POLI 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Lucien Bouchard, Mario Dumont, Jacques Chirac
17 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE AND BEYOND (02.07)
Breaking Point
- CBC documentary on 1995 referendum campaign
- Episode 1: A Battle of Titans
o Lead up to the referendum campaign & first 3 weeks of the campaign
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl7lOundk4Y
- Episode 2: The Choice
- Parizeau & Chretien meet in 1969 at a Mexico resort
- P comes from a wealthy family, went to the London School of Economics
- C chose the Canada side, is elected in Parliament in 1963
- P joins Rene-Levesque’s PQ in 1969
- P fights alongside Rene-Levesque in the 1980 referendum
o P thinks it’s a strategic mistake
- At the federal level, Chretien is the point man
- Lucien Bouchard (lawyer)
- In 1988 he joins Mulroney
- He turns his back to federalism when Charlottetown Agreement dies
- A wave of nationalism comes after Charlottetown
- 1993: Jean Chretien becomes Canadian PM
o He promises not to open constitutional talks
- 1993: Lucien Bouchard becomes leader of opposition (Bloc Quebecois)
- Preston Manning (Reform Party): comes to gov’t to shake up the federal gov’t
- 1994 (September 12): Parizeau wins elections (44% popular vote: weak for a referendum)
o Determined not to repeat Rene-Levesque’s mistake
o Sovereignty will not depend on a deal w/ English Canada
- Since Meech Lake death, sovereigntists have been on a row
Obstacles to Parizeau’s project
- US
o He must charm the Americans – an independent QC wouldn’t survive w/o them
o Canadian ambassador (Chretien’s nephew) determines the diplomatic r/s
- James Bay Cree
o Parizeau pulled the plug on the hydro project to do damage control
- He’s hopeful that France will quickly recognize QC as a new country
- P’s game: to use the support of France in such a way that it threaten the US of recognizing an
independent QC first
- Greeted by Jacques Chirac in France
o Ran for France presidentship
- During campaign: both France & US will make themselves heard
- Lucien Bouchard returns to Ottawa 12 weeks after his disease
o His return is potent for his separatist colleagues
- Province-wide commission about having a referendum in the spring
o Quebecers feel rushed
- Bouchard is more cautious than P (who wants to hold a referendum on separation asap)
o Bouchard wanted a softer approach: referendum on opening negotiations w/ Canada → offer
of partnership w/ Canada
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Episode 1: a battle of titans: lead up to the referendum campaign & first 3 weeks of the campaign, https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=fl7loundk4y. Parizeau & chretien meet in 1969 at a mexico resort. P comes from a wealthy family, went to the london school of economics. C chose the canada side, is elected in parliament in 1963. P fights alongside rene-levesque in the 1980 referendum: p thinks it"s a strategic mistake. At the federal level, chretien is the point man. He turns his back to federalism when charlottetown agreement dies. A wave of nationalism comes after charlottetown. 1993: jean chretien becomes canadian pm: he promises not to open constitutional talks. 1993: lucien bouchard becomes leader of opposition (bloc quebecois) Preston manning (reform party): comes to gov"t to shake up the federal gov"t. 1994 (september 12): parizeau wins elections (44% popular vote: weak for a referendum: determined not to repeat rene-levesque"s mistake, sovereignty will not depend on a deal w/ english canada.
