|
|
Article: Obituary: Robert Bourassa
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- October 3, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Robert Bourassa played a leading role in modernising the
economy and social structure of Quebec. But his indecisiveness and
ambiguity about Quebec's role in the Canadian federation were major
factors in the revival of the separatist movement and the crisis it
currently poses to Canadian unity.
Bourassa was premier and head of the Quebec provincial Liberal
Party twice, from 1970 to 1976 and from 1985 until 1993 - both
turbulent eras in the relationship between Quebec and the rest of
the country. Throughout these periods he walked a tightrope between
a Quebec nationalism that could flourish within the broader
confines of the Canadian federation and the pressures for an
independent state.
...