The language of sovereignty: Lucien Bouchard and the separatist movement in Quebec

The separatist movement in Quebec currently has a forceful leader in Lucien Bouchard As a staunch advocate of the cause, the Premier plays a vital role in relevant public discussion. The unique aspect in this case is the bilingual component to the debate on sovereignty; separatist appeals must be made to both English-speaking and French-speaking audiences Johannesen\u27s (1975) ethical evaluative criteria for human communication, four Bouchard speeches, two in each language, are analyzed toward an exegesis of the potential to sway voters. The resulting implications indicate a significant difference in the theoretical framework for sovereignty established by Bouchard within each group. The fact that English and French-speaking voters may not be substantively answering the same question on Quebec\u27s separation raises ethical issues that warrant inclusion in future referendum deliberations