Parti libéral du Québec
Encyclopedia
The Quebec Liberal Party is a centre-right
political party
in Quebec
. It has been independent of the federal Liberal Party of Canada
since 1955.
The party has traditionally supported Quebec federalism
: i.e., in favour of Quebec remaining within Canada
, and operating within Canadian federalism
. The party also supports a role for government in the economy, although in recent years its economic policies have moved towards neoliberalism
. It remains, however, a socially liberal
party.
The Quebec Liberals have always been associated with the colour red; each of their three main opponents in different eras have been associated with the colour blue. In 2007, however, the Action démocratique du Québec
(ADQ), whose official colours are blue and red, temporarily became the official opposition
in the National Assembly of Quebec
.
The most notable figure of this period was Louis-Joseph Papineau
.
, except for 18 months of Liberal minority government
in 1878-1879. However, the situation changed in 1885 when the federal Conservative
government executed Louis Riel
, the leader of the French-speaking Métis
people of western Canada. This decision was unpopular in Quebec. Honoré Mercier
rode this wave of discontent to power in 1887, but was brought down by a scandal in 1891. He was later cleared of all charges. The Conservatives returned to power until 1897.
The Liberals won the 1897 election
, and held power without interruption for the next 39 years; the Conservatives never held power in Québec again. This mirrored the situation in Ottawa, where the arrival of Wilfrid Laurier
in the 1896 federal election
marked the beginning of Liberal Party of Canada
dominance at the federal level. Notable long-serving Premiers of Quebec in this era were Lomer Gouin
and Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
.
By 1935, however, the Conservatives had an ambitious new leader, Maurice Duplessis
. Duplessis merged his party with dissident ex-Liberals who had formed the Action libérale nationale
. Duplessis led the new party, the Union Nationale (UN), to power in the 1936 election
. The Liberals returned to power in the 1939 election
, but lost it again in the 1944 election
. They remained in opposition to the Union Nationale until one year after Duplessis's death in 1959.
In 1955, the PLQ severed its affiliation with the Liberal Party of Canada, and, at times since then, relations between the two parties have been strained.
, the party won an historic election in 1960
, ending sixteen years of rule by the conservative Union Nationale. This marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution
, which dramatically changed Québec society. Under the slogan maîtres chez nous (masters in our own house), the Quebec government undertook several major initiatives, including:
Under Lesage, the Liberals developed a Quebec nationalist
wing. Some Liberals, including senior Cabinet
minister René Lévesque, left the Liberals to join the sovereignty movement
, participating in the founding of the Parti Québécois
under Lévesque's leadership.
Relations soured between the Quebec Liberal Party and the federal Liberal Party under Lesage, and particularly under Robert Bourassa
.
First elected in 1970
, Robert Bourassa instituted Bill 22 to introduce French language
as the official language in Quebec, and pushed Canadian Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
for constitutional concessions. Reelected in 1973
, his government was also embarrassed by several scandals. Bourassa resigned from the party's leadership after the loss of the 1976 election
to René Lévesque's Parti Québécois.
Bourassa was succeeded as Liberal leader by Claude Ryan
, the former director of the respected Montréal newspaper, Le Devoir
. Ryan led the successful federalist campaign in the 1980 Quebec referendum
on Québec sovereignty, but then lost the 1981 election
. He resigned as Liberal leader some time later, paving the way for the return of Robert Bourassa.
When Bourassa returned as Premier in 1985
, he successfully persuaded the federal Progressive Conservative
government of Brian Mulroney
to recognize Quebec as a distinct society
, and sought greater powers for Quebec and the other provinces. This resulted in the Meech Lake
and Charlottetown constitutional accords
. Both of these proposals, however, were not ratified. While a Quebec nationalist
, Bourassa remained an opponent of independence for Quebec.
Daniel Johnson, Jr. succeeded Bourassa as Liberal leader and Premier of Québec in 1994, but soon lost the 1994 election
to the Parti Québécois under Jacques Parizeau
.
In 1993, after the failure of the Charlottetown Accord, many nationalist members of the Liberal party led by Jean Allaire
and Mario Dumont
, including many from the party's youth wing, left to form the Action démocratique du Québec
(ADQ) because the Liberal Party dropped most of its autonomist demands
during the negotiation of the Charlottetown Accord. As in 1980, the PLQ campaigned successfully for a "no" vote in the 1995 Quebec referendum
on sovereignty.
, some federal Conservatives
(who otherwise tend to support the Action démocratique du Québec
(ADQ) in Québec politics), and some supporters of the federal New Democratic Party
. In terms of voter support, it has always been able to rely on the great majority of non-francophones in Québec.
Since the April 14, 2003 election
, the Liberals have formed the government of Québec under Premier Jean Charest
. Charest is a former federal Progressive Conservative
cabinet minister. The current Liberal government has proposed a policy of reform of social programs and cuts to government spending and the civil service. In its most recent budget, the Liberal government established a controversial health system fee for all taxpayers.
It has also attenuated some long-standing protectionist role of the Québec government with regards to the French language. For example, in response to a Supreme Court of Canada
decision overruling a loophole-closing stopgap measure enacted by the Bernard Landry
government, the Liberals enacted Loi 104 which provides for English-language, unsubsidized private school students to transfer into the subsidized English-language system, thus receiving the right to attend English schools in Québec for their siblings and all descendants, should the student demonstrate a bureaucratically-defined parcours authentique within the English system. Meanwhile, the Office québécois de la langue française
under the Liberal government has also opted for a demand-side strategy for the enforcement of language laws, using a number of publicity campaigns, including stickers which merchants may voluntarily affix on their shop windows stating that French service may be obtained within, allowing for consumers to "choose" stores which will serve them in French.
Midway through its first mandate, polls indicated the Charest government had been riding on the highest dissatisfaction rates ever recorded for a government in place in Québec. Highly controversial proposals to reform education, labour and social policy, stalled attempts to "streamline" the provincial civil service, growing labour unrest, and other factors gave the Parti Québécois a chance to win the 2007 election
. After the elections the Liberals were forced to form a minority government
, having lost francophone support to the ADQ.
Charest, in his speech at the beginning of the most recent legislative assembly in May, criticized newcomers on their responsibility to Québec and indicated francophones want preservation against minority groups. To firm up party support, Charest empowered a task force which asked for more policies to strengthen the French language. Party delegates were as a majority dismissive of this, calling it not sufficiently federalist. Minorities, usually unconditionally federalist, were upset that Quebecers are being split between "us" and "them."
Premier Charest called an early election for December 2008, and succeeded in winning enough additional seats in the National Assembly (increasing from 48 to 66 of 125 seats) to form a majority government. Election turnout was the lowest in Québec since the révolution tranquille.
Since its most recent election the Liberal government has been embroiled in a variety of scandals, including historic losses at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
(this in spite of their 2008 campaign slogan, "L'économie d'abord" (The Economy First), and their assurances during the campaign that all was well with the investment fund), the attribution of highly-sought subsidized daycare spaces to Liberal Party donors, as well as allegations of systemic construction industry corruption which arose notably during the 2009 Montréal municipal election
. Despite calls for a public commission of inquiry, the Charest government has refused to address the issue. Instead, a police operation dubbed Escouade Marteau was instituted to investigate allegations of corruption. This has not silenced government critics and the government currently enjoys historic lows in approval rating. Meanwhile, non-francophones remain enthusiastic supporters.
In opinion polling since the 2008 election, support for the party has rapidly dissolved to other parties (falling to a low of 23% compared to 41% on voting day). Initially, the PQ was the party with the most gains, polling consistently in the high 30's to low 40's, but their support levels have gone back to the 2008 results level.
Since the collapse of the Bloc Québécois
on the federal stage and the surge in the Quebec left-wing vote, Quebec Solidaire
has risen to a consistent 10% (at one point even overtaking the ADQ at 17%), taking some support from Charest and also the PQ. Support for the ADQ has stabilised after a leadership power vacuum in 2009, recoving from 6% to 18%, taking a considerable amount of Liberal support in the Capitale-Nationale region. The PLQ is still doing well in the Montreal area, however.
, a Quebec sovereigntist
, self-described social-democratic
party.
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It has been independent of the federal Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
since 1955.
The party has traditionally supported Quebec federalism
Quebec federalist ideology
Quebec federalist ideology revolves around the concept of Quebec remaining within Canada, in opposition to the desires of Quebec sovereigntists and proponents of Quebec independence....
: i.e., in favour of Quebec remaining within Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and operating within Canadian federalism
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
. The party also supports a role for government in the economy, although in recent years its economic policies have moved towards neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
. It remains, however, a socially liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
party.
The Quebec Liberals have always been associated with the colour red; each of their three main opponents in different eras have been associated with the colour blue. In 2007, however, the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
(ADQ), whose official colours are blue and red, temporarily became the official opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
in the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
.
Pre-Confederation
The Liberal Party is descended from:- the Parti canadienParti canadienThe Parti canadien or Parti patriote was a political party in what is now Quebec founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada at the beginning of the 19th century...
, or Parti Patriote who supported the 1837 Lower Canada RebellionLower Canada RebellionThe Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
, and - the Parti rougeParti rougeThe Parti rouge was formed in the Province of Quebec, around 1848 by radical French-Canadians inspired by the ideas of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the Institut canadien de Montréal, and the reformist movement led by the Parti patriote of the 1830s.The party was a successor to the Parti patriote...
, who fought for responsible governmentResponsible governmentResponsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
and against the authority of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Lower CanadaLower CanadaThe Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
.
The most notable figure of this period was Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau , born in Montreal, Quebec, was a politician, lawyer, and the landlord of the seigneurie de la Petite-Nation. He was the leader of the reformist Patriote movement before the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838. His father was Joseph Papineau, also a famous politician in Quebec...
.
Post-Confederation
The Liberals were in opposition to the ruling Conservatives for most of the first 20 years after Canadian ConfederationCanadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, except for 18 months of Liberal minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in 1878-1879. However, the situation changed in 1885 when the federal Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
government executed Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
, the leader of the French-speaking Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
people of western Canada. This decision was unpopular in Quebec. Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
rode this wave of discontent to power in 1887, but was brought down by a scandal in 1891. He was later cleared of all charges. The Conservatives returned to power until 1897.
The Liberals won the 1897 election
Quebec general election, 1897
The Quebec general election of 1897 was held on May 11, 1897 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by Félix-Gabriel Marchand, defeated the incumbent Quebec Conservative Party, led by Edmund James Flynn.This marked the start of...
, and held power without interruption for the next 39 years; the Conservatives never held power in Québec again. This mirrored the situation in Ottawa, where the arrival of Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
in the 1896 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1896
The Canadian federal election of 1896 was held on June 23, 1896 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Canada. Though the Conservative Party won a plurality of the popular vote, the Liberal Party, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the majority of seats to form the...
marked the beginning of Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
dominance at the federal level. Notable long-serving Premiers of Quebec in this era were Lomer Gouin
Lomer Gouin
Sir Jean Lomer Gouin, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician.-Biography:He was born in Grondines, Quebec and served as 13th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, as a Cabinet minister in the federal government of Canada, and as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.On May 24, 1888, he married...
and Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau was a the 14th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec...
.
By 1935, however, the Conservatives had an ambitious new leader, Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
. Duplessis merged his party with dissident ex-Liberals who had formed the Action libérale nationale
Action libérale nationale
The Action libérale nationale was a short-lived provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. It was founded during the Great Depression and led by Paul Gouin. The ALN played an important role in the foundation of the Union Nationale.-Origin and beliefs:The party was created in 1934 by...
. Duplessis led the new party, the Union Nationale (UN), to power in the 1936 election
Quebec general election, 1936
The Quebec general election of 1936 was held on August 17, 1936 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout.This marked the end of slightly more...
. The Liberals returned to power in the 1939 election
Quebec general election, 1939
The Quebec general election of 1939 was held on October 25, 1939 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
, but lost it again in the 1944 election
Quebec general election, 1944
The Quebec general election of 1944 was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale, led by former premier Maurice Duplessis, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout...
. They remained in opposition to the Union Nationale until one year after Duplessis's death in 1959.
In 1955, the PLQ severed its affiliation with the Liberal Party of Canada, and, at times since then, relations between the two parties have been strained.
Post-1960
Under Jean LesageJean Lesage
Jean Lesage, PC, CC, CD was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 19th Premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960, to 16 August 1966...
, the party won an historic election in 1960
Quebec general election, 1960
The Quebec general election of 1960 was held on June 22, 1960 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled perhaps only by the 1976 general election...
, ending sixteen years of rule by the conservative Union Nationale. This marked the beginning of the Quiet Revolution
Quiet Revolution
The Quiet Revolution was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective secularization of society, the creation of a welfare state and a re-alignment of politics into federalist and separatist factions...
, which dramatically changed Québec society. Under the slogan maîtres chez nous (masters in our own house), the Quebec government undertook several major initiatives, including:
- full nationalizationNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of the electricity industry through expansion of the government-owned Hydro-QuébecHydro-QuébecHydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
— this major initiative of the government was led by the minister of natural resources, René LévesqueRené LévesqueRené Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
;
- creation of a public pension plan, the Régie des rentes du Québec, separate from the Canada Pension PlanCanada Pension PlanThe Canada Pension Plan is a contributory, earnings-related social insurance program. It forms one of the two major components of Canada's public retirement income system, the other component being Old Age Security...
that exists in all other provinces of Canada;
Under Lesage, the Liberals developed a Quebec nationalist
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...
wing. Some Liberals, including senior Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
minister René Lévesque, left the Liberals to join the sovereignty movement
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...
, participating in the founding of the 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...
under Lévesque's leadership.
Relations soured between the Quebec Liberal Party and the federal Liberal Party under Lesage, and particularly under 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...
.
First elected in 1970
Quebec general election, 1970
The Quebec general election of 1970 was held on April 29, 1970 to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The former Legislative Assembly had been renamed the "National Assembly" in 1968...
, Robert Bourassa instituted Bill 22 to introduce French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as the official language in Quebec, and pushed Canadian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
for constitutional concessions. Reelected in 1973
Quebec general election, 1973
The Quebec general election of 1973 was held on October 29, 1973 to elect members to National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Robert Bourassa, won re-election, defeating the Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, and the Union Nationale .The Liberals won a...
, his government was also embarrassed by several scandals. Bourassa resigned from the party's leadership after the loss of the 1976 election
Quebec general election, 1976
The Quebec general election of 1976 was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada...
to René Lévesque's Parti Québécois.
Bourassa was succeeded as Liberal leader by Claude Ryan
Claude Ryan
Claude Ryan, was a Canadian politician and leader of the Parti libéral du Québec from 1978 to 1982. He was also the National Assembly of Quebec member for Argenteuil from 1979 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
, the former director of the respected Montréal newspaper, Le Devoir
Le Devoir
Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....
. Ryan led the successful federalist campaign in the 1980 Quebec referendum
1980 Quebec referendum
The 1980 Quebec referendum was the first referendum in Quebec on the place of Quebec within Canada and whether Quebec should pursue a path toward sovereignty. The referendum was called by Quebec's Parti Québécois government, which strongly favoured secession from Canada...
on Québec sovereignty, but then lost the 1981 election
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
. He resigned as Liberal leader some time later, paving the way for the return of Robert Bourassa.
