Quebec general election, 1976

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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. The Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Robert Bourassa.

The Parti Québécois's campaign focused on providing "good government", to contrast the many scandals that had plagued the Liberals since 1973. The PQ's stated goal of achieving independence for Quebec from Canada was portrayed as only secondary, however the election of a separatist government in Quebec caused great upset in the rest of Canada,and led to extensive discussions about reforming the Canadian Confederation and finding ways of accommodating Quebec.

The Parti Québécois used its term in office to introduce numerous bills to implement its agenda. The first bill introduced in the new session of the National Assembly was legislation to confirm French as the sole official language of Quebec, and to implement measures to make this a social reality. The legislative number of this bill, "Bill One", was intended to signify the importance of this bill for the new government. The bill was withdrawn and significantly altered, however, and was eventually re-introduced as "Bill 101" (or la Loi 101 in French), also known as the Charter of the French Language. With some modifications, the Charter of the French Language remains in effect today and has shaped modern Quebec society in far-reaching ways.

The 1976 election also set the stage for the 1980 Quebec referendum on the PQ's proposal for political independence in an economic union with the rest of Canada called sovereignty-association. The proposal was soundly defeated in the referendum.

Bourassa resigned as Liberal leader, and his political career appeared to be over. He left Quebec and took up teaching positions in the United States and Europe. However he later made a remarkable comeback in the 1985 general election.

Bourassa had called the election after only three years, well before the five-year maximum possible term. It is possible that he may have counted on a boost from his successful rescue of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal after cost overruns and construction delays by the Montreal municipal government of Mayor Jean Drapeau. If so, he badly miscalculated.

The once-powerful Union Nationale made a modest comeback, winning 11 seats under Rodrigue Biron, and for the first time won significant support from some anglophone voters. An anglophone UN member, William Shaw was elected to the National Assembly. However, this proved to be the party's last hurrah: it never won another seat in any subsequent election, and no longer exists. Vote-splitting between the Liberals and Union Nationale may have made a contribution to the Parti Québécois victory.

Contents

[edit] Results

Party Party leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular vote
1973 Elected % Change # % % Change
     Parti québécois René Lévesque 110 6 71 +1083% 1,390,351 41.37% +11.2%
     Parti libéral Robert Bourassa 110 102 26 -74.5% 1,135,056 33.78% -20.9%
     Union nationale Rodrigue Biron 108 - 11   611,666 18.20% +13.3%
     Ralliement créditiste Camil Samson 109 2 1 -50.0% 155,451 4.63% -5.3%
     Parti national populaire Jérôme Choquette 36 * 1 * 31,043 0.92% *
     Alliance démocratique Nick Auf der Maur 13 * - * 17,762 0.53% *
     coalition NPDQ - RMS Henri-François Gautrin 21 * - * 3,080 0.09% *
     Parti communiste Samuel Walsh 14 * - * 1,776 0.05% *
     Parti des travailleurs 12 * - * 1,249 0.04% *
     Independents and no affiliation 23 - - - 13,072 0.39%
Total 556 110 110 - 3,360,506 100%  

Note:

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

[edit] List of candidates

[edit] Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Bonaventure Jean-Paul Audet Gérard D. Levesque Louis-Georges Roy Mariette Fortin Gérard D. Levesque
Gaspé Jules Bélanger Guy Fortier Michel Le Moignan Mario Gagnon Guy Fortier
Îles-de-la-Madeleine Denise Leblanc Louis-Philippe Lacroix Paul-Henri Tremblay Jean Cotten Louis-Philippe Lacroix
Kamouraska-Témiscouata Léonard Lévesque Jean-Marie Pelletier Raynald Pelletier Claude Dionne Jean-Marie Pelletier
Matane Yves Bérubé Marc-Yvan Côté Joseph-Marie Lévesque Roger Simard Léonard Boulay Marc-Yvan Côté
Matapédia Léopold Marquis Bona Arsenault Gérard Bélanger Gérard Gagnon Bona Arsenault
Rimouski Alain Marcoux Claude St-Hilaire Raynald Voyer Alain Martel Yvar Tronstad (Ind) Claude St-Hilaire
Rivière-du-Loup Jules Boucher Paul Lafrance Réal Grondin Gérard Roy Paul Lafrance

