Parti Québécois

The Parti Quebecois is a French separatist political party of the Quebec province of Canada. Created in the late 1960s as a peaceful alternative to the violent FLQ and desiring separation and independence from English Canada. In the 1976 Provincial election, the Parti Quebecois and its leader Rene Levesque were elected the government of Quebec.

The Parti Quebecois has initiated two referendums to begin negotiation for independence, the first time in 1980 losing by 20% and again in 1995 losing by less than 1%. Besides independence the Parti Quebecois promotes the French language and culture. One of its first actions was the passage in 1974 of the French Language Charter which prohibited the use of the English language on signs or in commercial transactions.

Two thirds of northern Quebec is occupied by either Cree or Inuit peoples who have not supported independence. The threat of separation from the rest of Canada resulted in more than 400,000 English speaking residents of Quebec to leave the province. Nonetheless, approximately 20 percent of southern Quebec is still English speakinh.

The Parti Quebecois is a socialist party generally supporting welfare, medical programs, and education. The Bloc Quebecois is the federal party that supports the independence of Quebec.

See also Politics of Canada Jean Chretien Canadian French Quebecois