When Bourassa returned as Premier in 1985
Quebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
, he successfully persuaded the federal Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
government of Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
to recognize Quebec as a distinct society
Distinct society
Distinct society is a political term especially used during constitutional debate in Canada, in the second half of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, and present in the two failed constitutional amendments, the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord...
, and sought greater powers for Quebec and the other provinces. This resulted in the Meech Lake
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...
and Charlottetown constitutional accords
Charlottetown Accord
The Charlottetown Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada, proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992. It was submitted to a public referendum on October 26 of that year, and was defeated.-Background:...
. Both of these proposals, however, were not ratified. While a Quebec nationalist
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...
, Bourassa remained an opponent of independence for Quebec.
Daniel Johnson, Jr. succeeded Bourassa as Liberal leader and Premier of Québec in 1994, but soon lost the 1994 election
Quebec general election, 1994
The Quebec general election of 1994 was held on September 12, 1994, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by Jacques Parizeau, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Daniel Johnson, Jr.....
to the Parti Québécois under 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:...
.
In 1993, after the failure of the Charlottetown Accord, many nationalist members of the Liberal party led by Jean Allaire
Jean Allaire
Jean Allaire was the author of the Allaire Report, and subsequently in 1994 the first leader of the fiscally conservative, autonomist provincial level political party in Quebec, the Action démocratique du Québec...
and Mario Dumont
Mario Dumont
Mario Dumont is a television personality and former politician in the province of Quebec. He was a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec , and the leader of the Action démocratique du Québec , from 1994 to 2009...
, including many from the party's youth wing, left to form the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
(ADQ) because the Liberal Party dropped most of its autonomist demands
Allaire Report
The Allaire Report was a report written by the constitutional reform committee of the Liberal Party of Quebec, chaired by lawyer and politician Jean Allaire, recommending a significant transfer of powers from Canada's federal government to the Government of Quebec...
during the negotiation of the Charlottetown Accord. As in 1980, the PLQ campaigned successfully for a "no" vote in 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:...
on sovereignty.
Modern era
The contemporary Québec Liberal Party is a broad-based coalition including among its members supporters of the federal LiberalsLiberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, some federal Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
(who otherwise tend to support the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
(ADQ) in Québec politics), and some supporters of the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. In terms of voter support, it has always been able to rely on the great majority of non-francophones in Québec.
Since the April 14, 2003 election
Quebec general election, 2003
The Quebec general election of 2003 was held on April 14, 2003, to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec . The Parti libéral du Québec , led by Jean Charest, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Bernard Landry.-Unfolding:...
, the Liberals have formed the government of Québec under Premier Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
. Charest is a former federal Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
cabinet minister. The current Liberal government has proposed a policy of reform of social programs and cuts to government spending and the civil service. In its most recent budget, the Liberal government established a controversial health system fee for all taxpayers.
It has also attenuated some long-standing protectionist role of the Québec government with regards to the French language. For example, in response to a Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
decision overruling a loophole-closing stopgap measure enacted by the Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry, is a Quebec lawyer, teacher, politician, who served as the 28th Premier of Quebec , leader of the Opposition and leader of the Parti Québécois .-Personal:...
government, the Liberals enacted Loi 104 which provides for English-language, unsubsidized private school students to transfer into the subsidized English-language system, thus receiving the right to attend English schools in Québec for their siblings and all descendants, should the student demonstrate a bureaucratically-defined parcours authentique within the English system. Meanwhile, the Office québécois de la langue française
Office québécois de la langue française
The Office québécois de la langue française is a public organization established on March 24, 1961 by the Liberal government of Jean Lesage...
under the Liberal government has also opted for a demand-side strategy for the enforcement of language laws, using a number of publicity campaigns, including stickers which merchants may voluntarily affix on their shop windows stating that French service may be obtained within, allowing for consumers to "choose" stores which will serve them in French.
