▁from ▁the ▁other ▁nine ▁provinces . ▁ ▁If ▁the ▁Federal ▁government ▁refused ▁to ▁negoti ate , ▁or ▁if ▁negoti ations ▁were ▁to ▁exceed ▁October ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Par ize au ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁proceed ▁with ▁a ▁un il ater al ▁declaration ▁of ▁independence ▁( U DI ) ▁for ▁an ▁independent ▁Quebec ▁purs u ant ▁to ▁Section ▁ 2 6 ▁of ▁the ▁S over e ig nt y ▁Bill . ▁ ▁Par ize au ' s ▁hopes ▁for ▁international ▁recognition , ▁a ▁practical ▁requirement ▁of ▁state hood , ▁rest ed ▁with ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Franc oph onie . ▁He ▁believed ▁that ▁if ▁Quebec ▁declared ▁independence ▁in ▁these ▁circumstances , ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁National ▁Assembly ▁Philippe ▁S ég u in , ▁a ▁powerful ▁Ga ull ist ▁power ▁bro ker ▁who ▁was ▁sympath etic ▁to ▁the ▁so vere ig nt y ▁movement , ▁would ▁pressure ▁President ▁Chi rac ▁to ▁recognize ▁the ▁declaration . ▁He ▁counted ▁on ▁a ▁French ▁recognition ▁to ▁spread ▁quickly ▁to ▁the ▁Franc oph onie ▁and ▁bring ▁the ▁issue ▁to ▁a ▁head . ▁Ben oit ▁B ouch ard , ▁Canada ' s ▁amb assador ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁plan ▁was ▁ir r ational ▁as ▁he ▁doubt ed ▁S ég u in , ▁who ▁was ▁supposed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁neutral ▁figure ▁in ▁his ▁role , ▁could ▁bring ▁sufficient ▁pressure ▁in ▁the ▁country ' s ▁semi - pres ident ial ▁system . ▁ ▁In ▁inter views ▁conducted ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ,