Referendum or popular consultation
Quebec referendum, 1980
Voters refused the Quebec government a mandate to negotiate sovereignty-association, by 59.56% to 40.44%.
The vote
- Jurisdiction
- Quebec
- Organising authority
- Directeur général des élections du Québec, under the Referendum Act
- Legal character
- ConsultativeQuebec referendums are consultative.[1] This question sought a negotiating mandate and itself promised a further referendum before any change in status.[2]
- Geographical scope
- Quebec
“Le Gouvernement du Québec a fait connaître sa proposition d’en arriver, avec le reste du Canada, à une nouvelle entente fondée sur le principe de l’égalité des peuples; cette entente permettrait au Québec d’acquérir le pouvoir exclusif de faire ses lois, de percevoir ses impôts et d’établir ses relations extérieures, ce qui est la souveraineté – et, en même temps, de maintenir avec le Canada une association économique comportant l’utilisation de la même monnaie; aucun changement de statut politique résultant de ces négociations ne sera réalisé sans l’accord de la population lors d’un autre référendum; en conséquence, accordez-vous au Gouvernement du Québec le mandat de négocier l’entente proposée entre le Québec et le Canada?”
“The Government of Québec has made public its proposal to negotiate a new agreement with the rest of Canada, based on the equality of nations; this agreement would enable Québec to acquire the exclusive power to make its laws, levy its taxes and establish relations abroad – in other words, sovereignty – and at the same time, to maintain with Canada an economic association including a common currency; no change in political status resulting from these negotiations will be effected without approval by the people through another referendum; on these terms, do you give the Government of Québec the mandate to negotiate the proposed agreement between Québec and Canada?”
English translation: official.
| Option | Votes | Official % | Calculated % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (mandate to negotiate) | 1,485,851 | 40.44% | 40.44% |
| No | 2,187,991 | 59.56% | 59.56% |
- Valid votes
- 3,673,842
- Invalid votes
- 65,012
- Blank votes
- Not reported
- Total ballots cast
- 3,738,854
- Registered electorate
- 4,367,584
- Turnout
- 85.61%official figure
Option percentages are shares of valid ballots; turnout is votes cast (valid plus rejected) as a share of registered electors.
What happened
The question, tabled by René Lévesque in December 1979 and adopted in March 1980, asked for a mandate to negotiate “sovereignty” combined with an economic association and a common currency, and promised a second referendum before any change of status.[4][2] René Lévesque chaired the Yes committee and Claude Ryan the No committee.[5]
No won 2,187,991 votes and Yes 1,485,851, on a turnout of 85.61%.[3]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
-
1.
Claim: Quebec referendums are consultative and have been governed since 1978 by the Referendum Act.
- Élections Québec, Référendums (Élections Québec) link, page text. Source record
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2.
Claim: The 1980 question asked for a mandate to negotiate an agreement giving Quebec exclusive power over its laws, taxes and external relations while keeping an economic association with Canada including a common currency, and promised another referendum before any change in political status.
- Directeur général des élections du Québec, La consultation populaire au Canada et au Québec (Directeur général des élections du Québec), ISBN 2550354249 link, p. 38. Source record
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3.
Claim: On 20 May 1980 the No option won 2,187,991 votes (59.56%) and Yes 1,485,851 (40.44%), with a turnout of 85.61%.
- Directeur général des élections du Québec, La consultation populaire au Canada et au Québec (Directeur général des élections du Québec), ISBN 2550354249 link, p. 41. Source record
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4.
Claim: Premier René Lévesque tabled the 1980 referendum question on 20 December 1979, and the National Assembly adopted it in French and English on 20 March 1980.
- Directeur général des élections du Québec, La consultation populaire au Canada et au Québec (Directeur général des élections du Québec), ISBN 2550354249 link, pp. 37–39. Source record
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5.
Claim: The Yes committee was chaired by René Lévesque and the No committee by Claude Ryan.
- Directeur général des élections du Québec, La consultation populaire au Canada et au Québec (Directeur général des élections du Québec), ISBN 2550354249 link, p. 39. Source record