Jacques Parizeau Facts for Kids

Parliamentary constituencies

Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for L'Assomption
In office September 25, 1989 – January 29, 1996
Preceded by	Jean-Guy Gervais
Succeeded by	Jean-Claude St-André
In office November 15, 1976 – November 27, 1984
Preceded by	Jean Perreault
Succeeded by	Jean-Guy Gervais

Personal details

Born

August 9, 1930
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Died

June 1, 2015 (aged 84)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Political party

Parti Québécois

Spouses

Alice Poznanska

(m. 1956; died 1990)
Lisette Lapointe

Alma mater

HEC Montréal
Sciences Po
London School of Economics
Faculté de droit de Paris

Profession

Economist

Jacques Parizeau (born August 9, 1930 – died June 1, 2015) was an important Canadian politician and economist. He was known for supporting Quebec's independence. He served as the 26th premier of Quebec from September 1994 to January 1996.

Early Life and Education
Political Career and Achievements
- Joining the Parti Québécois
Premier of Quebec and the 1995 Referendum
- The Referendum Campaign
Later Life and Legacy
Death
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Parizeau was born in Montreal, Quebec. His family was well-known and had a lot of wealth. His father, Gérard Parizeau, built a large financial company in Quebec. Jacques' family had a history of important people, including a great-grandfather who helped start the Montreal Chambre de Commerce.

As a teenager, Parizeau had strong ideas. He even handed out flyers for Communist politician Fred Rose. He never officially joined the Communist party, but he was interested in their ideas.

His parents wanted him to be bilingual, so they sent him to English summer camps. He went to a private Catholic school called Collège Stanislas. Later, he earned a PhD from the London School of Economics in England. He also studied at HEC Montréal, Paris Institute of Political Studies, and Faculté de droit de Paris.

Parizeau was known for his formal style, including wearing three-piece suits. He spoke both French and English very well, which earned him the nickname "Monsieur."

Political Career and Achievements

Parizeau believed that the government should play a role in the economy. In the 1960s, he was a key advisor to the Quebec government during the Quiet Revolution. This was a time of rapid change in Quebec.

He helped with important projects like the nationalization of Hydro-Québec in 1962-1963. This meant the government took control of the hydro-electric company. He also worked to create the Quebec Pension Plan in 1963-1966.

Joining the Parti Québécois

Over time, Parizeau became a strong supporter of Quebec becoming an independent country. He officially joined the Parti Québécois (PQ) on September 19, 1969. From 1970 to 1973, he was the president of the PQ’s executive council.

In the 1976 provincial election, the PQ won, and Parizeau was elected to represent the district of L'Assomption. The new premier, René Lévesque, made him the Minister of Finance.

Parizeau at a 1981 conference at Laval University.

As Minister of Finance, Parizeau introduced new economic ideas. These included the Quebec Stock Savings Plan and the Fonds de solidarité (Solidarity Fund) FTQ in 1983. The Solidarity Fund helps invest in Quebec businesses and create jobs.

Parizeau was married to Polish immigrant Alice Poznanska (1930–1990). He supported the Charter of the French Language. This law made French the main language in Quebec. It also limited access to English-language public schools for some children.

Premier of Quebec and the 1995 Referendum

In the 1989 election, Parizeau led the PQ, but his party did not do well. However, five years later, in the 1994 election, the PQ won a majority government. This meant they had enough seats to form the government.

Parizeau had promised to hold a referendum on Quebec's independence within a year of becoming premier. A referendum is when people vote directly on an important issue. He kept his promise, even though some people disagreed.

The Referendum Campaign

At the start of the campaign, only about 40% of people supported independence. As the campaign went on, more people started to support the "Yes" side. However, this growth slowed down. Parizeau was then asked to let Lucien Bouchard take a bigger role in the campaign. Bouchard was a popular leader of the federal Bloc Québécois party and was seen as more moderate. Parizeau agreed, and Bouchard became more prominent in the campaign.

The "Yes" side lost the referendum by a very small number of votes, about 55,000. The day after the vote, Parizeau resigned as the leader of the PQ and as Quebec premier. Lucien Bouchard took over as premier on January 29, 1996.

Later Life and Legacy

After leaving politics, Parizeau retired. However, he still spoke out about politics, sometimes criticizing Bouchard's government for not pushing harder for Quebec's independence.

He owned a vineyard in France, a farm in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, and a home in Montreal. His life story was written by Pierre Duchesne.

In June 2008, Parizeau was honored as a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec. This is a high honor given by the Quebec government.

Death

Jacques Parizeau passed away on June 1, 2015, at the age of 84. His wife announced his death after he had been in the hospital for five months.

His state funeral was held at Saint-Germain d’Outremont Roman Catholic church in Montreal.

Images for kids

Parizeau in August 2007

Jacques Parizeau facts for kids

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