30 Facts About Robert Bourassa

Robert Bourassa was born to a working class family in Montreal, the son of Adrienne and Aubert Robert Bourassa, a port authority worker.

Robert Bourassa graduated from the Universite de Montreal law school in 1956 and was admitted to the Barreau du Quebec the following year.

Robert Bourassa worked as a professor of public finance at Universite de Montreal and Universite Laval.

Robert Bourassa was first elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Mercier in 1966, then won the Quebec Liberal Party leadership election on January 17,1970.

Robert Bourassa chose "100,000 jobs" as his slogan, which emphasized that job creation would be his priority.

Robert Bourassa felt the extensive hydro-electric resources of Quebec were the most effective means of completing the modernization of Quebec and sustaining job creation.

Robert Bourassa successfully led his party into government in the 1970 election, defeating the conservative Union Nationale government and becoming the youngest premier in Quebec history.

Robert Bourassa requested that Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoke the War Measures Act, which allowed for search and arrest of anyone associated with, or thought to be associated with the FLQ.

Robert Bourassa requisitioned military assistance using provisions of the National Defence Act, which resulted in the deployment of troops to guard vital points in Montreal and assist police.

In June 1971 he participated in an attempt at constitutional reform, the Victoria Charter, which quickly unravelled when Robert Bourassa backed away from the proposed deal after it was strongly criticized by Quebec opinion leaders for not giving Quebec more powers.

Robert Bourassa documented his strong opposition to Trudeau's policy in a letter which he released to the press on 17 November 1971, and stated he had "serious misgivings about the principle of the multicultural policy".

Robert Bourassa declared that Quebec did not accept the federal government's approach to the principle of multiculturalism.

Bill 22 angered Anglophones while not going far enough for many Francophones; Robert Bourassa was vilified by both groups.

Robert Bourassa initiated the James Bay hydroelectric project in 1971 that led to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement of 1975 with the Cree and Inuit inhabitants of the region.

The Robert Bourassa government played a major role in rescuing the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal from huge cost overruns and construction delays.

Bouchard had wanted to have Robert Bourassa testify before the commission, but Mulroney prevented this, saying that having the Premier of Quebec testify before the commission would be a violation of "executive privilege".

For some four years, the Robert Bourassa government worked hand in glove with gangster union leadership in the province's construction industry.

Robert Bourassa lost the 1976 provincial election to Rene Levesque, leader of the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois, in a massive landslide brought on by the language controversy and the corruption scandals, among other things.

Robert Bourassa himself was heavily defeated in his own riding by PQ challenger Gerald Godin.

Robert Bourassa resigned as Liberal Party leader and accepted teaching positions in Europe and the United States.

Robert Bourassa remained in political exile until he returned to politics by winning the Quebec Liberal Party leadership election on October 15,1983.

Robert Bourassa resigned as Liberal leader and exiled himself for nine years into academic obscurity.

In 1980, Robert Bourassa campaigned in favour of the "no" side of the 1980 Quebec referendum on a sovereignty-association agreement with the federal government.

In 1983, Robert Bourassa was elected Liberal leader again, replacing Claude Ryan.

Robert Bourassa led the PLQ to victory in the 1985 election.

Robert Bourassa pushed for Quebec to be acknowledged in the Canadian constitution as a "distinct society", promising Quebec residents that their grievances could be resolved within Canada with a new constitutional deal.

Robert Bourassa worked closely with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and received many concessions from the federal government, culminating in the Meech Lake Accord in 1987 and the Charlottetown Accord in 1992.

The Charlottetown Accord was defeated in a nationwide plebiscite in 1992; it was heavily defeated even in Quebec, partly due to the perception that Robert Bourassa had given away too much at the negotiations.

Robert Bourassa was replaced as Liberal leader and premier by Daniel Johnson Jr.

In 1996, Robert Bourassa, who had spent much of his vacation time in hot climates, died in Montreal of malignant melanoma at the age of 63, and was interred at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.