[edit] Côte-Nord and Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Chicoutimi Marc-André Bédard Roch Bergeron Léopold Decoste Richard Nareau Marc-André Bédard
Dubuc Hubert Desbiens Ghislain Harvey Julien Gauvin Antonio Brisson Ghislain Harvey
Duplessis Denis Perron Henri-Paul Boudreau Roland Gauthier Jacques-A. Quirion Zebedee Nungak (No designation) Donald Gallienne
Jonquière Claude Vaillancourt Gérald Harvey Roselda Duguay Brassard Serge Racine Gérald Harvey
Lac-Saint-Jean Jacques Brassard Roger Pilote Charles-Henri Larouche Maurice Brodeur Roger Pilote
Roberval Paul Néron Robert Lamontagne Antonio Genest Émilien Fradet Robert Lamontagne
Saguenay Lucien Lessard Jean-Guy Tremblay Réal St-Laurent Camille Hélie Lucien Lessard

[edit] Capitale-Nationale

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Charlesbourg Denis de Belleval André Harvey Henriot Gingras Sandor Tarçali Carmen Payne Lafleur André Harvey
Charlevoix Gérard Drouin Raymond Mailloux Gaston Dion Angelo Emond Raymond Mailloux
Chauveau Louis O'Neill Bernard Lachapelle Madeleine Parent Barrette Mathieu Tremblay Bernard Lachapelle
Jean-Talon Louise Beaudoin Raymond Garneau Charles Boucher Vilmont Rodrigue Raymond Garneau
Limoilou Raymond Gravel Fernand Houde Maurice Trottier J.-Noël Gravel Louisette Ouzilleau Dulac Julien Bilodeau (PCQ)
Manon Demers (No designation)
Fernand Houde
Louis-Hébert Claude Morin Jean Marchand Raymond Cantin Jean-Paul Rhéaume Gaston Desjardins
Montmorency Clément Richard Marcel Bédard Denise Deslauriers L.-P.-Antoine Bélanger Marcel Bédard
Portneuf Gilles Naud Michel Pagé Antoine-B. Dussault Roland Godin Pierre Castonguay Michel Pagé
Taschereau Richard Guay Irénée Bonnier Marcel Drouin Simon Brouard Jean-Marc Lemoine Lorraine Morin (PTQ) Irénée Bonnier
Vanier Jean-François Bertrand Fernand Dufour Jean-Yves Lachance Alexandre Bertrand Fernand Dufour

[edit] Mauricie

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Champlain Marcel Gagnon Normand Toupin Gilles Gauthier Robert Fournier Normand Toupin
Laviolette Jean-Pierre Jolivet Prudent Carpentier Gaston Fortin Michel Mignault Réjean Gélinas Robert Deschamps (NPD-RMS) Prudent Carpentier
Maskinongé Jacques Charette Yvon Picotte Serge Gagnon J.-Rodolphe Lemieux Yvon Picotte
Saint-Maurice Yves Duhaime Marcel Bérard Robert Leclerc Roger Bélisle Pierre-Paul Prud'homme Marcel Bérard
Trois-Rivières Denis Vaugeois Guy Bacon Jacques Trahan Gaétan Laflèche Guy Bacon

[edit] Chaudière-Appalaches and Centre-du-Québec

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Arthabaska Jacques Baril Denis St-Pierre Constant Roy Rosaire Rainville vacant
Beauce-Nord Adrien Ouellette Denis Sylvain Gérard Gourde Magella Brouard Robert Trudel Denis Sylvain
Beauce-Sud Pierre Pelletier Guy Lebel Fabien Roy Fabien Roy
Bellechasse Jean-Roch Côté Pierre Mercier Bertrand Goulet Sauveur Fradette Pierre-E. Plante Pierre Mercier
Drummond Michel Clair Paul Delisle Roger Blais André Bergeron Armand Joyal Robert Malouin
Frontenac Gilles Grégoire Henri Lecours Marc Bergeron Fernand Godin Henri Lecours
Lévis Jean Garon Vincent-F. Chagnon Cyrille Dubé Gilles Campagna Vincent-F. Chagnon
Lotbinière Ghyslain Théberge Georges Massicotte Rodrigue Biron Gaston Judd Georges Massicotte
Montmagny-L'Islet Maurice Chouinard Julien Giasson André Rousseau Clermont Avoine Julien Giasson
Nicolet-Yamaska Jean-Paul Touchette Benjamin Faucher Serge Fontaine Gilbert Boisvert Benjamin Faucher

