Lévesque, René (redirected from René Lévesque)

Lévesque, René (lāvĕk`), 1922–87, Canadian political leader. After a career in journalism and television, he served in the Quebec National Assembly (1961–67) as a member of the Liberal party. He left the Liberal party in 1967 and founded (1968) the Parti Québécois, which advocated Quebec's secession from Canada. In 1976, the Parti Québécois was the victor in provincial elections, and Lévesque became premier. A 1980 referendum on separation from Canada won the support of only 40% of the voters, but Lévesque remained premier until 1985, when he resigned as party leader and premier after the party voted to temporarily abandon the goal of separation.

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Lévesque, René

(born Aug. 24, 1922, New Carlisle, Que., Can.—died Nov. 1, 1987, Montreal, Que.) Canadian politician. He joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1946, became a war correspondent in Korea in 1952, and was a television commentator from 1956 to 1959. Elected to the Quebec legislature in 1960, he joined the administration of Jean Lesage. In 1967 he cofounded a separatist group that combined with others to form the Parti Québécois. In 1976 his party won control of the Quebec assembly, and he became premier. He proposed an independent Quebec in economic union with the rest of Canada, an arrangement he called “sovereignty-association.” In 1980 his plan was rejected by the Quebec electorate. He resigned in 1985 because of failing health.