Étapisme ( French for ''gradualism'') is the term for a strategy for independence dominant in the

Parti Québécois The Parti Québécois (PQ; , ) is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. The PQ advocates national sovereignty for Quebec involving independence of the province of Quebec from Canada and establishi ...

since 1974. It is associated with the figure of Claude Morin, who convinced Parti Québécois leader

René Lévesque René Lévesque ( ; August 24, 1922 – November 1, 1987) was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as the 23rd premier of Quebec from 1976 to 1985. He was the first Québécois political leader since Confederation to seek, ...

and eventually a majority of party delegates to adopt its principles. Proponents of the strategy are called ''étapistes''. It advocates a step-by-step approach to achieving independence. Before 1974, the Parti Québécois programme stipulated that independence would be declared upon electing a majority of Parti Québécois Members of the

National Assembly of Quebec The National Assembly of Quebec (, ) is the Legislature, legislative body of the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs (Members of the National Assembly; ). The lieutenant governor of Que ...

(MNAs), under Quebec's

first-past-the-post electoral system First-past-the-post (FPTP)—also called choose-one, first-preference plurality (FPP), or simply plurality—is a single-winner voting rule. Voters mark one candidate as their favorite, or first-preference, and the candidate with more first- ...

and its British parliamentary system. Under ''étapisme'', the Parti Québécois would promise a good government first and propose a referendum on independence second. At the first referendum of 1980, ''étapisme'' was also implemented in the referendum process, since the question asked for a mandate to negotiate

sovereignty-association The Quebec sovereignty movement (French: ''mouvement souverainiste du Québec'', ) is a political movement advocating for Quebec's independence from Canada. Proponents argue that Quebecers form a distinct nation with a unique culture, language, ...

with Canada with the commitment to hold a second referendum to ratify the resulting agreement. From time to time, this approach has been challenged by hardliners. Two of the most famous challenges to ''étapisme'' were at the 1981 National Congress, colloquially known as the ''Renérendum'' (because René Lévesque put his leadership in question in an internal vote on the question), and with the so-called Parizeau-Laplante Proposition of the 2000s.

Jacques Parizeau Jacques Parizeau (; August 9, 1930June 1, 2015) was a Canadian politician and economist who served as the 26th premier of Quebec from September 26, 1994, to January 29, 1996. Early life and career Parizeau was born in Montreal, Quebec, the s ...

was opposed to this strategyPolitical fallout intensified by Parti Quebecois nostalgia: SIBLIN, ERIC. The Vancouver Sun; Vancouver, B.C. 19 May 1992: A8. and ratification in a second referendum would not be proposed again in the referendum of 1995.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Etapisme Parti Québécois Quebec political phrases

See also

References