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Union Nationale (Canada)
Encyclopedia
The Union nationale was a political party
in Quebec
, Canada
, that identified with conservative
Québécois
autonomist
nationalism
. It was created during the Great Depression
and held power in Quebec from 1936 to 1939, and from 1944 to 1960 under the leadership of Premier
Maurice Duplessis
, and from 1966 to 1970.
The party was often referred to in English as the National Union, especially when it was still an electoral force; in at least one case, the party itself used that name in an English-language election ad.
(a group dissidents from the Quebec Liberal Party) and the Conservative Party of Quebec. In the 1935 Quebec election
the two parties agreed to run only one candidate of either party in each district. The Action libérale nationale (ALN) elected 26 out of 57 candidates and the Conservatives won 16 seats out of 33 districts.
Conservative Leader Maurice Duplessis
became Leader of the Opposition. He soon rose to prominence as he used the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to expose the corrupt practices of the Liberal government
of Alexandre Taschereau and force it to call an early election.
Capitalizing on his success, Duplessis called a caucus meeting at Sherbrooke's Magog Hotel and received the support of 15 Conservatives and 22 ALN members in favor of a merger of the two parties under his leadership.
The new party had no formal ties to the federal Conservatives. It ran candidates in every district and won a majority of the seats in the 1936 election
.
legislators. René Chaloult
, Oscar Drouin
, Joseph-Ernest Grégoire
, Philippe Hamel
, François Leduc
and Adolphe Marcoux
quit
the party, while Rouville Beaudry
and Grégoire Bélanger
left politics.
The government adopted a farm credit policy in 1936, which was popular in rural areas where lived the party's most loyal base of supporters, but for the essential the administration of Maurice Duplessis protected the status quo. For instance, it gave the Catholic
clergy
government money to provide public education
, health care
and other social services.
Also, the legislature passed the Act to protect the Province Against Communistic Propaganda, better known as the Padlock Law
, in 1937, which provided evidence of Duplessis's interest in appearing tough on communism
.
. Federal Cabinet Member Ernest Lapointe
, the Quebec lieutenant
of Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King
, promised that no one would face conscription if voters supported the Liberals. The pledge was devastating to the Union Nationale, which lost the 1939 election
.
While serving in His Majesty's Loyal Opposition
, the party opposed Women's suffrage
which was enacted by the government of Adélard Godbout
in 1940.
failed to impose the strict respect for the principles established in the British North America Act of 1867
. The Liberals received a plurality of the vote in the 1944 election
, but a majority of the seats were won by the Union Nationale.
World War II
prosperity kept unemployment low. Machine politics, fiscal conservatism
and a program of rural electrification
consolidated the dominance of the Union Nationale over the province. The government of Maurice Duplessis adopted the current flag of Quebec
to replace the Union Jack. It won a landslide victory
in the 1948 election
, leaving the Liberals with only a handful of seats. Until the 1952 election
, the Liberal delegation to the Legislative Assembly
consisted of only a handful of members who came almost entirely from Montreal
's West Island
. It was not until 1953 that their leader could win a seat in the institution.
Duplessis's administration was not flawless. Its relation with labour in general and trade unions in particular was difficult and led to a number of strikes. The government was also accused of being too strongly aligned with the Catholic clergy. Indeed, many priests openly supported the Duplessis government and attacked the Liberals by using the slogan Le ciel est bleu, l'enfer est rouge (Heaven is blue, hell is red). The government was also accused of discrimination against Jehovah's Witnesses
, receiving insufficient royalties for the extraction the province's natural resources and allowing election fraud for its own benefit.
Nonetheless, the Union Nationale was re-elected in the 1952 election
with a reduced majority, and in the 1956 election
. Moreover, its influence was made obvious when its organization helped defeat Mayor of Montreal
Jean Drapeau
in 1957 and assisted John Diefenbaker
's Progressive Conservative
candidates getting elected in the 1958 federal election
.
succeeded him, but he also died after only three months in office. Antonio Barrette
took over and called an election in 1960
, which was won by Jean Lesage
's Liberals. The new government implemented a vast program of social changes, which is now known as the Quiet Revolution
.
Daniel Johnson, Sr. became the leader of the Union Nationale in 1961. He was chosen by party delegates rather than by his colleagues only. The party lost the 1962 election
, but it held a convention to discuss its platform in 1965 and opened its structures to card-carrying supporters. Johnson published a book called Égalité ou indépendance (Equality or independence), which appealed to a number of nationalist voters. Even though the Liberals won a plurality of the vote in the 1966 election
, the Union Nationale won a majority of the seats. Among the newly elected MLAs, there were three former federal politicians: Rémi Paul
, Jean-Noël Tremblay
and Clément Vincent
.
