1976 Quebec general election
November 15, 1976
110 seats in the 31st National Assembly of Quebec
56 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout85.27% (Increase4.88%)
  First party Second party Third party
  UN
Leader René Lévesque Robert Bourassa Rodrigue Biron
Party Parti Québécois Liberal Union Nationale
Leader since October 14, 1968 January 17, 1970 May 22, 1976
Leader's seat Taillon Mercier (lost re-election) Lotbinière
Last election 6 seats, 30.22% 102 seats, 54.65% 0 seats, 4.92%
Seats won 71 26 11
Seat change Increase65 Decrease76 Increase11
Popular vote 1,390,351 1,135,056 611,666
Percentage 41.37% 33.78% 18.20%
Swing Increase11.15% Decrease20.87% Increase13.28%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  RC PNP
Leader Camil Samson Jérôme Choquette
Party Ralliement créditiste Parti national populaire
Leader since May 11, 1975 October 24, 1976
Leader's seat Rouyn-Noranda Outremont (lost re-election)
Last election 2 seats, 9.92% pre-creation
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Decrease1 Increase1
Popular vote 155,451 31,043
Percentage 4.63% 0.92%
Swing Decrease5.29% Increase0.92%
Premier before election

Robert Bourassa
Liberal

 Premier after election

René Lévesque
Parti Québécois

The 1976 Quebec general election was held on November 15, 1976 to elect members to National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled only by the 1960 general election, and caused major repercussions in the rest of Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Premier Robert Bourassa.

The Parti Québécois's campaign focused on providing good government, in contrast the many scandals that had plagued the Liberals since 1973, The PQ's stated goal of achieving independence for Quebec from Canada was portrayed as only secondary, but the election of a sovereigntist government in Quebec caused great upset in the rest of Canada and led to extensive discussions about reforming the Canadian Confederation and finding ways of accommodating Quebec.

The Parti Québécois used its term in office to introduce numerous bills to implement its agenda. The first bill introduced in the new session of the National Assembly was legislation to confirm French as the sole official language of Quebec, and to implement measures to make this a social reality. The legislative number of this bill, "Bill One," was intended to signify the importance of the bill for the new government. The bill was withdrawn and significantly altered, however, and was eventually re-introduced as "Bill 101" (or la Loi 101 in French), also known as the Charter of the French Language. With some modifications, the Charter of the French Language remains in effect today and has shaped modern Quebec society in far-reaching ways.

The 1976 election also set the stage for the 1980 Quebec referendum on the PQ's proposal for political independence in an economic union with the rest of Canada called sovereignty-association. The proposal was soundly defeated in the referendum.

Bourassa had called the election after only three years, well before the maximum possible term of five years. It is possible that he may have counted on a boost from his successful rescue of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal after cost overruns and construction delays by the Montreal municipal government of Mayor Jean Drapeau. If so, he badly miscalculated. He not only lost the election, but was resoundingly defeated in his own riding by a PQ challenger. Bourassa resigned as Liberal leader, and his political career appeared to be over. He left Quebec and took up teaching positions in the United States and Europe. However, he later made a remarkable comeback in the 1985 general election.

The once-powerful Union Nationale made a modest comeback after being evicted from the legislature three years earlier. It won 11 seats under Rodrigue Biron and, for the first time, won significant support from some anglophone voters. An anglophone UN member, William Shaw was elected to the National Assembly. However, this proved to be the party's last hurrah. Successive floor-crossings, retirements, and resignations reduced the UN to only five members during the term. The party lost all of those remaining seats five years later, never to return; it would continue to exist nominally until 1989.

Campaign

The Liberals and péquistes both fielded full slates. The Unionists and the créditistes decided not to nominate candidates in Beauce-Sud, in order to clear the way for the pénépiste Fabien Roy to hold the riding.[1] The Unionists did not have a candidate in Outremont. Otherwise, all other constituencies experienced at least four-way contests.

