Rene Levesque was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as the 23rd Premier of Quebec from 1976 to 1985. He was a major figure in the province's sovereignty movement and is often referred to as 'the father of modern Quebec'. Levesque was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada until 1967, when he left to form the Parti Quebecois, which sought to promote the sovereignty of Quebec. He was elected premier in 1976 and held the position until 1985. Levesque was a strong advocate for the rights of the French-speaking population of Quebec and was instrumental in the passage of the Charter of the French Language. He also played a key role in the negotiations leading up to the 1980 referendum on Quebec sovereignty.