Johnson set a slower pace, but sustained many reforms initiated by the Liberals. His administration established CEGEP
s (Collèges d'enseignement général et professionnel, or "College of General and Vocational Education") in 1967, abolished the Legislative Council of Quebec
and completed the dam and the generating station of Manic-5 in 1968 and laid the groundwork for the public health insurance plan that would later be implemented by the Liberal government of Robert Bourassa
.
in Canada in 1967 and Daniel Johnson, Sr.'s sudden death in 1968 left the party divided between its nationalist wing and members who clearly positioned themselves as a federalists
. The latter prevailed when Jean-Jacques Bertrand
won the party leadership over Jean-Guy Cardinal
, but the controversy over a language legislation known as Bill 63 prompted a number of nationalist supporters as well as legislators such as Antonio Flamand
and Jérôme Proulx
to join the Parti Québécois
.
In addition, the Union Nationale lost a portion of its conservative base, including MNA Gaston Tremblay
, to the Ralliement créditiste
. Bertrand was unable to inspire voters and the party seemed to have lost touch with Quebec society. While the Union Nationale managed to obtain the status of Official Opposition, it finished third in the popular vote behind the Parti Québécois in the 1970 election
.
Gabriel Loubier
took over as leader and the party became known as Unité Québec from October 25, 1971 to January 14, 1973. Under his tenure, the party was wiped off the political map: none of its candidates were elected in the 1973 election
.
In 1974, former UN Cabinet
Member and interim leader Maurice Bellemare
won a by-election
, and the party once again was represented in the National Assembly
. On May 31, 1975, the party merged with the tiny Parti présidentiel
, a group of Créditiste
dissidents led by Yvon Brochu
, and kept the Union Nationale name.
In May 1976, business owner Rodrigue Biron
, a former card-carrying Liberal supporter who had no experience in provincial politics, was chosen as party leader. His impulsive policy statements and poor relations with the old guard of the party had led to resignations of party officials, including Jacques Tétreault
, who had been his most serious opponent for the party leadership. In September 1976, Biron abandoned a projet to unite his party with Jérôme Choquette
's Parti National Populaire
, despite prior efforts made by the two groups.
The Union Nationale made a modest recovery in the 1976 election
, winning 11 seats and 18.2% of the popular vote, but in 1980 Biron quit the party to sit as an independent and joined the Parti Québécois
. Michel Le Moignan
, the MNA for the district of Gaspé
, took over as interim leader. By then six Union Nationale MNAs had already crossed the floor
, moved to federal politics or retired from public office, leaving the party with only five seats.
Member of Parliament
(MP) Roch LaSalle was acclaimed leader of the Union Nationale. As it did under Loubier seven years earlier, the party failed to win a single seat to the National Assembly. La Salle resigned as leader and returned to federal politics. He won the federal by-election that was called as a result of his resignation and the Union Nationale never won another seat in any subsequent election.
In the 1980s and in the early 1990s, the Union Nationale no longer could rely on a significant get-out-the-vote organization or attract any media attention. The electorate was increasingly polarized over the constitutional issue and even conservative voters would support either the federalist Liberals or the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in provincial elections.
Furthermore, a number of small conservative and créditiste
parties were created and were in competition with the Union Nationale for the few thousands of votes that were still up for grabs. The situation accelerated the demise of the Union Nationale.
On June 19, 1989, Quebec chief electoral officer Pierre F. Côté withdrew the party's registration after the party was found to be nearly $350,000 in debt. As a result of this decision, it was no longer able to receive contributions or make expenditures. The next day, the interim leader of the party, Michel Le Brun, told a reporter that he would contest the decision before the Quebec Superior Court
, arguing that the decision was unfair, and a violation of both the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
and the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It was the first time in Quebec that a party had lost its official status as a result of its debts.
Le Brun was able to resurrect the Union Nationale under the name Parti Renaissance on June 26, 1992. The Parti Renaissance ran candidates in two by-elections in 1993, but the party did not field any eligible candidates in the 1994 election
and lost its registration on August 27, 1994.
Although another attempt was made to revive the Union Nationale in 1998, the party failed to nominate enough candidates to be registered and it no longer exists. The Action démocratique du Québec
was established about at the same time and has since made a significant breakthrough in the districts that were once considered the base of the Union Nationale support.
In 2009, former Union Nationale MNAs Serge Fontaine
and Bertrand Goulet
(both of whom had been among the last Union Nationale members elected to the legislature) announced the formation of a new Conservative Party of Quebec. Fontaine had offered Éric Caire
of the ADQ to join the party and become its leader, with a view to attract disaffected ADQ supporters, but this did not materialise and Caire now sits as an independent.
on the back burner.