[edit] Eastern Townships

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Brome-Missisquoi Gérard Comptois Glendon Brown Armand Russell Normand Chouinard Jean-Gilles Chagnon Foster Wightman (Ind)
Maurice Juteau (Ind)
Glendon Brown
Johnson Robert Normand Marcel Noël Maurice Bellemare Jules Degready Maurice Bellemare
Mégantic-Compton Serge Poulin Omer Dionne Fernand Grenier Robert Leroux Omer Dionne
Orford Laurent Bertrand Georges Vaillancourt Kevin J. Danaher Alexandre Basque René Lavallée Georges Vaillancourt
Richmond Maurice Tremblay Yvon Vallières Yvon Brochu Serge Lepage Yvon Vallières
Saint-François Réal Rancourt Gérard Déziel Michel Laflamme Adélard Larose Gérard Déziel
Sherbrooke Gérard Gosselin Jean-Paul Pépin Guy Bureau Rosario Lehoux Jacques Boutin (Ind)
Robert Tremblay (No designation)
Jean-Paul Pépin

[edit] South Shore

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Beauharnois Laurent Lavigne Jean-H. Besner Jacques Cardinal Monique Groulx Lalonde Gérard Cadieux
Chambly Denis Lazure Guy St-Pierre Camille Barré Jerry Béland Guy St-Pierre
Châteauguay Roland Dussault George Kennedy Charles Ross Duggan René Paré Albert Benoît (Ind)
Réjean Dumouchel (No designation)
George Kennedy
Huntingdon Gérald Pinsonneault Kenneth Fraser Claude Dubois Claude Grégoire Kenneth Fraser
Iberville Jacques Beauséjour Jacques Tremblay Urbain Morin Clovis Ménard Jacques Tremblay
Laporte Pierre Marois Jean-Jacques Lemieux Marcel L'Ecuyer Wilbrod Trépanier Richard Lépine (PTQ) André Déom
Laprairie Gilles Michaud Paul Berthiaume Stephan Olynyk André Mignault Paul Berthiaume
Richelieu Maurice Martel Jean Cournoyer Camille Vertefeuille Guy Guilbault Claude Simard
Saint-Hyacinthe Charles Tremblay Fernand Cornellier Fabien Cordeau Laurier Grenon Claude Coupal Fernand Cornellier
Saint-Jean Jérôme Proulx Jacques Veilleux Jean-Pierre Paquin Lucille-H. Pérusse Jacques Veilleux
Shefford Jean-R. Petit Richard Verreault Gilles Cadorette Gabriel Lacasse Léonce Boulanger Richard Verreault
Taillon René Lévesque Fernand Blanchard John E. de Souza Henri Bourassa Jacques Beaudoin (NPD-RMS) Guy Leduc
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Louise Sauvé Cuerrier Paul Phaneuf David G. M. Cape Paul-Émile Trépanier Lawrence Arthur Brown (NPD-RMS) Paul Phaneuf
Verchères Jean-Pierre Charbonneau Marcel Ostiguy Jean Costello Gilberte Desruisseaux Labbé Marcel Ostiguy

