Although “the dream is still there”, former Prime Minister Lucien Bouchard is not thinking of holding an independence referendum in the short term, as the Parti Québécois (PQ) is now proposing.
Mr. Bouchard, who has agreed to be honorary president of the celebrations surrounding René Lévesque’s centenary, believes his former political formation is taking its dreams to reality. According to him, the current context is deliberately unfavorable to such work.
Can we imagine that a party, in 2022, will have an election campaign where it will promise to hold a referendum if it is elected? […] It’s a lack of realism – a sin that René Lévesque doesn’t havehe says.
Lucien Bouchard himself often reiterates the need to come together winning conditions to organize the third referendum, when he ruled Quebec, from 1996 to 2001. However, this consultation did not take place.
It is hopefully irresponsiblehe said, to expose the Quebecers to third failure. We would have gone down the floor then. Honestly, we can’t hold a referendum in Quebec-and that’s why no one is thinking about it now-without certainty. […] we have a good chance of winning.
Lucien Bouchard agreed to talk about René Lévesque’s legacy and the current political situation in an interview, the best excerpts of which will be aired on Friday on the show. Sa living with Patrick Royin ICI RDI, and in Newscast 18 hon ICI TV.
The former Prime Minister mentioned, among other things, the courage of his predecessor, who ruled Quebec from 1976 to 1984, and who will celebrate his 100th birthday on Aug. 24.
He may have a strong reaction, but at the same time he is very careful. Most of all, he’s aware that you can’t ask a lot of people. René Lévesque never held it against Quebecers for voting “no” in the referendum. […] He understood. He understands Quebecers. He felt them. And to a certain extent, he also shared their concerns.
Founded by René Lévesque with the aim of making Quebec a sovereign state, the QPwho for a long time brought this idea alone to the National Assembly, no longer aroused the support of the past, acknowledges Lucien Bouchard.
If the car is broken down, and people don’t want it anymore, we’ll choose another onehe said – remarks similar to those made on Wednesday, during the unveiling of the statue of Jacques Parizeau in the gardens of Parliament.
” What mattered was the dream that inspired him. It’s not dying, it’s a dream. And the dream is still there. At the moment, it’s a bit overwhelmed. He’s still there, I think, very strong. But if you think of translating it into a reality through the activities of a party, a referendum, we are not there. “
On the contrary, the leader of CAQ and the current prime minister seems to be more connected to Quebecers, according to Lucien Bouchard, who himself recruited François Legault in 1998, who appointed him minister even before he was elected deputy.
Mr. Legault is a realistthat does a good read [de] the political situationaccording to Mr. Bouchard. He knows where we are. He has a good population reading at present and… we can’t blame him! You can’t blame him that many share his opinion, that’s the truth.
If the trend continuesthe chief caquist goes straight to a marshal electionsaid the former prime minister – an election in which François Legault will win almost every seat in the National Assembly. But can we blame him? This is what people want!
Liberal Party must rebuild “for Quebec democracy”
Lucien Bouchard is concerned, however, about the lack of alternative solutions in the medium term and even in preferences climbing of the Liberal Party, a beautiful party that left a great legacy to the Quebecers.
Because the old formation, which includes René Lévesque, is only a shadow of himself, he regrets.
I’m a bit unhappy to see what’s going on in the Liberal Party, the former prime minister admits. This is not good for Quebec’s democracy. It doesn’t matter for the election to come, I think. […] But in the future, this party must be reorganized.
According to Mr. Bouchard, the Liberals forgot their reason for being. Their party, he explains, is a coalition of francophone nationalists, but federalists, along with anglophones and communities. This is a coalition. And it takes a goldsmith to manage a coalition. They had Robert Bourassa, [et] they will have it with Mario Dumont.
” Quebec francophones, even federalists, are nationalists. And many Liberal Party leaders are forgetting that. “
He himself thought for a moment, in the wake of the publication of the manifesto For a clear Quebecin 2005, to return to active politics with a new political party.
The group gathered by Lucien Bouchard included federal and separatist personalities, a tour de force at the time. The idea of creating a new party is in the air. It could even sweep Quebec, according to some polls.
I remember that back then, I had discussions – I think Mario Dumont called me – and we [l’avait] quickly consideredhe said, claiming the same breath there was lots of respect for the former ADQ leader, who he hopes will someday return to politics.
Yes, we could have done it at that time, Mr. Bouchard admits. But I, I didn’t really feel it.
In retrospect, the former Prime Minister considers that the project could be similar to the one that led to the creation of CAQin 2011. That’s exactly what Legault didhe summarizes.
For others, Mr. Bouchard did not dare to comment.
Who knows the future? […] Yes, there is a sovereigntist project that inspired an entire generation, that pushed us to do the right things, with integrity, with dignity, with respect for individuals, for democracy […]. But the idea? The project? It was a dream.
A dream that stays despite everything a political necessityaccording to the former PQ premier.
We will not allow looting like what is happening now, he said. We were cornered [à un mur], the French language is in danger. No, you have to keep the idea. You have to keep the determination. But how? That, we do not know. What form will this project take? How will this change? It may not be a sovereignist project […]but surely there is something that will not die and express itself in one way or another in Quebec’s political life.
Source: Radio-Canada