The election also saw the emergence of two other political groups. The Democratic Alliance, led by Nick Auf der Maur, ran 13 candidates in the anglophone areas of the Island of Montreal, while the Parti national populaire (founded by Fabien Roy and Jérôme Choquette) had 36 candidates provincewide but ran a less-organized campaign. The PNP had attempted to merge with the UN earlier in August,[2] but the effort was called off in September because of a falling-out between Choquette and the UN leader Rodrigue Biron.[3]

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1976)[4]
Candidates PQ Lib RC UN PNP Ind NDP-RMS Comm DA Lab LSO Total
3 1113
4 49494949196
5 24242424163311120
6 20202019998357120
7 12121212767852184
8 333323222124
9 1111111119
Total 1101101091083622211413121556

Results

[4]

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1976)
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1973 1976 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Parti Québécois René Lévesque 11067165Increase1,390,351492,542Increase41.37%11.15Increase
Liberal Robert Bourassa 1101022676Decrease1,135,056488,678Decrease33.78%20.87Decrease
Union Nationale Rodrigue Biron 108–1111Increase611,666465,457Increase18.20%13.28Increase
Ralliement créditiste Camil Samson 109211Decrease155,451139,255Decrease4.63%5.29Decrease
Parti national populaire Jérôme Choquette 36–11Increase31,04331,043Increase0.92%New
Democratic Alliance Nick Auf der Maur 13–––17,76217,762Increase0.53%New
Independent 22–––12,9846,023Increase0.39%0.16Increase
New Democratic-RMS coalition Henri-François Gautrin 21–––3,0803,080Increase0.09%New
Communist Sam Walsh 14–––1,7761,612Increase0.05%0.04Increase
Labour 12–––1,2491,249Increase0.04%New
Ligue socialiste-ouvrière 1–––8888Increase–New
Total 556108 110 3,360,506 100.00%
Rejected ballots 70,446 15,686Increase
Voter turnout 3,430,952 405,214Increase 85.27 4.89Increase
Registered electors 4,023,743 259,132Increase
    Seats and popular vote by party
    PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
    █ Parti Québécois
    71 / 110
    41.37%
    		11.15 11.15
     
    █ Liberal
    26 / 110
    33.78%
    		-20.87
     
    █ Union Nationale
    11 / 110
    18.20%
    		13.28 13.28
     
    █ Parti créditiste
    1 / 110
    4.63%
    		-5.29
     
    █ Parti national populaire
    1 / 110
    0.92%
    		0.92 0.92
     
    █ Independent
    0 / 110
    0.39%
    		0.16 0.16
     
    █ Other
    0 / 110
    0.71%
    		0.65 0.65
     

    Synopsis of results

    Results by riding - 1976 Quebec general election[4][5]
    Riding Winning party Turnout
    [a 1]    		 Votes
    Name 1973 Party Votes Share Margin
    #    		 Margin
    %    		 PQ Lib UN Cr PNP DA Ind Oth Total
     