[edit] Montreal

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Anjou Pierre-Marc Johnson Yves Tardif Albert Rossi Fernand Roy Réjean Pelletier John Penner (NPD-RMS) Yves Tardif
Bourassa Patrice Laplante Lise Bacon Robert Brisson Paulette Danis St-Onge Carmine Ciccarelli Vittorina Rizotto Bronzati (PCQ) Lise Bacon
Bourget Camille Laurin Jean Boudreault Armand Lagacé Albertine Martel Bombardier Micheline Ruelland (NPD-RMS)
Maurice Gohier (PTQ)
Jean Boudreault
Crémazie Guy Tardif Jean Bienvenue Maurice L'Écuyer Léopold Mercier Gilles Legault Claire Da Sylva Demers (PCQ)
André Lavallée (NPD-RMS)
Jean Bienvenue
D'Arcy-McGee Jacques Mackay Victor Charles Goldbloom Barry Fridhandler Gaëtan Gauthier Elie Chalouh (AD)
Max Wollach (Ind)
Victor Charles Golbloom
Dorion Lise Payette Alfred Bossé Luigi Grasso Guy Lévesque Raymond Beaudoin Lorraine de Repentigny Vaillancourt (NPD-RMS) Alfred Bossé
Gouin Rodrigue Tremblay Jean-M. Beauregard Yves Roy Alfred Levesque Céline Lenoir Boulanger (PTQ)
Wilbray Thiffault (NPD-RMS)
Jean-M. Beauregard
Jacques-Cartier Paul Olsen Noël St-Germain Donavan James Carter Huguette Zakrzewski Bergeron Graham Weeks (AD) Noël St-Germain
Jeanne-Mance Henri-E. Laberge Aimé Brisson Pierre Grégoire Nicolino Ciarla Raymond O'Connor Bernadette Desrosiers Le Brun (PCQ)
Paul Kouri (No designation)
Aimé Brisson
L'Acadie Hélène Savard Jacob Thérèse Lavoie Roux Jean-Guy Leboeuf Madeleine Piquette Bédard Diane Poirier (AD)
Pierre Lemaire (NPD-RMS)
vacant
Lafontaine Marcel Léger Bernard Benoît Lucien Grenier Brunel Dion Fernand Plourde Claude Leblanc (Ind) Marcel Léger
Laurier John Kambites André Marchand Georges Savoidakis Denise Chartrand Marion Christos Syros (AD)
Joseph Mallaroni (PCQ)
Pierre Bastien (NPD-RMS)
André Marchand
Maisonneuve Robert Burns Gilles Houle Arthur Goyette Michel Parret Jean-Guy Forget Louis Cauchy (NPD-RMS)
Samuel Walsh (PCQ)
Jeannine Warren (PTQ)
André Frappier (No designation)
Robert Burns
Marguerite-Bourgeoys Gérard Kentzinger Fernand Lalonde Domenico Izzi Raymond Jacques Thomas Rufh (NPD-RMS) Fernand Lalonde
Mercier Gérald Godin Robert Bourassa Giuseppe Anzini Robert Roy Henri-François Gautrin (NPD-RMS)
Guy Desautels (PCQ)
Gaston Morin (PTQ)
Louise Ouimet (No designation)
Robert Bourassa
Mont-Royal André Normandeau John Ciaccia Victor Podd Étienne Lupien Sarazin Watts (AD)
Monroe Dolman (NPD-RMS)
Richard Ducharme (PCQ)
John Ciaccia
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Pierre Mailloux Bryce MacKasey Francis Donaldson Auguste Gagné Carl O'Malley Robert Keaton (AD)
John Raudsepp (Ind)
Cyril Durocher (NPD-RMS)
William Tetley
Outremont Pierre Harvey André Raynauld Archélas Turgeon Jérôme Choquette Régis Parent (Ind)
Denis Gervais (PCQ)
Jérôme Choquette
Pointe-Claire Paul-Émile Faucher Roy Amaron William Shaw Gérard-Philippe Allaire Renaud Binette Jeannette Tremblay Burley (Ind)
Reginald Edwards (AD)
Arthur-E. Séguin
Robert-Baldwin Gilles Corbeil John O'Gallagher Thea Bryan Barker Louis Lefebvre Robert Beale (Ind)
George Donald Boutilier (AD)
Leo Rotgaus (Ind)
Jean Cournoyer
Rosemont Gilbert Paquette Gilles Bellemare Suzanne Charbonneau Touchette Octave Grosariu Lorenzo Marullo Luc Bégin (NPD-RMS)
René Boulanger (PTQ)
Gilles Bellemare
Sainte-Anne Jean-Marc Lacoste Bruno Fortin Fernand Brais Lucette Bourque Foster Noël Parenteau Colin Hanley (Ind)
Paul Baatz (AD)
David Johnston (PCQ)
George Springate
Saint-Henri Jacques Couture Donat Taddeo Roland Meloche René Raymond Denis Poulin (NPD-RMS)
Angela Boulianne Gagnon (PTQ)
Gérard Shanks
Saint-Jacques Claude Charron Micheline Lachapelle Brisebois Jacques Poirier Gaston Pleau Michel Bourdouxhe (NPD-RMS)
Gérard Lachance (PTQ)
Hervé Fuyet (PCQ)
Claude Charron
Saint-Laurent Paul Unterberg Claude-E. Forget Stanley Knox Normand Laroche Jean-Pierre Dorais Ghislain Cayouette (AD) Claude-E. Forget
Saint-Louis Line Lescarbeau Bourgeois Harry Blank Bernard Talisman Guy Taillon Mair Williams Verthuy (AD)
Jean-Pierre Bourdouxhe (NPD-RMS)
Jeannette Pratte Walsh (PCQ)
Harry Blank
Sainte-Marie Guy Bisaillon Jean-Claude Malépart André Roy Roger Hébert André Rousseau (PTQ)
René Denis (NPD-RMS)
Jean-Claude Malépart
Sauvé Jacques-Yvan Morin Jean-Claude Legault Marcel Hotte Gérard Ledoux Mario de Brentani (PCQ)
Joseph-Léopold Gagner (Ind)
Jacques-Yvan Morin
Verdun Yvan Fortin Lucien Caron Mark A. Wainberg Joseph alias Rivard Delarosbil Seymour Small (AD)
Robin Gagnon (PTQ)
Lucien Caron
Viau Charles-A. Lefebvre Fernand Sauvé Antonio Marciano Joseph Ouellet Luigino Mariano Fernard Picard
Westmount Gaston Laurion George Springate Harold Fairhead Gaétan Pelletier Berthe Guertin Ouellet Nick Auf der Maur (AD) Kevin Drummond

