ABSTRACT
In October 1967, René Lévesque, a former cabinet minister, left the Liberal Party and united the increasingly numerous but divided separatist forces by forming the Parti Québécois (Quebec Party, or PQ). The PQ steadily gained provincial seats until it was able to form a majority government in 1976. In 1980, it held a referendum on Quebec sep-
aration that was defeated 60 to 40 percent. A new referendum on Quebec sove-
reignty, which proposed an optional association with Canada, was held in 1995 and defeated by a margin of less than 1 percent. Today, Canada remains united despite a large cultural gap between French Canadians and the rest of the country; in addition, the issue of separation has been eclipsed by the economic opportunities offered by NAFTA.
