Lucien Bouchard

Lucien Bouchard is a Quebec politician and lawyer who transformed Canadian politics through his floor crossing. Recruited by Brian Mulroney to the Progressive Conservatives in 1988, he was named Environment Minister. He broke with the party in 1990 over the failure of the Meech Lake Accord and founded the Bloc Quebecois, which became the Official Opposition in 1993 with 54 seats. He later served as Premier of Quebec from 1996 to 2001. His crossing was one of the most consequential in Canadian history.