts of opinion:

a country which should be made (1967)
Option Quebec (1968)
the Passion of Quebec (1978)
Oui (1980)
Attendez that I remember… (1986)

He signs also a good number of articles and chronicles in:

the Take-off
the Medical student
the free Bugle of Saint-Hyacinthe
Quoted
the Newspaper of Montreal
the Newspaper of Quebec
the Day

Anecdotes

It was a cousin resulting from German of the mother of the Franco-American writer Jack Kerouac.
It was called " Ti-Poil".
His/her friend and bodyguard was the professional fighter Johnny Rougeau
Following a survey Leger Marketing carried out in 2006, he was estimated that 56% of the Inhabitants of Quebec consider that Rene Lévesque was the largest Prime Minister for the 50 last years. The survey reveals that 32% of the english-speaking are also of this opinion. It exceeds Robert Bourassa which, in second position, harvest 14% of the votes (for the whole of the Inhabitants of Quebec).
the Cowboys fringants dedicated a song entitled to him Lettre In Lévesque . Words

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