Parti crédit social uni
Encyclopedia
The Parti crédit social uni (PCSU; English: United Social Credit Party) was a provincial political party in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. It existed on two occasions, from 1969 to around 1971 and from 1979 to 1994. The party leader in both periods was Jean-Paul Poulin
. The PCSU was not formally aligned with the Social Credit Party of Canada
.
's federal Ralliement des créditistes decided to field candidates at the provincial level for the first time. Poulin and his supporters disapproved of this decision, saying that they did not support Caouette's leadership of the federal party, and established the PSCU as a rival organization. In launching the party, Poulin also indicated his support for a "strong Quebec in a united Canada." He had previously been a candidate of the Ralliement national
, a social credit
and Quebec nationalist party that contested the 1966 provincial election
without Caouette's approval.
The PSCU ran candidates in three 1969 by-elections, in the 1970 provincial elections
, and in further by-elections in 1971. None were elected. The party was not registered with the provincial government, and its candidates appeared on the ballot without affiliation.
The party seems to have disappeared after 1971. Poulin later joined the re-united Social Credit Party of Canada
under Caouette's leadership and was a candidate for the party in the 1974 federal election
.
, which was aligned with the federal party, dissolved itself in 1978. The Parti crédit social uni was subsequently re-established, again under Poulin's leadership, and was formally accredited as a provincial political party on September 13, 1979. The PCSU nominated candidates in the 1981 election
, 1985 election
, and 1989 election
, each time winning less than 0.1% of the popular vote. The last time it fielded a candidate was in a by-election
in Anjou held on January 20, 1992. The party was dissolved on August 27, 1994 by the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
.
During the 1981 provincial election
, the Montreal Gazette described the PCSU as a "hard core" Créditiste group and identified Poulin as a follower of Major C.H. Douglas's economic theories. When interviewed by the Gazette, Poulin held up a copy of his party's manifesto and said, "This was written in 1966 and I haven't had to change a word."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It existed on two occasions, from 1969 to around 1971 and from 1979 to 1994. The party leader in both periods was Jean-Paul Poulin
Jean-Paul Poulin
Jean-Paul Poulin was a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He was active in the Canadian social credit movement and led the Parti crédit social uni through four general elections at the provincial level....
. The PCSU was not formally aligned with the Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
.
First period, 1969–71
The Parti crédit social uni emerged through a split in the Quebec social credit movement. In 1969, Réal CaouetteRéal Caouette
David Réal Caouette was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He was a Member of Parliament and leader of the Social Credit Party of Canada and founder of the Ralliement des créditistes...
's federal Ralliement des créditistes decided to field candidates at the provincial level for the first time. Poulin and his supporters disapproved of this decision, saying that they did not support Caouette's leadership of the federal party, and established the PSCU as a rival organization. In launching the party, Poulin also indicated his support for a "strong Quebec in a united Canada." He had previously been a candidate of the Ralliement national
Ralliement national
Ralliement national was a political party that advocated the political independence of Quebec from Canada in the 1960s.It was led by former créditiste Gilles Grégoire...
, a social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
and Quebec nationalist party that contested the 1966 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1966
The Quebec general election of 1966 was held on June 5, 1966, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The Union Nationale , led by Daniel Johnson, Sr, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage....
without Caouette's approval.
The PSCU ran candidates in three 1969 by-elections, in the 1970 provincial elections
Quebec general election, 1970
The Quebec general election of 1970 was held on April 29, 1970 to elect members of the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada. The former Legislative Assembly had been renamed the "National Assembly" in 1968...
, and in further by-elections in 1971. None were elected. The party was not registered with the provincial government, and its candidates appeared on the ballot without affiliation.
The party seems to have disappeared after 1971. Poulin later joined the re-united Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
under Caouette's leadership and was a candidate for the party in the 1974 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
.
Second period, 1979–1994
The provincial Ralliement créditiste du QuébecRalliement créditiste du Québec
The Ralliement créditiste du Québec was a provincial political party in Quebec, Canada that operated from 1970 to 1978. It promoted social credit theories of monetary reform, and acted as an outlet for the expression of rural...
, which was aligned with the federal party, dissolved itself in 1978. The Parti crédit social uni was subsequently re-established, again under Poulin's leadership, and was formally accredited as a provincial political party on September 13, 1979. The PCSU nominated candidates in the 1981 election
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
, 1985 election
Quebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
, and 1989 election
Quebec general election, 1989
The Quebec general election of 1989 was held on September 25, 1989, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada...
, each time winning less than 0.1% of the popular vote. The last time it fielded a candidate was in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Anjou held on January 20, 1992. The party was dissolved on August 27, 1994 by the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
The Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec is the official responsible for the administration of the electoral and referendum system in Quebec, Canada....
.
During the 1981 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1981
The Quebec general election of 1981 was held on April 13, 1981, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by René Lévesque, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Claude Ryan.The PQ won re-election despite...
, the Montreal Gazette described the PCSU as a "hard core" Créditiste group and identified Poulin as a follower of Major C.H. Douglas's economic theories. When interviewed by the Gazette, Poulin held up a copy of his party's manifesto and said, "This was written in 1966 and I haven't had to change a word."