Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau was a prominent Canadian politician, economist, and the 26th premier of Quebec, known for his significant role in the province's political landscape. Born on August 9, 1930, in Montreal to a politically active family, Parizeau's educational background included degrees from prestigious institutions such as HEC Paris and the London School of Economics. His career began as an economics lecturer and he later served as an economic advisor, where he became a key figure in the Quiet Revolution, advocating for socialist economic reforms in Quebec.
In 1976, Parizeau was appointed as Quebec's finance minister and later became the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) in 1988. His tenure as premier began in 1994, during which he pushed for Quebec's sovereignty but faced a narrow defeat in a secession referendum in 1995. Parizeau resigned shortly after this loss. Throughout his life, he remained politically active, eventually supporting the separatist party Option nationale later in his career.
Parizeau's contributions to Quebec's sovereignty movement earned him several accolades, including the Ordre national du Québec. He passed away on June 1, 2015, after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy marked by his dedication to Quebec's political identity and economic development.
Subject Terms
Jacques Parizeau
Politician
- Born: August 9, 1930
- Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec
- Died: June 1, 2015
Contribution: Canadian politician and economist Jacques Parizeau championed the idea of a separate, independent Quebec. When his separatist Parti Québecois (PQ) political party won a majority of the 125 seats in the National Assembly in 1994, ousting the ruling Liberal Party, he began a two-year term as premier of the largely francophone province of Quebec. On October 30, 1995, in keeping with the party’s pledge, a sovereignty referendum was presented to voters. It was narrowly defeated, and Parizeau resigned soon afterward.
Early Life and Education
Jacques Parizeau was born in Montreal, Quebec, on August 9, 1930, to a distinguished family with political connections. His great-grandfather started a successful lumber business in the late nineteenth century and served briefly in the Quebec legislature, his grandfather was dean of the University of Montreal medical school, and his father was a professor at the University of Montreal’s business school. In addition, Parizeau’s mother was involved in women’s rights during the 1930s and was honored with the Order of the British Empire during World War II.
Parizeau graduated from Collège Stanislas, a francophone institution, and the Canadian branch of the French business school HEC Paris (École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Paris). He then earned a doctorate at the London School of Economics. When he returned home in 1955, Parizeau started working as an economics lecturer at HEC. He taught at HEC until 1976 and again from 1985 to 1989. Parizeau was also involved in economic planning as a researcher for the Bank of Canada.
Career in Politics
In 1961 Parizeau began serving as an economic adviser to the Liberal government and became a leading proponent of the Quiet Revolution socialist economic reforms. In 1966, when the Liberals lost to the Union Nationale, Parizeau stayed on as a political consultant.
Three years later Parizeau was committed to the idea of sovereignty for Quebec and joined the PQ. In 1976 Parizeau was named Quebec’s finance minister and treasury board president, serving under René Levesque through 1984. During his tenure, he introduced the Quebec Stock Savings Plan to help small businesses. Parizeau become the head of the PQ in 1988.
In September 1994 Parizeau became the premier of Quebec after the PQ won seventy-seven seats in a provincial election. Following a failed referendum for secession, Parizeau left office in January 1996. In fact he offered his resignation one day after the failed referendum, which lost by only a very narrow margin.
In May 2006 he was awarded the Prix Louis-Joseph Papineau for his contributions to the sovereignty movement. Two years later he received the Ordre national du Québec (National order of Quebec), the province’s highest distinction.
Since retiring from public office, Parizeau has continued to maintain political connections and influence. His second wife, Lisette Lapointe, successfully ran for a PQ seat in the National Assembly in 2007. But by 2011 the couple had become disillusioned with the party, which they saw as having strayed from its founding vision. That year Lapointe announced her defection from the PQ; the following year Parizeau joined Lapointe in endorsing the upstart separatist party Option nationale and contributed to the campaign of Option nationale head Jean-Martin Aussant. In 2013 the octogenarian weighed in on budgetary issues facing the indebted province, advocating for social services, free college tuition, and infrastructure spending.
Parizeau died of cancer after five months of hospitalization on June 1, 2015, in Montreal, at the age of eighty-four. He was survived by Lapointe and his two children from his first marriage. More than 300 people attended his funeral, including all of Quebec's living premiers.
Personal Life
Parizeau was married to writer Alice Poznanska until her death of cancer in 1990. The couple had two children, Isabelle (who became a lawyer) and Bernard (a doctor). In December 1992 Parizeau married Lisette Lapointe, a former high school teacher who served as her future husband’s secretary during his premiership.
Bibliography
Austen, Ian. "Jacques Parizeau, Who Led Second Quebec Separatist Movement, Dies at 84." New York Times. New York Times, 3 June 2015. Web. 14 July 2015.
Comeau, Rombert. “Parti Québécois.” Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, 2012. Web. 1 Aug. 2013.
Dougherty, Kevin. “Stop Focusing on Quebec’s Debt, Parizeau Tells Marceau.” Montreal Gazette. Montreal Gazette, 16 May 2013. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.
Farnsworth, Clyde H. “Man in the News: Jacques Parizeau, Torchbearer for Quebec.” New York Times 14 Sept. 1994.
Gordon, Stanley. “Jacques Parizeau.” Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, 2012. Web. 1 Aug. 2013.
“Jacques Parizeau: Parti Quebecois Should Use Public Funds to Promote Quebec Sovereignty.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.
"Jacques Parizeau Remembered as Modern Quebec 'Nation Builder.'" CBC News Montreal. CBC/Radio Canada, 9 June 2015. Web. 14 July 2015.
“Jacques Parizeau Throws Support behind Hardline Sovereigntist Party Option Nationale.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Aug. 2012. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.
Perreaux, Les. "Former Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau Dead at 84." Globe and Mail. Globe and Mail, 2 June 2015. Web. 14 July 2015.
Wells, Paul. “Parizeau at 80.” Maclean’s. Rogers Media, 9 Aug. 2010. Web. 23 Aug. 2013.
“Zero Tuition Debate in Quebec Pits Parizeau against Biographer.” CTVNews. Bell Media, 12 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.