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Parti QuEbEcois[pArtE kEbekwA´] Pronunciation Key (PQ), provincial political party committed to the independence of Quebec. Founded in 1968, it soon became a force in provincial elections. In 1976, led by RenE LEvesque, it captured control of the provincial assembly. Among its first acts was the passage of Bill 101, controversial legislation that made French the official language of Quebec and prohibited the use of English on signs and in most commercial transactions. It also introduced much social legislation, such as no-fault auto insurance legislation. In May, 1980, voters in the long-awaited provincial referendum rejected the proposition that Quebec should proceed to negotiate for its independence. Despite this, the party won the 1981 provincial elections. Internal dissension over the result of the 1980 referendum led to a weakening of the party. LEvesque resigned as party leader in 1985, and the PQ was defeated in provincial elections later that year. Subsequent party leaders Pierre-Marc Johnson and Jacques Parizeau struggled to return the PQ to its earlier success. In 1994 the party returned to power, and Parizeau became Quebec's premier. He resigned as premier and party leader, however, after Quebec voters narrowly rejected independence in a PQ-sponsored referendum in 1995; Lucien Bouchard succeeded him. The PQ remained in power after the 1998 provincial elections. Bouchard resigned as party leader and premier in 2001, and Bernard Landry succeeded him, serving as premier until the PQ's loss at the polls in 2003.
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