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Parizeau, graduated with a doctorate from the London School of Economics in London, England. He was one of the most important advisors to the provincial government during the 1960s, playing an important behind the scenes role in the Quiet Revolution. He was especially instrumental in the nationalization of Hydro-Quebec (a hydro-electric utility), and in the creation of the Quebec Pension Plan .
Parizeau gradually became a committed sovereigntist, and officially joined the Parti QuébécoisParti Quebecois Current Leader Bernard Landry Founded October 11, 1968 Headquarters 1200 Papineau Avenue, bureau 150 Montreal, QuebecH2K 4R5(514) 526-0020 & 1-800-363-9531[mailto:info@pq. org info@pq. org] Colours Blue (also White & Red) Political ideolog (PQ) on September 19September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). There are 103 days remaining. Events 1356 In Battle of Poitiers English defeat French 1692 Giles Corey is pressed to death after refusing to plead in the Salem witch trials. 1777 First Battl, 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i.
After the PQ was elected to office in the 1976 Quebec election, the new premier, René LévesqueRene Levesque ( August 24, 1922 November 1, 1987), was a reporter, a minister of the government of the Canadian province of Quebec ( 1960 1966), the founder of the Parti Quebecois political party, and Prime Minister of Quebec ( November 25, 1976 October 3, appointed Parizeau as Minister of Finance . Parizeau played an important role in the 1980 Quebec referendumThe 1980 Quebec referendum was the first referendum in Quebec that put to public vote the role of Quebec within Canada and whether Quebec should pursue a path toward independent statehood ("sovereignty"). The referendum was called by Quebec's governing pa campaign in favour of the government's proposals for sovereignty-association, i.e., political independence from Canada.
As Minister of Finance in Quebec, he was responsible for a number of innovative economic proposals, including the Quebec Stock Savings Plan (QSSP).
Married to Jewish and Polish immigrant Alice Poznanska ( 1930- 1990), Jacques Parizeau was criticized for supporting the Charter of the French Language. This law limits access to English-language public schools to children whose parents received their education in English in Canada. Parizeau used his wealth to educate his children in private schools.
In 1984, he had a falling out with Lévesque. Lévesque had moved away from pursuing sovereignty to focus on governing Quebec. Parizeau opposed this shift, resigned the Cabinet, and temporarily retired from politics. Lévesque retired soon after and was replaced by Pierre-Marc Johnson.
In 1987, Johnson also left the PQ leadership after losing the 1985 Quebec election. Parizeau, still a widely-liked figure, was elected to replace him as party leader on March 19, 1988.
In the 1989 Quebec election, Parizeau's first as PQ leader, his party did not fare well. But five years later, in the 1994 election, they won a convincing majority government. Parizeau promised to hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty within a year of his election ,and despite many objections, he followed through on this promise. In the beginning, support for sovereignty was only about 40% in the public opinion polls. As as the campaign wore on, however, support for the "Yes" side grew larger. This growth halted, however, and Parizeau came under pressure to hand more of the campaign over to Lucien Bouchard, the popular leader of the federal Bloc Québécois party. Parizeau agreed, and as the campaign progressed, lost his leadership role to Bouchard.
On the night of the 1995 referendum, Quebec came within only a few thousands of votes of separation, but the Yes side still lost. In his concession speech, he said sovereignty had been defeated by " money and the ethnic vote", and referred to the Francophones who voted Yes in the referendum as "nous" (us) when he said that this majority group was, for the first time, no longer afraid of political independence. 60% of Quebec Francophones (who represent 80% of all Quebecers) voted Yes. However, the sovereigntist side accepted the results of the vote which they had initiated.
Parizeau was widely criticized for the remarks, which he later characterized as unfortunate and as meriting the disapproval they received. Because of the defeat and these remarks, he resigned as PQ leader and Quebec premier the next day. The English-language media associated Parizeau's resignation only with these remarks. Others point out that he had made the decision to resign beforehand, and point to a television interview conducted on the eve of the vote for the Groupe TVA channel. This interview was held under "embargo", that is to say that the station agreed not to broadcast it until the referendum was over. In this interview, Parizeau spoke of his intentions to step down in case of defeat.
Parizeau was replaced by Lucien Bouchard as PQ leader and Quebec premier on January 29, 1996.
Parizeau retired to private life, but continued to make comments critical of Bouchard's new government and its failure to press the cause of Quebec independence. He owns an estate at his vineyard in France, a farm in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and a home in Montreal. His biographer is Pierre Duchesne .