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....
, 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...
, that identified with conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
Québécois
French-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
autonomist
Quebec Autonomism
Quebec autonomism is a political belief that Quebec should seek to gain more autonomy as a province, while remaining a part of the Canadian Confederation...
nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
. It was created during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and held power in Quebec from 1936 to 1939, and from 1944 to 1960 under the leadership of Premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
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...
, and from 1966 to 1970.
The party was often referred to in English as the National Union, especially when it was still an electoral force; in at least one case, the party itself used that name in an English-language election ad.
Origin
The party started as a loose coalition of legislators, the Action libérale nationaleAction 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...
(a group dissidents from the Quebec Liberal Party) and the Conservative Party of Quebec. In the 1935 Quebec election
Quebec general election, 1935
The Quebec general election of 1935 was held on November 25, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
the two parties agreed to run only one candidate of either party in each district. The Action libérale nationale (ALN) elected 26 out of 57 candidates and the Conservatives won 16 seats out of 33 districts.
Conservative 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...
became Leader of the Opposition. He soon rose to prominence as he used the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to expose the corrupt practices of the Liberal government
Executive Council of Quebec
The Executive Council of Quebec is the cabinet of the government of Quebec, Canada....
of Alexandre Taschereau and force it to call an early election.
Capitalizing on his success, Duplessis called a caucus meeting at Sherbrooke's Magog Hotel and received the support of 15 Conservatives and 22 ALN members in favor of a merger of the two parties under his leadership.
The new party had no formal ties to the federal Conservatives. It ran candidates in every district and won a majority of the seats 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...
.
First term of office
Even though Duplessis had run on ideas inspired from the ALN platform, he soon alienated his most progressiveProgressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
legislators. René Chaloult
René Chaloult
René Chaloult was a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.-Political career:Chaloult first won a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec as a Union Nationale candidate in the 1936 election in the district of Kamouraska...
, Oscar Drouin
Oscar Drouin
Oscar Drouin was a politician in Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Drouin won a by-election in 1928 and became the Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the district of Québec-Est...
, Joseph-Ernest Grégoire
Joseph-Ernest Grégoire
Joseph-Ernest Grégoire was a French Canadian politician.-Background:He was born in Disraeli, Quebec on July 31, 1886. He was an attorney and a professor. He also was the father of Gilles Grégoire, a co-founder of the Parti Québécois....
, Philippe Hamel
Philippe Hamel
Philippe Hamel was a nationalist and progressive politician in Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Hamel entered politics to achieve the nationalization of all privately-owned electric companies...
, François Leduc
François Leduc
François-Joseph Leduc was a Canadian politician. He was a Member of the provincial legislature and a City Councillor in Montreal, Quebec.-City Councillor:...
and Adolphe Marcoux
Adolphe Marcoux
Adolphe Marcoux was a physician and a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.Marcoux won a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec as a Union Nationale candidate in the 1936 election in the district of Quebec County...
quit
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
the party, while Rouville Beaudry
Rouville Beaudry
Rouville Beaudry was a Canadian politician active in Quebec. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec .-Career:...
and Grégoire Bélanger
Grégoire Bélanger
Joseph-Grégoire Bélanger was a politician Quebec, Canada and a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec .-Member of the legislature:...
left politics.
The government adopted a farm credit policy in 1936, which was popular in rural areas where lived the party's most loyal base of supporters, but for the essential the administration of Maurice Duplessis protected the status quo. For instance, it gave the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
government money to provide public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and other social services.
Also, the legislature passed the Act to protect the Province Against Communistic Propaganda, better known as the Padlock Law
Padlock Law
The Padlock Law The Padlock Law (officially called "Act to protect the Province Against Communistic Propaganda") The Padlock Law (officially called "Act to protect the Province Against Communistic Propaganda") (QcFr: "La loi du cadenas" / "Loi protégeant la province contre la propagande...
, in 1937, which provided evidence of Duplessis's interest in appearing tough on communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
World War II
Duplessis called an election briefly after Canada declared war against GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Federal Cabinet Member Ernest Lapointe
Ernest Lapointe
Ernest Lapointe, PC was a Canadian lawyer and politician.-Education, early career:Lapointe earned his law degree from Laval University...
, the Quebec lieutenant
Quebec lieutenant
In Canadian politics, a Quebec lieutenant is a politician, from Quebec, usually a francophone and most often a Member of Parliament or at least a current or former candidate for Parliament, who is selected by a senior politician such as the Prime Minister or the leader of a national federal party,...
of 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...