    Abitibi-Est Lib PQ 11,26540.15%3,88113.83%69.47%11,2656,3383,0677,384––––28,054
    Abitibi-Ouest Lib PQ 8,53336.51%1,2245.24%80.57%8,5335,4562,0737,309––––23,371
    Anjou Lib PQ 19,44056.15%8,32424.04%88.99%19,44011,1162,938744233––15134,622
    Argenteuil Lib Lib 9,45234.89%1,2754.71%82.34%8,1779,4526,6602,803––––27,092
    Arthabaska Lib PQ 12,46538.95%3,47410.86%89.36%12,4658,9917,5363,009––––32,001
    Beauce-Nord Lib PQ 10,97437.12%4121.39%85.29%10,97410,5626,412830786–––29,564
    Beauce-Sud Cr PNP 17,23868.24%11,57345.82%83.62%2,3565,665––17,238–––25,259
    Beauharnois Lib PQ 15,50846.29%3,93611.75%90.09%15,50811,5725,2241,195––––33,499
    Bellechasse Lib UN 8,50136.85%7983.46%81.68%5,8817,7038,501692294–––23,071
    Berthier Lib PQ 8,67334.27%4021.59%85.00%8,6738,2716,9071,454––––25,305
    Bonaventure Lib Lib 9,77148.63%3,60317.93%80.87%6,1689,7713,836318––––20,093
    Bourassa Lib PQ 14,46544.94%2,1626.72%88.04%14,46512,3034,457601249––10932,184
    Bourget Lib PQ 17,12254.85%7,04722.58%87.99%17,12210,0753,250573–––19531,215
    Brome-Missisquoi Lib UN 11,38049.27%5,93025.67%82.93%4,7725,45011,3801,087262–147–23,098
    Chambly Lib PQ 21,02947.32%5,20111.70%90.62%21,02915,8286,776811––––44,444
    Champlain Lib PQ 12,51440.73%4,42814.41%87.67%12,5148,0867,8822,240––––30,722
    Charlesbourg Lib PQ 19,98548.92%4,78511.71%89.20%19,98515,2004,0781,301285–––40,849
    Charlevoix Lib Lib 12,41954.58%4,89921.53%83.27%7,52012,4191,6701,146––––22,755
    Châteauguay Lib PQ 15,60043.00%5,26114.50%88.30%15,60010,3399,262851––229–36,281
    Chauveau Lib PQ 21,47247.48%5,05411.17%88.87%21,47216,4184,8292,507––––45,226
    Chicoutimi PQ PQ 20,63862.51%13,74241.62%88.55%20,6386,8964,4291,053––––33,016
    Crémazie Lib PQ 16,46350.40%4,61214.12%89.09%16,46311,8513,449461277––16332,664
    D'Arcy-McGee Lib Lib 21,24868.03%14,19045.43%83.86%1,47621,2487,05883–950417–31,232
    Deux-Montagnes Lib PQ 13,44941.42%2,4667.59%86.17%13,44910,9836,4311,352256–––32,471
    Dorion Lib PQ 15,48652.36%5,34318.06%84.55%15,48610,1432,661798390––10029,578
    Drummond Lib PQ 14,60542.45%6,39418.58%89.05%14,6057,7788,2113,601211–––34,406
    Dubuc Lib PQ 11,33744.67%3,66114.42%85.23%11,3377,6764,4421,926––––25,381
    Duplessis Lib PQ 20,10058.60%11,32433.01%78.85%20,1008,7763,050461––1,916–34,303
    Fabre Lib PQ 24,06751.94%9,07819.59%89.24%24,06714,9895,6581,156463–––46,333
    Frontenac Lib PQ 11,04738.86%1,5585.48%88.16%11,0476,3959,4891,494––––28,425
    Gaspé Lib UN 8,30534.53%4201.75%82.01%7,6307,8858,305233––––24,053
    Gatineau Lib Lib 13,44448.98%6,14822.40%78.30%7,29613,4445,2851,425––––27,450
    Gouin Lib PQ 14,36053.53%5,34519.92%84.45%14,3609,0152,482797–––17226,826
    Hull Lib PQ 12,03140.57%20.01%79.05%12,03112,0294,1931,402––––29,655
    Huntingdon Lib UN 9,46542.31%2,72812.19%84.21%5,4286,7379,465743––––22,373
    Iberville Lib PQ 11,74035.71%1,5334.66%87.38%11,7409,12910,2071,802––––32,878
    Îles-de-la-Madeleine Lib PQ 3,38747.89%600.85%87.16%3,3873,32729860––––7,072
    Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 10,39035.34%1,2554.27%84.86%8,66610,3909,135523–683––29,397
    Jean-Talon Lib Lib 14,33949.46%2,8079.68%88.54%11,53214,3392,706417––––28,994
    Jeanne-Mance Lib PQ 22,89145.48%4,6069.15%86.39%22,89118,2857,732905275––24550,333
    Johnson Lib UN 11,18445.33%4,80519.48%86.65%6,3795,34811,1841,761––––24,672
    Joliette-Montcalm Lib PQ 15,80742.41%5,31114.25%88.14%15,80710,4969,6121,172––899737,273
    Jonquière Lib PQ 20,37358.23%9,51127.18%89.26%20,37310,8622,2201,535––––34,990
    Kamouraska-Témiscouata Lib PQ 7,86233.88%3101.34%79.37%7,8627,5524,9572,837––––23,208
    L'Acadie Lib Lib 14,08245.50%4,40614.24%86.08%9,67614,0826,434276–327–15230,947
    L'Assomption Lib PQ 26,44954.49%14,43929.74%89.24%26,44912,0108,1551,724205–––48,543
    Lac-Saint-Jean Lib PQ 14,74450.91%6,91123.86%86.97%14,7447,8333,9712,414––––28,962
    LaFontaine PQ PQ 20,62761.79%12,46937.35%86.95%20,6278,1583,0821,039283–191–33,380
    Laporte Lib PQ 23,12956.56%11,08627.11%87.64%23,12912,0434,5611,027–––13340,893
    La Prairie Lib PQ 17,12238.13%6471.44%87.88%17,12216,47510,375930––––44,902
    Laurentides-Labelle Lib PQ 13,79449.25%4,06914.53%83.32%13,7949,7252,9921,499––––28,010
    Laurier Lib Lib 11,85841.68%2,2758.00%82.79%9,58311,8584,962678–921–44628,448
    Laval Lib Lib 17,60542.94%2,2855.57%88.42%15,32017,6056,6291,129319–––41,002
    Laviolette Lib PQ 11,00339.32%2,1747.77%86.41%11,0036,0748,8291,603357––11527,981
    Lévis Lib PQ 17,22748.49%5,88716.57%88.81%17,22711,3405,5851,375––––35,527
    Limoilou Lib PQ 14,42445.33%3,70711.65%86.09%14,42410,7174,6561,723176–527431,822
    Lotbinière Lib UN 12,35552.23%6,71328.38%87.55%4,6055,64212,3551,055––––23,657
    Louis-Hébert Lib PQ 22,85058.22%9,54324.31%90.80%22,85013,3072,705386––––39,248
