Bernard Landry
A staunch Quebec sovereigntist and economic architect who steered the province's finances as premier and a longtime minister.
1937–2018 (age 81)·Premier of Quebec from 2001 to 2003·Birthday: March 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bernard Landry was a true believer. A lawyer and economist by training, he entered politics with a clear mission: to achieve sovereignty for Quebec. His career within the Parti Québécois was defined by intellectual rigor and a focus on the practical tools needed for a potential country. As Finance Minister under René Lévesque, he championed the creation of the Caisse de dépôt et placement and Hydro-Québec's James Bay project, institutions that bolstered Quebec's economic confidence. Becoming premier in 2001, he governed during a period of fiscal restraint, aiming to balance the books while keeping the sovereignty flame alive. Though his tenure was short, Landry was never a mere caretaker; he was a strategist who believed independence required a solid economic foundation. Even after leaving politics, he remained a respected and unwavering voice for the cause he dedicated his life to.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bernard was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2018Died at 81
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Served as the 28th Premier of Quebec from 2001 to 2003, leading the Parti Québécois.
- As Finance Minister, he played a key role in establishing the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, a major public pension fund.
- Oversaw the final phases of the massive James Bay Hydroelectric Project as a senior minister.
- Negotiated the "Gentes Agreement" on behalf of Quebec with the Innu community in 2004, after his premiership.
Did You Know?
He was a professor of administrative law and economics at the Université du Québec à Montréal before entering politics.
He was a recipient of the Ordre national du Québec, the province's highest honor.
In 1964, he co-founded the Mouvement Souveraineté-Association, a precursor to the Parti Québécois.
He lost the 2003 provincial election to Jean Charest's Liberals, ending his term as premier.
“A sovereign Quebec requires its own currency and control of its economic levers.”