Midway through its first mandate, polls indicated the Charest government had been riding on the highest dissatisfaction rates ever recorded for a government in place in Québec. Highly controversial proposals to reform education, labour and social policy, stalled attempts to "streamline" the provincial civil service, growing labour unrest, and other factors gave the Parti Québécois a chance to win the 2007 election
Quebec general election, 2007
The Quebec general election of 2007 was held in the Canadian province of Quebec on March 26, 2007 to elect members of the 38th National Assembly of Quebec. The Quebec Liberal Party led by Jean Charest managed to win a plurality of seats, but were reduced to a minority government, Quebec's first in...
. After the elections the Liberals were forced to form a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
, having lost francophone support to the ADQ.
Charest, in his speech at the beginning of the most recent legislative assembly in May, criticized newcomers on their responsibility to Québec and indicated francophones want preservation against minority groups. To firm up party support, Charest empowered a task force which asked for more policies to strengthen the French language. Party delegates were as a majority dismissive of this, calling it not sufficiently federalist. Minorities, usually unconditionally federalist, were upset that Quebecers are being split between "us" and "them."
Premier Charest called an early election for December 2008, and succeeded in winning enough additional seats in the National Assembly (increasing from 48 to 66 of 125 seats) to form a majority government. Election turnout was the lowest in Québec since the révolution tranquille.
Since its most recent election the Liberal government has been embroiled in a variety of scandals, including historic losses at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec manages public pension plans in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was founded in 1965 by an act of the National Assembly...
(this in spite of their 2008 campaign slogan, "L'économie d'abord" (The Economy First), and their assurances during the campaign that all was well with the investment fund), the attribution of highly-sought subsidized daycare spaces to Liberal Party donors, as well as allegations of systemic construction industry corruption which arose notably during the 2009 Montréal municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 2009
The city of Montreal, Quebec, held a municipal election at the same time as numerous other municipalities in Quebec, on November 1, 2009. Voters elected the Mayor of Montreal, Montreal City Council, and the mayors and councils of each of the city's boroughs....
. Despite calls for a public commission of inquiry, the Charest government has refused to address the issue. Instead, a police operation dubbed Escouade Marteau was instituted to investigate allegations of corruption. This has not silenced government critics and the government currently enjoys historic lows in approval rating. Meanwhile, non-francophones remain enthusiastic supporters.
In opinion polling since the 2008 election, support for the party has rapidly dissolved to other parties (falling to a low of 23% compared to 41% on voting day). Initially, the PQ was the party with the most gains, polling consistently in the high 30's to low 40's, but their support levels have gone back to the 2008 results level.
Since the collapse of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
on the federal stage and the surge in the Quebec left-wing vote, Quebec Solidaire
Québec Solidaire
Québec solidaire is a democratic socialist and sovereigntist political party in Quebec, Canada, that was created on 4 February 2006 in Montreal. It was formed by the merger of the left-wing party Union des forces progressistes and the alter-globalization political movement Option Citoyenne, led...
has risen to a consistent 10% (at one point even overtaking the ADQ at 17%), taking some support from Charest and also the PQ. Support for the ADQ has stabilised after a leadership power vacuum in 2009, recoving from 6% to 18%, taking a considerable amount of Liberal support in the Capitale-Nationale region. The PLQ is still doing well in the Montreal area, however.
Opposition
The Québec Liberal Party has faced various opposing parties in its history. Its main opposition from the time of Confederation (1867) to the 1930s was the Parti conservateur du Québec. That party's successor, the Union Nationale, was the main opposition to the Liberals until the 1970s. Since then the Liberals have alternated in power with the Parti QuébécoisParti 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...
, a Quebec 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...
, self-described social-democratic
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...
party.
Party leaders
- Henri-Gustave Joly de LotbinièreHenri-Gustave Joly de LotbinièreSir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, served as the fourth Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, a federal Cabinet minister, and the seventh Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.- Early years :...
(1867–1883) (premier 1878-1879) - Honoré MercierHonoré MercierHonoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
(1883–1892) (premier 1887-1891) - Félix-Gabriel MarchandFélix-Gabriel MarchandFélix-Gabriel Marchand was a journalist, author, notary and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the 11th Premier of Quebec from May 24, 1897 to September 25, 1900....
