▁the ▁federal ▁constitution al ▁v eto ▁procedure , ▁referred ▁the ▁issue ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁Canada , ▁which ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁un il ater al ▁se cess ion ▁cont empl ated ▁in ▁the ▁refer endum ▁was ▁illegal . ▁ ▁Background ▁▁ ▁Quebec , ▁a ▁province ▁in ▁Canada ▁since ▁its ▁foundation ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁the ▁sole ▁majority ▁French - spe aking ▁province . ▁Long ▁ruled ▁by ▁forces ▁( such ▁as ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ) ▁that ▁focused ▁on ▁aff irm ation ▁of ▁the ▁province ' s ▁French ▁and ▁Catholic ▁identity ▁within ▁Canada , ▁the ▁Qu iet ▁Revolution ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁prompt ed ▁a ▁sur ge ▁in ▁civ ic ▁and ▁economic ▁national ism , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁voices ▁calling ▁for ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁the ▁province ▁and ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁nation ▁state . ▁Among ▁these ▁was ▁René ▁Lé ves que , ▁who ▁would ▁eventually ▁found ▁the ▁Parti ▁Qu éb é co is ▁with ▁like - mind ed ▁groups ▁seeking ▁independence ▁from ▁Canada . ▁After ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁the ▁P Q ▁government ▁held ▁a ▁refer endum ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁seeking ▁a ▁mand ate ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁" so vere ig nt y - associ ation " ▁with ▁Canada ▁that ▁was ▁decis ively ▁defeated . ▁ ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁refer endum ▁result , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Pierre ▁Tru de au ▁declared ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁seek ▁to ▁" pat ri ate " ▁the