The Gazette —
July 9, 2026
Opinion: René Lévesque didn’t refuse to debate in English
He understood that you must be able to address the other side in its own language — to persuade, to negotiate, or simply to be understood.
On March 25, 1968, René Lévesque walked into an auditorium at Scarborough College — today the University of Toronto Scarborough. He was warmly received by students who had come to hear him discuss Canadian federalism, economic security and the possibility of an independent Quebec.
I was six at the time. I didn’t understand English, and I was watching cartoons dubbed in French, not Lévesque. Decades later, I watched the recording of that encounter, now available on YouTube. The hour goes by quickly. Anyone interested in Quebec politics should take the time to watch it.