    Maisonneuve PQ PQ 15,39062.15%9,07436.64%80.89%15,3906,3162,040652220–2212324,763
    Marguerite-Bourgeoys Lib Lib 14,55136.65%8062.03%84.91%13,74514,55110,492603–––31239,703
    Maskinongé Lib Lib 9,12435.84%4031.58%88.24%8,7219,1246,5611,055––––25,461
    Matane Lib PQ 11,04248.79%2,68411.86%82.23%11,0428,3582,319598316–––22,633
    Matapédia Lib PQ 10,74156.27%5,45828.59%81.76%10,7415,2831,5521,512––––19,088
    Mégantic-Compton Lib UN 8,53939.58%2,50211.60%82.63%4,8096,0378,5392,188––––21,573
    Mercier Lib PQ 13,45051.38%3,73614.27%81.76%13,4509,7141,975647––5833226,176
    Mille-Îles Lib PQ 25,13453.80%10,07021.55%90.84%25,13415,0644,6871,290342––20446,721
    Mont-Royal Lib Lib 18,40862.23%13,29544.94%83.36%4,77618,4085,113153–885–24729,582
    Montmagny-L'Islet Lib Lib 9,22037.44%2,3709.62%81.84%6,8499,2206,8501,710––––24,629
    Montmorency Lib PQ 17,30050.42%5,19015.13%88.23%17,30012,1103,1871,713––––34,310
    Nicolet-Yamaska Lib UN 8,76334.62%7502.96%87.93%7,1958,0138,7631,340––––25,311
    Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 13,16143.88%4,42914.77%84.26%4,10013,1618,7321671193,49711710329,996
    Orford Lib Lib 8,32132.90%6362.51%81.40%7,6858,3216,9792,077228–––25,290
    Outremont Lib Lib 13,21945.30%2,3878.18%84.31%10,83213,219–3504,129–38027029,180
    Papineau Lib PQ 12,96736.32%670.19%79.55%12,96712,9007,4831,947409–––35,706
    Pointe-Claire Lib UN 15,61044.96%3,4319.88%85.51%3,28412,17915,6101271649432,412–34,719
    Pontiac-Témiscamingue Lib Lib 8,14943.57%3,58119.14%74.98%3,2098,1494,5682,141––638–18,705
    Portneuf Lib Lib 10,36240.47%2,78310.87%89.04%7,57910,3623,8153,741106–––25,603
    Prévost Lib PQ 20,07549.59%7,56918.70%84.94%20,07512,5065,7072,195––––40,483
    Richelieu Lib PQ 16,14151.98%4,27413.76%90.28%16,14111,8672,189854––––31,051
    Richmond Lib UN 7,77839.15%1,9079.60%86.17%5,2945,8717,778925––––19,868
    Rimouski Lib PQ 15,23253.04%5,14617.92%86.34%15,23210,0861,6641,651––87–28,720
    Rivière-du-Loup Lib PQ 9,41538.53%1,9047.79%84.49%9,4157,5115,2302,281––––24,437
    Robert-Baldwin Lib Lib 14,47636.11%3,9479.84%86.95%7,43014,47610,529410–2,1885,060–40,093
    Roberval Lib Lib 11,76739.67%9323.14%80.90%10,83511,7673,1393,923––––29,664
    Rosemont Lib PQ 15,45551.07%5,38017.78%85.25%15,45510,0753,547596309––28330,265
    Rouyn-Noranda Cr RC 9,00937.90%1,4566.13%83.77%7,5534,9232,2839,009––––23,768
    Saguenay PQ PQ 15,49169.16%11,21250.06%78.48%15,4914,2792,054575––––22,399
    Saint-François Lib PQ 11,11541.60%3,62313.56%84.96%11,1157,4926,1141,996––––26,717
    Saint-Henri Lib PQ 14,24647.72%4,14213.87%83.78%14,24610,1044,549701–––25329,853
    Saint-Hyacinthe Lib UN 10,00233.63%580.20%86.38%9,9447,69410,0021,753350–––29,743
    Saint-Jacques PQ PQ 13,05860.31%7,18033.16%75.34%13,0585,8781,686579–––45121,652
    Saint-Jean Lib PQ 14,57045.73%3,69511.60%87.87%14,57010,8755,439977––––31,861
    Saint-Laurent Lib Lib 14,83746.18%6,29719.60%84.76%8,54014,8377,409294327719––32,126
    Saint-Louis Lib Lib 9,62842.07%1,7767.76%75.22%7,8529,6283,460422–1,151–37122,884
    Saint-Maurice Lib PQ 12,83645.77%4,78817.07%88.64%12,8368,0484,7492,005405–––28,043
    Saint-Anne Lib PQ 9,05938.62%6892.94%75.67%9,0598,3703,7834971216498967923,454
    Sainte-Marie Lib PQ 13,61754.97%5,04320.36%81.54%13,6178,5741,711674–––19724,773
    Sauvé PQ PQ 23,64758.60%13,37233.14%84.99%23,64710,2755,204977––12312940,355
    Shefford Lib Lib 9,66231.81%3841.26%87.20%8,1349,6629,2783,085217–––30,376
    Sherbrooke Lib PQ 12,44042.51%3,89513.31%84.69%12,4408,5456,2551,872––150–29,262
    Taillon Lib PQ 34,09862.65%22,34541.06%85.32%34,09811,7536,1892,129–––25654,425
    Taschereau Lib PQ 9,92945.14%1,8328.33%80.05%9,9298,0972,5311,179151––10721,994
    Terrebonne Lib PQ 21,29850.61%7,89918.77%89.48%21,29813,3995,7231,661––––42,081
    Trois-Rivières Lib PQ 13,82143.79%3,18210.08%85.26%13,82110,6395,6621,437––––31,559
    Vanier Lib PQ 16,64049.80%5,06315.15%87.41%16,64011,5773,3721,827––––33,416
    Vaudreuil-Soulanges Lib PQ 11,52435.85%5341.66%86.69%11,52410,9908,548905–––17432,141
    Verchères Lib PQ 16,79648.24%4,99014.33%88.89%16,79611,8065,224992––––34,818
    Verdun Lib Lib 13,20144.09%3,26110.89%83.60%9,94013,2015,833499–315–15029,938
    Viau Lib PQ 13,51343.44%1,9326.21%84.67%13,51311,5814,892760361–––31,107
    Westmount Lib Lib 14,72450.74%8,74430.13%82.23%3,48314,7245,980902104,534––29,021
    1. ↑ including spoilt ballots
      = open seat
      = turnout is above provincial average
      = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
      = incumbent had switched allegiance
      = previously incumbent in another riding
      = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
      = incumbency arose from byelection gain
      = other incumbents renominated
      = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
      = multiple candidates