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, promised that no one would face conscription if voters supported the Liberals. The pledge was devastating to the Union Nationale, which lost 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...
.
While serving in His Majesty's Loyal Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
, the party opposed Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
which was enacted by the government of Adélard Godbout
Adélard Godbout
Joseph-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...
in 1940.
Second time in office
The Union Nationale enjoyed a surge after a majority of Canadian voters allowed the federal government to pass conscription. Duplessis, who would later create a provincial income tax equal to 15 per cent of the federal income tax, claimed that Adélard GodboutAdélard Godbout
Joseph-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...
failed to impose the strict respect for the principles established in the British North America Act of 1867
Constitution Act, 1867
The Constitution Act, 1867 , is a major part of Canada's Constitution. The Act created a federal dominion and defines much of the operation of the Government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system, and the taxation system...
. The Liberals received a plurality of the vote 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...
, but a majority of the seats were won by the Union Nationale.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
prosperity kept unemployment low. Machine politics, fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
and a program of rural electrification
Rural electrification
Rural electrification is the process of bringing electrical power to rural and remote areas. Electricity is used not only for lighting and household purposes, but it also allows for mechanization of many farming operations, such as threshing, milking, and hoisting grain for storage; in areas...
consolidated the dominance of the Union Nationale over the province. The government of Maurice Duplessis adopted the current flag of Quebec
Flag of Quebec
The flag of Quebec, called the Fleurdelisé, was adopted for the province by the government of Quebec, during the administration of Maurice Duplessis. It was the first provincial flag officially adopted in Canada, first shown on January 21, 1948, at the Parliament Building of the National Assembly...
to replace the Union Jack. It won a landslide victory
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
in the 1948 election
Quebec general election, 1948
The Quebec general election of 1948 was held on July 28, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout.This was the third time ...
, leaving the Liberals with only a handful of seats. Until the 1952 election
Quebec general election, 1952
The Quebec general election of 1952 was held on July 16, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.This was the...
, the Liberal delegation to the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
consisted of only a handful of members who came almost entirely from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's West Island
West Island
The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
. It was not until 1953 that their leader could win a seat in the institution.
Duplessis's administration was not flawless. Its relation with labour in general and trade unions in particular was difficult and led to a number of strikes. The government was also accused of being too strongly aligned with the Catholic clergy. Indeed, many priests openly supported the Duplessis government and attacked the Liberals by using the slogan Le ciel est bleu, l'enfer est rouge (Heaven is blue, hell is red). The government was also accused of discrimination against Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, receiving insufficient royalties for the extraction the province's natural resources and allowing election fraud for its own benefit.
Nonetheless, the Union Nationale was re-elected in the 1952 election
Quebec general election, 1952
The Quebec general election of 1952 was held on July 16, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.This was the...
with a reduced majority, and in the 1956 election
Quebec general election, 1956
The Quebec general election of 1956 was held on June 20, 1956 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.This was the fifth and final...
. Moreover, its influence was made obvious when its organization helped defeat Mayor of Montreal
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
in 1957 and assisted John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
's 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....
candidates getting elected in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
.
Modernization and last term of office
Duplessis died in 1959. Paul SauvéPaul Sauvé
Joseph-Mignault-Paul Sauvé was a Quebec lawyer, World War II veteran and politician. He was the first Quebec Premier to be born in the 20th century.-Life:...
succeeded him, but he also died after only three months in office. Antonio Barrette
Antonio Barrette
Antonio J. Barrette was a Quebec politician born in Joliette, Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Barrette ran as a Conservative candidate in the provincial district of Joliette in the 1935 election but lost...
took over and called an 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...
, which was won by Jean Lesage
Jean 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...
's Liberals. The new government implemented a vast program of social changes, which is now known as 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...
.
Daniel Johnson, Sr. became the leader of the Union Nationale in 1961. He was chosen by party delegates rather than by his colleagues only. The party lost the 1962 election
Quebec general election, 1962
The Quebec general election of 1962 was held on November 14, 1962, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage, won re-election, defeating the Union Nationale led by Daniel Johnson, Sr..In an unusual move,...
, but it held a convention to discuss its platform in 1965 and opened its structures to card-carrying supporters. Johnson published a book called Égalité ou indépendance (Equality or independence), which appealed to a number of nationalist voters. Even though the Liberals won a plurality of the vote in the 1966 election
Quebec general election, 1966
The Quebec general election of 1966 was held on June 5, 1966, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale , led by Daniel Johnson, Sr, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage....
, the Union Nationale won a majority of the seats. Among the newly elected MLAs, there were three former federal politicians: Rémi Paul
Rémi Paul
Rémi Paul was a lawyer and politician from Quebec, Canada.-Member of the House of Commons:...