(1892–1900) (premier 1897-1900) - Simon-Napoléon ParentSimon-Napoléon ParentSimon-Napoléon Parent . Born in Quebec City he was the 12th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from October 3, 1900 to March 21, 1905.-Background:...
(1900–1905) (premier 1900-1905) - Lomer GouinLomer GouinSir Jean Lomer Gouin, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician.-Biography:He was born in Grondines, Quebec and served as 13th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, as a Cabinet minister in the federal government of Canada, and as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.On May 24, 1888, he married...
(1905–1920) (premier 1905-1920) - Louis-Alexandre TaschereauLouis-Alexandre TaschereauLouis-Alexandre Taschereau was a the 14th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1920 to 1936. He was elected four times, the first in 1900, in the riding of Montmorency. He was also a member of the Parti libéral du Québec...
(1920–1936) (premier 1920-1936) - Adélard GodboutAdélard GodboutJoseph-Adélard Godbout was an agronomist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 15th Premier of Quebec briefly in 1936, and again from 1939 to 1944. He was also leader of the Parti Libéral du Québec .-Youth and early career:Adélard Godbout was born in Saint-Éloi...
(1936–1948) (premier 1936, 1939-1944) - Georges-Émile LapalmeGeorges-Émile LapalmeGeorges-Émile Lapalme was a politician in Quebec, Canada, member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.-Background:...
(1950–1958) - Jean LesageJean LesageJean Lesage, PC, CC, CD was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 19th Premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960, to 16 August 1966...
(31 May 1958 – 28 August 1969) (premier 1960-1966) - Robert BourassaRobert BourassaJean-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...
(17 January 1970–1976) (premier 1970-1976) - Gérard D. LévesqueGérard D. LévesqueGérard D. Levesque was a long time Quebec politician and Cabinet minister who twice served as Acting Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Levesque was first elected to what is now called the Quebec National Assembly in the riding of Bonaventure in 1956 and sat in the legislature continuously until...
(interim) (1976–1978) - Claude RyanClaude RyanClaude Ryan, was a Canadian politician and leader of the Parti libéral du Québec from 1978 to 1982. He was also the National Assembly of Quebec member for Argenteuil from 1979 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
(1978–1982) - Gérard D. LévesqueGérard D. LévesqueGérard D. Levesque was a long time Quebec politician and Cabinet minister who twice served as Acting Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Levesque was first elected to what is now called the Quebec National Assembly in the riding of Bonaventure in 1956 and sat in the legislature continuously until...
(interim) (1982–1983) - Robert BourassaRobert BourassaJean-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...
(1983–1994) (premier 1985-1994) - Daniel Johnson, Jr. (1994–1998) (premier 1994)
- Jean CharestJean CharestJohn James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
(1998-) (premier 2003-)
Election results (since 1867)
| General election | # of candidates | # of seats won | % of popular vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1867 | 40 | 12 | 39.8% |
| 1871 | 38 | 19 | 40.5% |
| 1875 | 46 | 19 | 40.5% |
| 1878 | 59 | 31 | 29.7% |
| 1881 | 46 | 14 | 39.4% |
| 1886 | 49 | 33 | 39.5% |
| 1890 | 68 | 43 | 46.4% |
| 1892 | 62 | 21 | 44.2% |
| 1897 | 78 | 51 | 54.6% |
| 1900 | 77 | 67 | 54.8% |
| 1904 | 87 | 68 | 65.7% |
| 1908 | 76 | 57 | 54.2% |
| 1912 | 83 | 62 | 53.5% |
| 1916 | 85 | 75 | 64.0% |
| 1919 | 99 | 74 | 65.4% |
| 1923 | 92 | 63 | 52.9% |
| 1927 | 86 | 75 | 60.3% |
| 1931 | 90 | 79 | 54.9% |
| 1935 | 91 | 48 | 46.8% |
| 1936 | 89 | 14 | 40.0% |
| 1939 | 87 | 70 | 54.1% |
| 1944 | 91 | 37 | 39.4% |
| 1948 | 93 | 8 | 36.2% |
| 1952 | 92 | 23 | 45.8% |
| 1956 | 93 | 20 | 44.9% |
| 1960 | 95 | 51 | 51.3% |
| 1962 | 97 | 63 | 56.40% |