    MPPs elected by region and riding

    Party designations are as follows:

      PQ
      Liberal
      UN
      Créditiste
      Parti national populaire


    Analysis

    Party candidates in 2nd place[4]
    Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
    PQLibUNRC
    Parti Québécois 654271
    Liberal 17926
    Union Nationale 2911
    Ralliement créditiste 11
    Parti national populaire 11
    Total 2075132110
    Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[4]
    Parties1st2nd3rd4th5th
    █ Parti Québécois 7120181
    █ Liberal 26759
    █ Union Nationale 1113804
    █ Parti créditiste 121918
    █ Parti national populaire 1131
    █ Democratic Alliance 184
    █ Independent 55
    █ New Democratic-RMS coalition 7
    █ Labour 4
    █ Communist 1
    Resulting composition of the 31st Quebec Legislative Assembly[5]
    SourceParty
    PQ Lib UN RC PNP Total
    Seats retainedIncumbents returned 621128
    Open seats held 33
    Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance 11
    Previous incumbent from other riding 11
    Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 52961
    Open seats gained 13114
    Byelection gain held 11
    Incumbent changed allegiance 11
    Total 71261111110

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Tremblay, Réjean (November 16, 1976). "Bas-Saint-Laurent : Une vaste mosaïque dominée par le PQ" [Lower Saint-Lawrence: A vast mosaic dominated by the PQ]. La Presse. Montreal. p. 10 (Cahier Élection).
    2. ↑ Bercier, Rhéal (August 4, 1976). "La fusion du PNP et de l'UN se fera en congrès, en octobre" [The PNP/UN merger will take place at a convention in October]. La Presse (in French). Montreal. p. 1.
    3. ↑ O'Neill, Pierre (September 4, 1976). "UN-PNP : la rupture" [UN-PNP: the collapse]. Le Devoir (in French). Montreal. pp. 1, 6.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 Drouilly, Pierre (November 7, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1976". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
    5. 1 2 "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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