Jacques Parizeau

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Jacques Parizeau (2007)

Jacques Parizeau , GOQ (born August 9, 1930 in Montreal ; † June 1, 2015 there ) was a Canadian politician and economist . During the Silent Revolution of the 1960s, he promoted the nationalization of the electricity industry in the province of Québec and the creation of a provincial pension system. From 1976 to 1984 he was Minister of Finance in René Lévesque's government. In 1987 he was elected chairman of the Parti Québécois . From September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996, he was Prime Minister of Québec and ran a separatist course. The independence referendum he had scheduled failed on October 30, 1995 with an extremely narrow 50.58% rejection.

Study and job

The son of the economic historian Gérard Parizeau received his education at the Collège Stanislas , a renowned private school in the city of Québec . He then studied at the École des hautes études commerciales (HEC) in Montreal and at the Institut d'études politiques in Paris . Eventually he earned a Ph.D. at the London School of Economics . From 1955 to 1976 Parizeau was a professor at the HEC and headed the Institute for Applied Economics there from 1973 to 1975.

As a supporter of a state-controlled market economy based on the principles of Keynesianism , Parizeau was one of the most important advisors to the Quebec provincial government in the 1960s and played an important role in the background during the Silent Revolution . He made an important contribution to the nationalization of the electricity company Hydro-Québec , the establishment of the pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the investment company Société générale de financement, as well as the development of a provincial pension system ( Régie des rentes du Québec ) , which is supported by the rest of Canada Social security system is independent.

Political career

Jacques Parizeau in a speech as Minister of Finance (1981)

Parizeau turned into a staunch separatist ( called a sovereignist in Québec ) and joined the Parti Québécois in 1969 . In 1970 and 1973 he ran in the elections to the National Assembly of Québec , but without success. In 1976 he was finally elected in the L'Assomption constituency in the Lanaudière region . The new head of government René Lévesque appointed Parizeau finance minister. He actively supported the Québec referendum in 1980 , which aimed to achieve extensive autonomy for Québec, but was rejected with almost 60% of the vote.

In November 1984 the government fell apart. Lévesque had given the short-term objective of independence of Quebec and sought negotiations with the federal government of Brian Mulroney in order by changing the constitution to federalism expand. Parizeau did not agree with this change of strategy and, together with several ministers, announced his resignation. In the meantime he withdrew from politics and resumed teaching at the HEC. Lévesque did not last long, and was replaced by Pierre Marc Johnson .

Despite his break with Lévesque, Parizeau still had great influence within the Parti Québécois. After Johnson's resignation, he was elected the new party leader on March 19, 1988 and also took on the role of opposition leader in the National Assembly. The 1989 elections ended in clear defeat, but in the elections five years later the Québecois Party won 77 out of 125 seats. On September 26, 1994 Parizeau was sworn in as the new Prime Minister.

Prime Minister of Quebec

Parizeau promised to hold a referendum on Québec independence within a year. In early opinion polls, approval was only around 40%. Although it rose slightly again, it then stagnated. Parizeau gave in to the pressure and gave Lucien Bouchard , popular leader of the federal Bloc Québécois party , primary responsibility for the stalled campaign. The independence referendum on October 30, 1995 only narrowly failed: 50.58% rejected the separation from Canada, with a participation of 94% of the registered voters.

After the outcome was determined, Parizeau blamed “money and the votes of the minorities” for the failure. By this he meant illegal spending by the opposing referendum committee and the overwhelming rejection of independence by the English-speaking and indigenous minorities. His controversial remarks were heavily criticized in the media. The following day he announced his impending resignation. Bouchard replaced Parizeau on January 29, 1996 as party chairman and prime minister.

After his resignation, Parizeau withdrew into private life, but repeatedly criticized Bouchard's new government and its hesitant position on the question of independence.

Private life

Jacques Parizeau was first married to the Polish writer Alice Parizeau (Alicja Poznańska), who died in 1990. Two years later he married Lisette Lapointe, who had been his press spokesperson and secretary since his time as finance minister. In 2007 she ran for a seat in the National Assembly and was successful for the Parti Québécois in the constituency of Crémazie in northern Montreal. Parizeau lived on a farm in the Estrie region and owned a vineyard in France .

literature

  • Pierre Duchesne : Jacques Parizeau. Le Croisé - 1930-1970 . Éditions Québec Amérique, Montréal 2001, ISBN 2-7644-0105-1 .
  • Pierre Duchesne: Jacques Parizeau. Le Baron - 1970-1985 . Éditions Québec Amérique, Montréal 2002, ISBN 2-7644-0153-1 .
  • Pierre Duchesne: Jacques Parizeau. Le Régent - 1985-1995 . Éditions Québec Amérique, Montréal 2004, ISBN 2-7644-0280-5 .

Works

  • Les post-keynésiens et la politique économique contemporaine. 1960 ( online version )
  • La solution. Le program du Parti québécois présenté par René Lévesque. 1970 ( online version )
  • Course initiation à l'économie du Québec. 1975
  • Pour un Québec sovereign . VLB éditeur, 1997, ISBN 2-89005-655-4 .
  • Une bouteille à la mer? Le Québec et la mondialisation . VLB éditeur, 1998, ISBN 2-89005-688-0 .

Web links

Commons : Jacques Parizeau  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Parizeau, Jacques
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian politician and economist
DATE OF BIRTH August 9, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Montreal
DATE OF DEATH June 1, 2015
Place of death Montreal