Who remembers René Lévesque?

This is the title of the brand new Télé-Québec documentary, which retraces the path traveled by the great politician on the occasion of his 100^and birthday. A real road trip in the collective memory, which takes us from its origins in New Carlisle to the great moments of its political life. A must-see on Wednesday, February 9 at 8 p.m.

A man of honour, integrity and conviction who helped forge Quebec’s identity, René Lévesque is a key figure in our history. Considered by many to be the father of the nation, this extraordinary character has devoted a quarter of a century to restoring confidence, hope and pride to the people of Quebec. Thirty-five years after his death, what remains of his ambitions and achievements? What is the true legacy of this larger than life man?

These are the questions answered Who remembers René Lévesque?, broadcast on Télé-Québec. Result of a collaboration between Les Productions Bazzo Bazzo and the magazine Newsthe documentary directed by Louis Asselin follows the wanderings of political journalist Guillaume Bourgault-Côté, who embarks on the footsteps of the politician.

From Montreal to the National Assembly via New Carlisle, this veritable road trip in space-time leads him to meet colleagues, admirers, observers of the Quebec political scene and relatives like Claude Lévesque, the politician’s son, who lifts the veil on a part of his life. So many testimonies which, taken together, paint a striking portrait of the social and political heritage of the former Prime Minister.

A people’s hero journey
René Lévesque passed away in 1987, but today he still occupies an important place in the collective imagination of several generations of Quebecers, many of whom consider him a true hero. In fact, a Léger poll conducted for the documentary reveals that 66% of those questioned consider René Lévesque to be the most significant political figure in the history of Quebec since the Quiet Revolution. As evidenced by the documentary, politicians of all stripes, journalists, activists or simple citizens have been deeply marked by his profound humanism.

His well-known commitment to the less fortunate in society dates back to his childhood in New Carlisle, in a corner of Gaspésie dominated by the presence of a large population of English-speaking Loyalists. From an early age, René Lévesque became aware of social inequalities and developed a strong aversion to injustice, which served as the cornerstone of all his political action.

René Lévesque abandoned his law studies in 1943 for a career as a radio announcer and journalist. As he is perfectly bilingual, he was recruited in 1944 by the American army as a war correspondent and thus found himself at the forefront of the Second World War. On his return from Europe, he worked as a journalist for Radio-Canada International, then became a star host at the controls, in particular, of the show Point de mire. His interest in international issues allowed him to take a lucid look at Quebec, which would define the political action undertaken in 1960 within the Liberal government of Jean Lesage and which would bring it to power in 1976.

Witnesses to a lasting legacy
Who remembers René Lévesque? does not take the classic biopic route. The documentary does not address the failures or the private life of the great man, preferring to focus on the anthology of his political legacy.

Comments by experts and discussions in the field with key witnesses to René Lévesque’s political action, such as Pauline Marois, Liza Frulla, political scientist Éric Montigny and Martine Tremblay, who was his chief of staff, allow us to understand the major impact of the major socio-economic projects implemented by René Lévesque leading to the blossoming of the identity of the Quebec people. With the bonus of the point of view of artists such as the sculptor Fabien Pagé, who immortalized René Lévesque twice, or the actors Emmanuel Bilodeau and Denis Bouchard.

In addition to his emblematic role as founder of the Parti Québécois and leader of the nationalist and sovereigntist movements, René Lévesque was at the origin of numerous reforms whose impact will have been significant. Among its major achievements, Bill 101 – and the measures to protect the French language and promote the integration of new immigrants – is the one that most affected respondents to the survey conducted for the documentary. The 1980 referendum followed and, not surprisingly, the immense project of nationalizing electricity and transforming Hydro-Quebec, described by Martine Tremblay as the flagship of Quebec’s economic reconquest.

Other large-scale projects: the creation of the very first Ministry of the Environment and the BAPE; the controversial adoption of the Act respecting the protection of agricultural land, making it possible to combat speculation and slow down urban sprawl while preserving Quebec’s food autonomy; the creation of Sépaq, wildlife reserves and ZECs which transformed the territory into a common good accessible to all, as well as the recognition of the ancestral rights of the First Nations, a fundamental gesture of which René Lévesque was very proud. And that’s not counting the adoption of the Act respecting the financing of political parties, the Consumer Protection Act and the Automobile Insurance Act. Among other things !

We are all the heirs of René Lévesque The journey on which Guillaume Bourgault-Côté takes us reminds us that the many achievements of René Lévesque have structured society as we know it today by helping Quebec to take control of the main levers of its economy. What we remember from this documentary is that we are all the heirs of René Lévesque, a visionary, committed, charismatic and inspiring man. This is undoubtedly why his memory is so precious to us and why young and old will want to rediscover this great character on the airwaves of Télé-Québec.

Mission
Télé-Québec is the public media with an educational and cultural vocation in Quebec. Multiplatform, Télé-Québec offers unique programming aimed at cultivating a taste for knowledge, encouraging the acquisition of knowledge, stimulating reflection, promoting local artistic and cultural life and reflecting regional realities. and diversity of Quebec. In addition to its head office in Montreal, the Company has 10 regional offices. Whether on its website or with its application, Télé-Québec offers all its video content on all screens, free of charge. You can follow Télé-Québec on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. telequebec.tv

This content was produced by Le Devoir’s special publications team in collaboration with the advertiser. Le Devoir’s editorial team had no role in the production of this content.