René Lévesque

René Lévesque was a journalist when, in 1960, he ventured into Quebec electoral politics, becoming a minister in Jean Lesage’s Liberal government. A prominent figure in Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, Lévesque believed that the province should have more power within Confederation. In 1969, he founded a new party, the Parti Québécois, dedicated to achieving ”sovereignty-association”— political autonomy with maintained economic links to Canada. Under Lévesque, the new party formed a government in 1976, but lost the May 1980 referendum on sovereignty. Lévesque remained in power until 1985, when he stepped down as Premier. He died two years later, perhaps the most pivotal figure in the modern Quebec nationalist movement.