, Jean-Noël Tremblay
Jean-Noël Tremblay
Jean-Noël Tremblay, CM is a former Canadian politician, who made career at both the federal and the provincial levels.-Member of Parliament:...
and Clément Vincent
Clément Vincent
Clément Vincent was a Canadian politician and a Member of the House of Commons.-Background:He was born on May 18, 1931 in Sainte-Perpétue, Centre-du-Québec. He was a farmer and an entrepreneur.-Member of Parliament:...
.
Johnson set a slower pace, but sustained many reforms initiated by the Liberals. His administration established CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
s (Collèges d'enseignement général et professionnel, or "College of General and Vocational Education") in 1967, abolished the Legislative Council of Quebec
Legislative Council of Quebec
From 1867 until 1968, the Legislative Council of Quebec was the unelected upper house of the bicameral legislature in the Canadian province of Quebec...
and completed the dam and the generating station of Manic-5 in 1968 and laid the groundwork for the public health insurance plan that would later be implemented by the Liberal government of 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...
.
Decline
The official visit of French President Charles de GaulleCharles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
in Canada in 1967 and Daniel Johnson, Sr.'s sudden death in 1968 left the party divided between its nationalist wing and members who clearly positioned themselves as a federalists
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 latter prevailed when Jean-Jacques Bertrand
Jean-Jacques Bertrand
Jean-Jacques Bertrand was the 21st Premier of Quebec, Canada, from October 2, 1968 to May 12, 1970. He led the Union Nationale party.-Member of the legislature:...
won the party leadership over Jean-Guy Cardinal
Jean-Guy Cardinal
Jean-Guy Cardinal was a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.-Union Nationale:Cardinal was a supporter of the Union Nationale. He was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec and to Daniel Johnson, Sr.'s Cabinet in 1967 and became Minister of Education.Less than a year later, Premier...
, but the controversy over a language legislation known as Bill 63 prompted a number of nationalist supporters as well as legislators such as Antonio Flamand
Antonio Flamand
-Background:He was born on June 28, 1933 in Saint-Honoré, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. He moved to Rouyn-Noranda and made career in accounting and education.-Member of the legislature:...
and Jérôme Proulx
Jérôme Proulx
-Member of the legislature:Proulx won a seat to the National Assembly of Quebec in 1966 in the district of Saint-Jean and was a member of the Union Nationale. In 1969 though, he left his party and sat as an Independent to protest against the passage of Bill 63, a controversial language legislation...
to join 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...
.
In addition, the Union Nationale lost a portion of its conservative base, including MNA Gaston Tremblay
Gaston Tremblay
Gaston Tremblay was a politician in Quebec, Canada and a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec .-Member of the legislature:...
, to the Ralliement créditiste
Ralliement créditiste du Québec
The Ralliement créditiste du Québec was a provincial political party in Quebec, Canada that operated from 1970 to 1978. It promoted social credit theories of monetary reform, and acted as an outlet for the expression of rural...
. Bertrand was unable to inspire voters and the party seemed to have lost touch with Quebec society. While the Union Nationale managed to obtain the status of Official Opposition, it finished third in the popular vote behind the Parti Québécois in the 1970 election
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...
.
Gabriel Loubier
Gabriel Loubier
Gabriel Loubier was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as leader of the Union Nationale party from 1971 to 1974, and as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1971 to 1973....
took over as leader and the party became known as Unité Québec from October 25, 1971 to January 14, 1973. Under his tenure, the party was wiped off the political map: none of its candidates were elected in the 1973 election
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...
.
In 1974, former UN Cabinet
Executive Council of Quebec
The Executive Council of Quebec is the cabinet of the government of Quebec, Canada....
Member and interim leader Maurice Bellemare
Maurice Bellemare
Maurice Bellemare, OC was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was known as Le Vieux Lion de la Politique Québécoise because of his colourful style and his many years of public office...
won a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, and the party once again was represented in the National Assembly
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...
. On May 31, 1975, the party merged with the tiny Parti présidentiel
Parti présidentiel
The Parti présidentiel was a political party in Quebec, Canada. It was founded on May 5, 1974 by former Liberal Party of Quebec Member of the National Assembly Yvon Dupuis. Dupuis founded the party after resigning from the leadership of the Ralliement créditiste du Québec. Dupuis resigned from the...
, a group of Créditiste
Ralliement créditiste du Québec
The Ralliement créditiste du Québec was a provincial political party in Quebec, Canada that operated from 1970 to 1978. It promoted social credit theories of monetary reform, and acted as an outlet for the expression of rural...
dissidents led by Yvon Brochu
Yvon Brochu
Yvon Brochu was a politician in Quebec, Canada and a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec .-First Term:Brochu ran as a candidate of the newly formed provincial wing of the Ralliement créditiste in 1970 and won, becoming the Member of the National Assembly for the district of Richmond.His party...
