Jacques Parizeau sometimes made life difficult for other PQ leaders

Former premier Jacques Parizeauis being praised by many federalists as a worthy adversary anda formidable opponent in the historic battles over Quebec sovereignty. But through the yearsParizeau proved to be an equally irksome thorn in the side of many of his allies within the Parti Qubcois.

Parizeauhad a singular vision of how Quebec sovereignty should be achievedand he was nevershy to share it, regardless of who was in charge.

He seemed to have a way of popping up with a column, a comment, or an opinion expressed at the worst possible time for other PQ leaders.

Parizeauv. Lvesque

After the referendum loss in 1980 and the failed constitutional talks in 1982, PQ premierRenLvesque turned away from pursuing sovereignty and decided to pursue a strategy called Beau Risque, that would see the PQ try to sign another constitutional deal with prime minister Brian Mulroney'sfederal conservatives.

Parizeau, up until then Lvesque's finance minister, was not happy with the strategy.He and several other ministers resigned from cabinet in protest. The resignations surprised Lvesque, who resigned himself soon afterwards.

Parizeau would eventually return to politics. Lvesque never did.

Parizeau v. Bouchard

After the 1995 referendum loss, Parizeau resignedand was succeeded as premier by Lucien Bouchard.

As leader of the Bloc Quebecois during the referendum campaign, the charismatic Bouchard tended to overshadow Parizeau.But once Bouchardbecame premier, Parizeau was quick to criticize his government, suggesting that it was not doing enough to continue to pursue sovereignty.

Bouchardretired in 2001, citing in part his failure to reignite enthusiasm for sovereignty.

Parizeau v. Landry

In the2003 election, then PQ leader Bernard Landry was comfortably leading in publicopinion polls heading into the leader's debates. During the debate, Liberal leader Jean Charest blindsided Landry with a reference to Parizeau.

Charestquestioned Landryona speech Parizeau had made a few days earlier in Shawinigan, in which he was reported to have called for another referendum soon, and to have reiterated his infamous comments about the 1995 referendum loss being because of "money and the ethnic vote". Landry seemed unaware of the speech, andCharesthammered him.

"Quebecers don't want a government that divides them," Charest said."On April 14, I will seek to unite Quebecers, not divide them like Jacques Parizeau has done. If you have principles, you will call Mr. Parizeau to order immediately," Charestbarked at Landry.

The attack gave Charest momentum, and Landry never recovered. Charest's Liberals went on to win a majority government. Two years later,Landry resigned as leader.

Parizeau v. Marois

A major plank of PQ premier Pauline Marois' government in 2013 was the proposed charter of Quebec values, which would ban civil servants from wearing religious symbols.

Shortly after the charter proposal was released, Parizeauattacked the idea in a column in the Journal de Montral.

In thecolumn, Parizeau wrotethat the separation of church and state in Quebec has long since been established, thanks totheQuiet Revolution in the 1960s.

He accusedthe Quebec government of reacting to a growing fear of Islam.

"For the most part, the only contact that most Quebecers have with the world of Islam is through these images of violence, repeated over and over: wars, riots, bombs, the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Boston marathon ... The reaction is obvious: We'll have none of that here!" Parizeau wrote.

He saidthat kind of approach solvednothing.

The column prompted federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau to remark"I think when Mr.Parizeaubecomes a voice of moderation in the debate, thesovereigntistshave a real problem."

Marois went on to suffer a humiliating election defeat the following spring, in part due to controversy over the charter. She resigned as PQ leader on election night.

Parizeau v. Pladeau

In one of his final interviews, broadcast in April just weeks before PierreKarl Pladeau was voted the new PQ leader, Parizeau took one final, blistering shot at his old party, saying itwas facing a "field of ruins."

Parizeausaid he hardly recognizedthe PQ anymore.

"We've gradually demolished this party, and we made it lose its soul," Parizeausaid.

A large part of the problem, Parizeau said, is that it seemedPQ members "don't believe in themselves. So how do you expect people to believe in them?"

Parizeau said the PQ had lost its momentum because of constant"Byzantine" debates regarding the best time to call an independence referendum.

It was not by any means a direct attack on Pladeau, but it certainly leaves the current PQ leader with difficult questions to answeras sovereigntists mourn Parizeau.

Even in death, it seemsParizeau remains an obstinate, opinionated and confounding figure for his opponents and allies alike.