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The Quebec Referendum of 1980

The Quebec Referendum of 1980. By Timmy and Chung-Keun. The Issue. http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1938-12601/politics_economy/1980_referendum/. Rene Levesque. Leader of Parti Quebec and the premier of Quebec as well Was a sovereignist which meant he wanted to separate from Canada

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The Quebec Referendum of 1980

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  1. The Quebec Referendum of 1980 By Timmy and Chung-Keun

  2. The Issue • http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1938-12601/politics_economy/1980_referendum/

  3. Rene Levesque • Leader of Parti Quebec and the premier of Quebec as well • Was a sovereignist which meant he wanted to separate from Canada • He founded the Mouvement Souverainete-association in 1967 which later became the Parti Quebecois in October 1968 • His goal was to promote independence and new political status for Quebec • In 1973 the Parti Quebecois became the Official Opposition • On November 1976 his party won a majority of 71 seats and he became the premier • He lost the referendum of 1980 with 40 percent of the votes, but won • the election of 1981 • The PQ suffered another defeat during the 1981-82 constitutional negotiations when the other 9 Canadian provinces accepted terms rejected by all parties in the Quebec National Assembly • On November 1984 he said he will discuss the issue of independence and resigned from the party in June1985 • After his retirement he resumed his journalist and broadcasting career

  4. The Parti Quebecois • Is a Quebec nationalist formed in 1968 through a merger of 2 movements • The two movements were a sovereignty-association movement in the Mouvement Souverainete-Association and the Rassemblement pour independance national • The MSA had already been merged with another group, the Ralliement national, which was led by the former Creditiste federal member of Parliament, Gilles Gregoire • The leader of the Parti Quebecois was Rene Lévesque who was the premier of Quebec

  5. Trudeau vs. Levesque • After his 1977 electoral victory Lévesque wanted to introduce a referendum a sovereignty-association for Quebec • He wanted to resolve conflicts by taking Quebec out of Canada • Trudeau believed that if Canada had control of its constitution then the federal government would be able to deal more effectively with language and other rights issues. • http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-73-1938-12614/politics_economy/1980_referendum/

  6. The referendum question • The first referendum in Quebec was on May 20, 1980 • The question whether Quebec should separate from Canada or not • http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1938-12602/politics_economy/1980_referendum/clip3

  7. English version • The question posed on the ballot was: • "The Government of Quebec has made public its proposal to negotiate a new agreement with the rest of Canada, based on the equality of nations; this agreement would enable Quebec to acquire the exclusive power to make its laws, levy its taxes and establish relations abroad — in other words, sovereignty — and at the same time to maintain with Canada an economic association including a common currency; any change in political status resulting from these negotiations will only be implemented with popular approval through another referendum; on these terms, do you give the Government of Quebec the mandate to negotiate the proposed agreement between Quebec and Canada"

  8. French (original) version • The original French text was: • « Le Gouvernement du Québec a fait connaître sa proposition d’en arriver, avec le reste du Canada, à une nouvelle entente fondée sur le principe de l’égalité des peuples ; cette entente permettrait au Québec d'acquérir le pouvoir exclusif de faire ses lois, de percevoir ses impôts et d’établir ses relations extérieures, ce qui est la souveraineté, et, en même temps, de maintenir avec le Canada une association économique comportant l’utilisation de la même monnaie ; aucun changement de statut politique résultant de ces négociations ne sera réalisé sans l’accord de la population lors d’un autre référendum ; en conséquence, accordez-vous au Gouvernement du Québec le mandat de négocier l’entente proposée entre le Québec et le Canada ? »

  9. Oui vs. Non • The Oui side was lead by Rene Levesque • The Non side was led by Claude Ryan and federal Cabinet minister Jean Chrétien • Pierre Trudeau campaigned for the Non side of the referendum after winning the 1980 federal election • The Oui side wanted independence from Canada • The Non side highlighted the advantages for Quebec from Canadian Confederation; they did not want to leave Canada • It the first week it looked like the Oui side would win the referendum • Rene Levesque planned his speeches carefully and was non the front page of the news whenever he spoke • On the other hand Claude Ryan was hesitant his speeches weren't very inspiring and he was ignored by the media • Jean Chrétien organized Federal politicians to visit Quebec and advise people to vote Non • Citizens from other provinces urged Quebec to vote Non • One event was many people signed a “We Love you Quebec” petition

  10. Turning Point • Parti Quebecois cabinet minister Lise Paynette called woman who supported the Non side Yvettes which was slang for dumb housewives • These women organized rallies against the PQs and more women began to vote for the Non side • Pierre Trudeau make three speeches which were considered his finest

  11. Effect on Quebec society • The people in Quebec who wanted to separate from Canada were called separatists and soverereignists • They said that Quebec would prosper well if they were in charge of their own needs and ideas • Only the Francophone Quebecers wanted an independent Quebec nation • The Francophone Quebecers felt it had democratic power a state of its own, but that it had no constitutional powers in order to be the effective national government of Quebecers

  12. The Result • The voter turnout was very high at 82 percent and emotions across Canada were intense. When all the votes were counted the Non side won with 59.4 percent of the vote. • 59.56 percent of the voters wanted to stay with Canada while 40.44 percent of the voters wanted to separate from Canada • Levesque accused the Non side of using scare tactics and his dreams were crushed, but he told his supporters that they should never give up. • From this Pierre Trudeau gained the desire and opportunity to pursue a new confederation • http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1938-12604/politics_economy/1980_referendum/clip4

  13. After the Referendum • http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1092-6040/politics_economy/Patriation/

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