, and kept the Union Nationale name.
In May 1976, business owner Rodrigue Biron
Rodrigue Biron
Rodrigue Biron is a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was leader of the Union Nationale political party from 1976 to 1980, when he joined the Parti Québécois.-Background:...
, a former card-carrying Liberal supporter who had no experience in provincial politics, was chosen as party leader. His impulsive policy statements and poor relations with the old guard of the party had led to resignations of party officials, including Jacques Tétreault
Jacques Tétreault
Jacques Tétreault was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993. His background was in law....
, who had been his most serious opponent for the party leadership. In September 1976, Biron abandoned a projet to unite his party with Jérôme Choquette
Jérôme Choquette
Jérôme Choquette is a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada.-Background:Choquette was born in Montreal, Quebec, and studied at the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Academy and Collège Stanislas in Montreal, a Roman Catholic private school and the most elite institution of its kind in Quebec...
's Parti National Populaire
Parti national populaire
The Parti national populaire or PNP was a minor political party in Quebec, Canada that operated in the 1970s....
, despite prior efforts made by the two groups.
The Union Nationale made a modest recovery in 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...
, winning 11 seats and 18.2% of the popular vote, but in 1980 Biron quit the party to sit as an independent and joined 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...
. Michel Le Moignan
Michel Le Moignan
Michel Le Moignan was a Catholic priest and a Canadian politician from Quebec.-Political career:...
, the MNA for the district of Gaspé
Gaspé (provincial electoral district)
Gaspé is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1972 from a merger of a portion the electoral district of Gaspé-Nord and the electoral division of Gaspé-Sud which both existed from 1931 to 1972...
, took over as interim leader. By then six Union Nationale MNAs had already crossed the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
, moved to federal politics or retired from public office, leaving the party with only five seats.
Collapse and deregistration
On January 9, 1981, federal Progressive ConservativeProgressive 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....
Member of Parliament
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
(MP) Roch LaSalle was acclaimed leader of the Union Nationale. As it did under Loubier seven years earlier, the party failed to win a single seat to the National Assembly. La Salle resigned as leader and returned to federal politics. He won the federal by-election that was called as a result of his resignation and the Union Nationale never won another seat in any subsequent election.
In the 1980s and in the early 1990s, the Union Nationale no longer could rely on a significant get-out-the-vote organization or attract any media attention. The electorate was increasingly polarized over the constitutional issue and even conservative voters would support either the federalist Liberals or the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in provincial elections.
Furthermore, a number of small conservative and créditiste
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
parties were created and were in competition with the Union Nationale for the few thousands of votes that were still up for grabs. The situation accelerated the demise of the Union Nationale.
On June 19, 1989, Quebec chief electoral officer Pierre F. Côté withdrew the party's registration after the party was found to be nearly $350,000 in debt. As a result of this decision, it was no longer able to receive contributions or make expenditures. The next day, the interim leader of the party, Michel Le Brun, told a reporter that he would contest the decision before the Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
, arguing that the decision was unfair, and a violation of both the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
and the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It was the first time in Quebec that a party had lost its official status as a result of its debts.
Le Brun was able to resurrect the Union Nationale under the name Parti Renaissance on June 26, 1992. The Parti Renaissance ran candidates in two by-elections in 1993, but the party did not field any eligible candidates in 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.....
and lost its registration on August 27, 1994.
Although another attempt was made to revive the Union Nationale in 1998, the party failed to nominate enough candidates to be registered and it no longer exists. 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....
was established about at the same time and has since made a significant breakthrough in the districts that were once considered the base of the Union Nationale support.
In 2009, former Union Nationale MNAs Serge Fontaine
Serge Fontaine
-Political career:Fontaine was elected as a Union Nationale candidate to the provincial legislature in the district of Nicolet with 35% of the vote in the 1976 election. He served as his party's Deputy House Whip in 1980 and 1981. He finished a close third with 32% of the vote against Parti...
and Bertrand Goulet
Bertrand Goulet
-Political career:Goulet was elected as a Union Nationale candidate to the provincial legislature in the district of Bellechasse in the 1976 election against Liberal incumbent Pierre Mercier. He served as his party's House Whip in 1980 and 1981. He finished a close third and lost in the 1981...
(both of whom had been among the last Union Nationale members elected to the legislature) announced the formation of a new Conservative Party of Quebec. Fontaine had offered Éric Caire
Éric Caire
Éric Caire is a politician from Quebec, Canada, and the independent Member of the National Assembly for the electoral district of La Peltrie....
of the ADQ to join the party and become its leader, with a view to attract disaffected ADQ supporters, but this did not materialise and Caire now sits as an independent.
