is ▁leader ▁Luci en ▁B ouch ard . ▁ ▁The ▁fast ▁rise ▁of ▁the ▁" Yes " ▁campaign ▁and ▁apparent ▁in ability ▁of ▁the ▁personal ities ▁of ▁the ▁" No " ▁campaign ▁to ▁counter ▁their ▁message ▁created ▁an ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁great ▁uncertainty , ▁both ▁in ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁and ▁across ▁Canada . ▁ ▁V oting ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁October ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁and ▁featured ▁the ▁largest ▁vot er ▁turn out ▁in ▁Quebec ' s ▁history ▁( 9 3 . 5 2 %). ▁The ▁" No " ▁option ▁carried ▁by ▁ 5 4 , 2 8 8 ▁votes ▁( 5 0 . 5 8 %). ▁Par ize au , ▁who ▁announced ▁his ▁pending ▁res ignation ▁as ▁Quebec ▁Premier ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁would ▁later ▁state ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁quickly ▁proceeded ▁with ▁a ▁un il ater al ▁declaration ▁of ▁independence ▁had ▁the ▁result ▁been ▁aff irm ative ▁and ▁negoti ations ▁failed ▁or ▁been ▁refused , ▁the ▁latter ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁revealed ▁as ▁the ▁federal ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁" Yes " ▁victory . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ies ▁over ▁both ▁the ▁provincial ▁vote ▁counting ▁and ▁direct ▁federal ▁financial ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁campaign ▁rever ber ated ▁in ▁Canadian ▁politics ▁for ▁over ▁a ▁de cade ▁after ▁the ▁refer endum ▁took ▁place . ▁In ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁close ▁result , ▁the ▁federal ▁government , ▁after ▁un il ater ally ▁recogn izing ▁Quebec ▁as ▁a ▁distinct ▁society ▁and ▁am ending