[edit] Laval

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Fabre Bernard Landry Gilles Houde Julien Laurier Conrad Gauthier Maurice Arbour Gilles Houde
Laval Michel Leduc Jean-Noël Lavoie Charles Chaput Jean-Rock Gauthier Saad Marcos Bishara Jean-Noël Lavoie
Mille-Îles Guy Joron Bernard Lachance Thérèse Bourque Clermont Émilien Martel Pierre Guillemette Claude Demers (PCQ)
Ghislain Hallé (NPD-RMS)
Bernard Lachance

[edit] Laurentides

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Berthier Jean-Guy Mercier Michel Denis Joseph Ouimet Rosaire Trudel Michel Denis
Deux-Montagnes Pierre de Bellefeuille Jean-Paul L'Allier Normand Robidoux Fernand Houle François-de-Salles Robert Jean-Paul L'Allier
Joliette-Montcalm Guy Chevrette Robert Quenneville André Asselin Jean-Pierre Gagné Jacques Trudeau (PTQ)
Isabelle Geoffroy (No designation)
Robert Quenneville
L'Assomption Jacques Parizeau Roland Comtois Michel Duval Louis Comtois Henri Kélada Jean Perreault
Laurentides-Labelle Jacques Léonard Roger Lapointe Laurent Jetté Antonio Lemire Roger Lapointe
Prévost Jean-Guy Cardinal Bernard Parent Oscar Gonthier Albert Pouliot Bernard Parent
Terrebonne Élie Fallu Denis Hardy Marcel Ayotte Guy Meunier Denis Hardy

[edit] Outaouais

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Argenteuil Paul-André David Zoël Saindon Alphonse Bélec Claude Guay Zoël Saindon
Gatineau Marc-André Tardif Michel Gratton Jacques-H. Crépeau Gérard Ouellet Michel Gratton
Hull Joceline Villeneuve Ouellette Oswald Parent Dan Brunet Yvon Larocque Oswald Parent
Papineau Jean Alfred Normand Racicot Sylvio Huneault Herbert Carriere Gilbert Dupuis Mark Assad
Pontiac-Témiscamingue Jean-Robert Seguier Jean-Guy Larivière Jean-Rock Bernard Emmanuel Pétrin Richard Bowie (Ind) Jean-Guy Larivière

[edit] Abitibi

Electoral district Candidates   Incumbent
  PQ   Liberal   UN   Social Credit   PNP   Other
Abitibi-Est Jean-Paul Bordeleau Paul-Étienne Violette Médéric Barrette Pierre Dallaire Roger Houde
Abitibi-Ouest François Gendron Jean-Hugues Boutin Kenneth Kenny Roger Bureau Jean-Hugues Boutin
Rouyn-Noranda Réal Roy Henri Miljours Jean-Claude Chevalier Camil Samson Camil Samson

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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