Jean Lesage

Born in 1912 in Montréal, Jean Lesage was the father of the Quiet Revolution. A former federal minister under Louis Saint-Laurent, he became leader of the Quebec Liberal Party on May 31, 1958. Elected in 1960, when a surge of social upheaval was sweeping through Quebec, he created the departments of Education and Cultural Affairs. He was re-elected in 1962 under the slogan « Maîtres chez nous » (“masters in our own house”) which promoted the nationalization of the province’s hydroelectricity companies. Defeated in 1966, Jean Lesage remained leader of the party until his retirement in 1970. He died in Québec City in 1980.