Vocabulary
The media claimed that the Parti Québécois was going through a phase of Union-Nationalization when, in the mid-1980s, it chose Pierre Marc Johnson as its leader and put the issue of Quebec sovereigntyQuebec 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...
on the back burner.
Party Leaders
| Leader | District (Region) |
Years of Service | Background | Selection as 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... |
Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (provincial electoral district) Trois-Rivières is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Mauricie region and including a large portion of the city of Trois-Rivières west of Saint-Maurice River, the riding was created in 1792 as the Ville-des-Trois-Rivières riding.-Members of the... (Mauricie Mauricie Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents... ) |
1935-1959 | Lawyer | Confirmed as UN leader by caucus on June 20, 1936 |
| Paul Sauvé Paul Sauvé Joseph-Mignault-Paul Sauvé was a Quebec lawyer, World War II veteran and politician. He was the first Quebec Premier to be born in the 20th century.-Life:... |
Deux-Montagnes Deux-Montagnes (provincial electoral district) Deux-Montagnes is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1853... (Laurentides) |
1959-1960 | Lawyer Army officer |
Chosen by caucus on September 10, 1959 |
| Antonio Barrette Antonio Barrette Antonio J. Barrette was a Quebec politician born in Joliette, Quebec, Canada.-Member of the legislature:Barrette ran as a Conservative candidate in the provincial district of Joliette in the 1935 election but lost... (interim) |
Joliette Joliette (provincial electoral district) Joliette is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1980 from parts of Joliette-Montcalm and Berthier. The Joliette electoral district also existed between 1867 to 1970... (Lanaudière Lanaudière Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:... ) |
1960 | Machinist Insurance Agent |
Chosen by caucus on January 8, 1960 |
| Yves Prévost Yves Prévost Yves Prévost was a politician and lawyer in Quebec, Canada.He was first elected in 1948 for the riding of Montmorency. He served as interim leader of the Union Nationale party and leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from September 1960 to January 1961... (interim) |
Montmorency Montmorency (provincial electoral district) Montmorency is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Capitale-Nationale region, the riding was created in 1829... (Québec Capitale-Nationale Capitale-Nationale is one of 17 administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. Quebec City, Quebec's centre of government, is located in this region. It has a land area of 18,638.7 km2... ) |
1960-1961 | Lawyer | Chosen by caucus on September 16, 1960 |
| Antonio Talbot Antonio Talbot Antonio Talbot was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He once served as interim leader of the Union Nationale.-Background:... (interim) |
Chicoutimi Chicoutimi (provincial electoral district) Chicoutimi is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The district is located in Saguenay and contains most of the former city of Chicoutimi... (Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean is a region in Quebec, Canada. It contains the Saguenay Fjord, the estuary of the Saguenay River, stretching through much of the region... ) |
1961 | Lawyer | Chosen by caucus on January 11, 1961 |
| Daniel Johnson, Sr. | Bagot Bagot (provincial electoral district) Bagot is a former provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Created in 1867, the Estrie region district existed until 1972, when it was included in the new riding of Johnson in honour of former Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson who was a Member of the Legislative and National... (Montérégie Montérégie Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion.... ) |
1961-1968 | Lawyer | Won leadership convention on September 23, 1961; Defeated Jean-Jacques Bertrand Jean-Jacques Bertrand Jean-Jacques Bertrand was the 21st Premier of Quebec, Canada, from October 2, 1968 to May 12, 1970. He led the Union Nationale party.-Member of the legislature:... on the first ballot |
| Jean-Jacques Bertrand Jean-Jacques Bertrand Jean-Jacques Bertrand was the 21st Premier of Quebec, Canada, from October 2, 1968 to May 12, 1970. He led the Union Nationale party.-Member of the legislature:... |
Missisquoi Missisquoi (provincial electoral district) Missisquoi was a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Estrie region, it was created in 1867. It was merged with Brome in 1973 to form the new district of Brome-Missisquoi.-Members of Legislative Assembly:... (Eastern Townships Estrie The Estrie is an administrative region of Quebec that overlaps mostly the Eastern Townships. Estrie, a French neologism, was coined as a derivative of est, "east."... ) |
1968-1971 | Lawyer | Won leadership convention on June 21, 1969; Defeated Jean-Guy Cardinal Jean-Guy Cardinal Jean-Guy Cardinal was a nationalist politician in Quebec, Canada.-Union Nationale:Cardinal was a supporter of the Union Nationale. He was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec and to Daniel Johnson, Sr.'s Cabinet in 1967 and became Minister of Education.Less than a year later, Premier... on the first ballot |
