Jean-François Lisée
Encyclopedia
Jean-François Lisée is a Québécois
political analyst, journalist, author, intellectual
and well-known sovereigntist
thinker. He has been special advisor to Parti Québécois
Premiers of Quebec Jacques Parizeau
and Lucien Bouchard
. He is presently Executive Director of the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal
. His work centers on Quebec sovereignty
, the sociological
phenomena affecting the latter's support, as well as the Quebec Model and social democracy
in an era of globalization
.
, Journalism
and Communication studies
. He was, in the 1980s, a reporter in Paris
and Washington
for Quebec and French media. During that decade, he began an expansive investigation into 30 years of American political, diplomatic, financial and media attention toward Quebec and its independence movement, resulting in the book In the Eye of the Eagle, published in 1990. It won the Governor General's Award
for non-fiction. Two books followed: Le Tricheur and Le Naufrageur; both highly-critical of former Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa
. Accordingly, his refusal to achieve sovereignty
, in the context of the Meech Lake Accord
failure, left many Quebec nationalists
feeling betrayed.
In 1994, he became a "special advisor" to Parti Québécois
Premier Jacques Parizeau
and an important strategist for the 1995 Quebec referendum
campaign. After the sovereignty-referendum-failure and the resulting resignation of Parizeau, Lisée became adviser to successor Lucien Bouchard
. He resigned from this post in late 1999 because of disagreements over the sovereignty-strategy of the provincial PQ government. He explained his own strategy in 2000's Emergency Exit: How to Avert Quebec Decline.
Lisée was Guest scholar from 2001 to 2003 at the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CERI) in Paris and at the Political Science Department of the Université de Montréal. He is currently the Executive Director of the International Studies Center at the Université de Montréal (CERIUM
) as well as member of the Centre de recherche en politiques et développement social (CPDS) and founder of international politics website PolitiquesSociales.net. He periodically writes articles published in the current affairs magazine L'actualité
.
French-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
political analyst, journalist, author, intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
and well-known sovereigntist
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
thinker. He has been special advisor to Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
Premiers of Quebec Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:...
and Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
. He is presently Executive Director of the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal
Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal
The Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal, also known as CÉRIUM, is a center for research in international relations and which is affiliated with Université de Montréal.-Mission:...
. His work centers on Quebec sovereignty
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
, the sociological
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
phenomena affecting the latter's support, as well as the Quebec Model and social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
in an era of globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
.
Biography
Jean-François Lisée holds degrees in LawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and Communication studies
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
. He was, in the 1980s, a reporter in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for Quebec and French media. During that decade, he began an expansive investigation into 30 years of American political, diplomatic, financial and media attention toward Quebec and its independence movement, resulting in the book In the Eye of the Eagle, published in 1990. It won the Governor General's Award
Governor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, marking distinction in a number of academic, artistic and social fields. The first was conceived in 1937 by Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction who created the Governor...
for non-fiction. Two books followed: Le Tricheur and Le Naufrageur; both highly-critical of former Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
. Accordingly, his refusal to achieve sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
, in the context of the Meech Lake Accord
Meech Lake Accord
The Meech Lake Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and ten provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the government of the Province of Quebec to endorse the 1982 Canadian Constitution and increase...
failure, left many Quebec nationalists
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
feeling betrayed.
In 1994, he became a "special advisor" to Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
Premier Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:...
and an important strategist for the 1995 Quebec referendum
1995 Quebec referendum
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:...
campaign. After the sovereignty-referendum-failure and the resulting resignation of Parizeau, Lisée became adviser to successor Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
. He resigned from this post in late 1999 because of disagreements over the sovereignty-strategy of the provincial PQ government. He explained his own strategy in 2000's Emergency Exit: How to Avert Quebec Decline.
Lisée was Guest scholar from 2001 to 2003 at the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CERI) in Paris and at the Political Science Department of the Université de Montréal. He is currently the Executive Director of the International Studies Center at the Université de Montréal (CERIUM
Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal
The Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal, also known as CÉRIUM, is a center for research in international relations and which is affiliated with Université de Montréal.-Mission:...
) as well as member of the Centre de recherche en politiques et développement social (CPDS) and founder of international politics website PolitiquesSociales.net. He periodically writes articles published in the current affairs magazine L'actualité
L'actualité
L'actualité is a Canadian French-language news and general interest magazine published in Montreal by Les Éditions Rogers, which is owned by Rogers Communications. The magazine has over a million readers, according to Canada's Print Measurement Bureau, from its circulation which is mainly...
.
See also
- List of Université de Montréal people
- Quebec sovereignty movementQuebec sovereignty movementThe Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
- Social democracySocial democracySocial democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
- Parti QuébécoisParti QuébécoisThe Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
External links
- His daily Blog on L'actualité's web site
- Personal article archive on Vigile.net
- English counterpart on Vigile
- Biography and article archive on the CÉRIUMCentre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de MontréalThe Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal, also known as CÉRIUM, is a center for research in international relations and which is affiliated with Université de Montréal.-Mission:...
website - Biography and article archive on the CPDS website
- PolitiqueSociales.net