Skip to main content
René Lévesque was the figurehead of the “Oui” faction in the 1980 referendum on Quebec’s future sovereignty-association with Canada. He was the party leader of the Parti Québécois and the premier of Quebec. The original sovereignty-association project was put forth in 1968 by Levesque’s former party, called Option Québec. It stipulated the need to achieve independence while maintaining economic ties with Canada.
1980 - 1980

The 1980 referendum

On May 20, 1980, René Lévesque’s Parti Québécois government asked the residents of Quebec to vote on the constitutional future of the province. The 80-word referendum question presented the option of “sovereignty-association.” At the end of an emotion- and debate-filled campaign that sometimes divided families and friends, the verdict was in: The “Non” won with almost 60% of the votes. The vote against sovereignty-association predominated in the Québec City area, except in the Louis-Hébert riding represented by Minister Claude Morin. Do you have any memories of the 1980 referendum?

A speech by the “Oui” faction in 1980

Auteur inconnu René Lévesque was the figurehead of the “Oui” faction in the 1980 referendum on Quebec’s future sovereignty-association with Canada. He was the party leader of the Parti Québécois and the premier of Quebec. The original sovereignty-association project was put forth in 1968 by Levesque’s former party, called Option Québec. It stipulated the need to achieve independence while maintaining economic ties with Canada.
Chronoscope Can you name any other people in the photo? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Ville de Québec All rights reserved: Ville de Québec - Le Soleil Fonds - Date: 1980