| Gabriel Loubier Gabriel Loubier Gabriel Loubier was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as leader of the Union Nationale party from 1971 to 1974, and as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1971 to 1973.... |
Bellechasse Bellechasse (provincial electoral district) Bellechasse is a provincial electoral riding in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the riding was created in 1867... (Chaudière-Appalaches Chaudière-Appalaches Chaudière-Appalaches is an administrative region in Quebec, Canada. It comprises most of what is historically known as the "Beauce" |the electoral district of Beauce]]). It is named for the Chaudière River and the Appalachian Mountains.... ) |
1971-1974 | Lawyer | Won leadership convention on June 19, 1971; Defeated Marcel Masse Marcel Masse Marcel Masse, is a Canadian politician. He served as a Quebec MLA, federal MP, federal cabinet minister. Despite being a federal Progressive Conservative, Masse was aligned with Quebec separatistism Marcel Masse, (born May 27, 1936) is a Canadian politician. He served as a Quebec MLA, federal... on the third ballot |
| Maurice Bellemare Maurice Bellemare Maurice Bellemare, OC was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was known as Le Vieux Lion de la Politique Québécoise because of his colourful style and his many years of public office... (interim) |
Johnson Johnson (electoral district) Johnson is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1972 from parts of Bagot, Drummond, Richmond and Shefford... (Montérégie Montérégie Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion.... ) |
1974-1976 | Timber Scaler | Chosen by caucus on March 30, 1974 |
| Rodrigue Biron Rodrigue Biron Rodrigue Biron is a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was leader of the Union Nationale political party from 1976 to 1980, when he joined the Parti Québécois.-Background:... |
Lotbinière Lotbinière (provincial electoral district) Lotbinière is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Situated in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the riding was created in 1829... (Chaudière-Appalaches Chaudière-Appalaches Chaudière-Appalaches is an administrative region in Quebec, Canada. It comprises most of what is historically known as the "Beauce" |the electoral district of Beauce]]). It is named for the Chaudière River and the Appalachian Mountains.... ) |
1976-1980 | Small business owner | Won leadership convention on May 22, 1976; Defeated Jacques Tétreault Jacques Tétreault Jacques Tétreault was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993. His background was in law.... on the first ballot |
| Michel Le Moignan Michel Le Moignan Michel Le Moignan was a Catholic priest and a Canadian politician from Quebec.-Political career:... (interim) |
Gaspé Gaspé (provincial electoral district) Gaspé is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was created in 1972 from a merger of a portion the electoral district of Gaspé-Nord and the electoral division of Gaspé-Sud which both existed from 1931 to 1972... (Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine) |
1980-1981 | Catholic priest | Chosen by caucus on March 3, 1980 |
| Roch La Salle Roch La Salle Roch La Salle, PC was a Canadian politician who served in the province of Quebec. He spent 18 years as a Federal Member of Parliament. He represented the riding of Joliette... |
n/a | 1981 | Member of Parliament for Joliette Joliette (electoral district) Joliette is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935 and since 1968.-Geography:... Public relations officer Sales manager |
Won leadership convention on January 9, 1981; Unopposed |
| Jean-Marc Béliveau | n/a | 1982-1985 | Lawyer | Won leadership convention on October 24, 1982; Unopposed |
| Maurice Bouillon | n/a | 1985 | n/a | n/a |
| André Léveillé André Léveillé -Member of the legislature:Léveillé won a seat to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in 1966 in the district of Maisonneuve and was a member of the Union Nationale. He served as the government's Deputy Whip from 1966 to 1968... |
n/a | 1985-1986 | Accountant | n/a |
| Paul Poulin | n/a | 1986-1987 | n/a | n/a |
| Michel Le Brun (interim) |
n/a | 1987-1989 1992-1994 |
n/a | n/a |
See also
- Action démocratique du QuébecAction démocratique du QuébecThe 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....
- Political parties in Quebec
- List of Quebec general elections
- 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...
- Parti conservateur du QuébecParti conservateur du QuébecThe Parti conservateur du Québec was a political party in Quebec, Canada.-Origins:The party originated as the Parti bleu which was formed around 1850 by the followers of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine...
- Parti National PopulaireParti national populaireThe Parti national populaire or PNP was a minor political party in Quebec, Canada that operated in the 1970s....
- 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...
- 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....
- Unité-Québec
- Union nationale leadership electionsUnion nationale leadership electionsThis page lists the results of leadership elections held by the Union nationale. Before 1961 leaders were chosen by the caucus.-Leadership 1936-1961:...