Home > Events > The New Role of the State > The Election of 1960: the Expression of a Will to Change

Standard version of the video

Jean Lesage, the new Premier of Quebec, offers his first impressions of the Liberal Party win during the elections of 1960.
Image Description
The Election of 1960: the Expression of a Will to Change [Jean Lesage]: We may have but a small majority, but it is a marvellous victory.
It's a victory for young people, is it not, who are now liberated from insecurity for the future
It is a victory for the mothers of families who were worried about the future of the family upon which we intend to center our policy
When I referred to young people, obviously I was thinking about education
And it is a victory for the entire population, for workers, for businessmen who see in us economic stability and economic security
And I am very confident, in light of the percentages seen on the vote that we will hold a majority in Parliament and that we will be able to offer our province an honest government, sound administration and steady progress. I am convinced this evening and I am very happy.
I want to thank the population in the province for fighting, beating and overthrowing the electoral machine of the Union nationale; it was writhing in its death throes, but it was too late
And like I have often said, fear changed sides and this is how we won, how the people of the Province of Quebec vanquished.