| 1966 | 108 | 50 | 47.29% |
| 1970 | 108 | 72 | 45.40% |
| 1973 | 110 | 102 | 54.65% |
| 1976 | 110 | 26 | 33.77% |
| 1981 | 122 | 42 | 46.07% |
| 1985 | 122 | 99 | 55.99% |
| 1989 | 125 | 92 | 49.95% |
| 1994 | 125 | 47 | 44.40% |
| 1998 | 125 | 48 | 43.55% |
| 2003 | 125 | 76 | 45.99% |
| 2007 | 125 | 48 | 33.07% |
| 2008 | 125 | 66 | 42.06% |
Youth Commission
One of the particularities of the Quebec Liberal Party is its Youth Commission. This standing committee is responsible for youth involvement in the party and has the office of members 16 to 25 years. This is the most powerful youth wing within his political party and what in the world with a minimum of one thirds of the delegates secured, the Congress of Members QLP (the supreme decision of the party). One of its bodies, the conference allows young people from across Quebec to spend a late week of debate on the political orientations of the CJ (Commission-Jeunesse in french). Every summer over thousand young Liberals meet for this congress. The Youth Commission has a number of QLP's struggles history both inside and outside his party. It marked the Quebec by proposing the creation Sun Card, fighting against Claude Ryan the 80 against the thawing of tuition and by requiring that QST is no longer collected on the sale Book Quebec in particular. In the 1980s, annual meetings of the Youth Commission drew near 1500 people year after year. She knew less pleasant moments, including during the deposition of Allaire report, which caused a tear within the Liberal Party and an exodus of members, leading to the creation of the ADQ (Action Démocratique du Québec). Chairman of the Youth Commission at the time was Mario Dumont, leader ADQ's 1994 to 2008. Among the debates led by young liberals note Teaching English in the first year of primary, the introduction of the Medicare card, abolition of junk food in schools, maintaining financing plan loans and scholarships, and Generations Fund.See also
- LiberalismLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
- Contributions to liberal theoryContributions to liberal theoryIndividual contributors to classical liberalism and political liberalism are associated with philosophers of the Enlightenment. Liberalism as a specifically named ideology begins in the late 18th century as a movement towards self-government and away from aristocracy...
- Liberalism worldwideLiberalism worldwideThis article gives information on liberalism in diverse countries around the world. It is an overview of parties that adhere more or less to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world....
- List of liberal parties
- Liberal democracyLiberal democracyLiberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
- Politics of QuebecPolitics of QuebecThe politics of Quebec are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of the province is Quebec City, where the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, the legislature, and cabinet reside.The...
- List of Quebec general elections
- List of Quebec premiers
- List of Quebec leaders of the Opposition
- National Assembly of QuebecNational Assembly of QuebecThe National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
- Timeline of Quebec historyTimeline of Quebec historyThis article presents a detailed timeline of Quebec history. Events taking place outside Quebec, for example in English Canada, the United States, Britain or France, may be included when they are considered to have had a significant impact on Quebec's history....
- Political parties in Quebec
- Quiet RevolutionQuiet RevolutionThe Quiet Revolution was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective secularization of society, the creation of a welfare state and a re-alignment of politics into federalist and separatist factions...
External links
- Parti libéral du Québec official site
- National Assembly historical information
- Liberal Party Election Performances
- EQUITAS Rule of Law Commission - Québec File Independent Supervising Body providing forensic analysis of QLP form of governance.