Daniel Johnson, 1946–1964: la passion du pouvoir by Pierre Godin, and: Daniel Johnson, 1964–1968: la difficile recherche de l’égalité by Pierre Godin (review)

REVIEWS 75 in close quarters:R.P.Labonte,atleast,hadhisreligious faithto sustain him. Thereareotherquestions, too.Wereallcommandants andguards brutaland unsympathetic? Wereeffortsmadeto politicize the prisoners? How did the variousnationalgroups,in whosecompanyLabontefound himself,reactto imprisonment? The authorhadthepersonal experiences tojustifyamoving, informative account of life behindthebarbedwire.Perhaps, because hedelayedthirty -fiveyearsbeforepublishing it, hisbooklacksthe vitalityand emotional impactI expected tofindin it. GEORGE F.G.STANLEY MountAllison University Daniel Johnson, •946- •964: lapassion dupouvoir. mERRE GODIN. Montreal,Les Editions del'Homme, •980. Pp.456. DanielJohnson, •964-•968: la difficilerecherche de lYgalitg mERRE GOreN. Montreal,LesEditionsdel'Homme,•98o. Pp.403. Despitesomeunconscionable banalties,this is a worthwhileand readable study.It smoothlytracesJohnson's progress from implausible originsto worshipful protegeof Duplessis, to feverishmanoeuvrer under Sauveand Barrette,to the demagogic anddiscredited leaderof theopposition, to the underdogvictoroverJeanLesage, totheambiguous butgiftedstatesman. In the process, someof Quebec's otherleadingpoliticians of the era are well depicted: theveryrespected butphysically vulnerable PaulSauve; buffoonish Barrette (•150I-of-old-age,political corruption anddesertion,' whom Johnson called 'thefeet'); thevain andpretentious Georges-l•mile Lapalme; JeanLesage, majestic butunstable; andthediligent,Hamletesque, andoverly rhetorical Jean-Jacques Bertrand.All of these andothers emerged in graphic form,generally true to life. Onlywhenhe attempts serious analysis of importantpolitical phenomena does theauthorbadlyoverreach. Thus,theexplanation of Duplessis' durable strength andpopularity wasof thesimplistic varietythatI hadhopedwehad outgrown,althoughDuplessis' qualities of politicalleadership, unlikeTrudeau 's, areunsparingly recorded. Duplessis' vision of Quebec was'aruraland artisans' society,' animatedby a 'Maurrassian ... nationalism of survival,' in which'theworkingconditions arefixedfor alleternitybydivineProvidence' and'ourancestors hadthevocation ofignorance anditwouldbetreason togive toomucheducation toourpeople now.'In aword,'Duplessis gave theProvince totheAmericans.' Similarly theriseofTrudeau:Stanfield was actually winning the •968 election, wearetold,untiltheassassination of RobertKennedy.At thispoint'Trudeaupullsthechestnuts outof thefire ...andbecomes thelast representative of Kennedycharisma.' DanielJohnson's trajectory isparticularly compelling, sometimes absurd, oftenalmost noble,although it isprettyfarfetched toclaim,asthisbookdoes, 76 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW thatJohnsonabandoned hisstudyof the priesthood andjoined the Union Nationale because theLiberals, underTaschereau, wouldn't givehisfatheran indigence cardthatwouldhaveprolonged Madame Johnson's life. Johnson's victoryover Bertrand at the famousconvention in •96• is presentedin an entertainingand knowledgeable fashion.The Johnson organization had hired the prostitutes, bribedthe organistat the Quebec Coliseum, and promoteda massive whispering campaign to the effectthat Bertrand was a front for the Liberals and Le Devoir. The convention was vintageQuebec-Gothic machinepolitics.It openedwith Filionwritingin Le Devoir thewidelyheldviewthat'Johnson incarnates allthatismost detestable andcontemptible inDuplessism ...Wearereadytofastanddopenance thatthe Province mayescape the calamity namedDanielJohnson.' The convention closed withJohnson uttering'themost insignificant speech ofhiscareer...The delirious ovation ofseventeen minutes thatgreetedhispitifuleffortconstitutes themajor[organizational] achievement of theconvention.' Godinskillfullydescribes Johnson's inexorableprogress from the sleazy 'DannyBoy'of Hudoncartoons, whowasnoteveninvitedtotheunveiling of thestatueof MauriceDuplessis bytheoldleader's entourage. After hisfirst heartattack in •964Johnson lostweight, tooktohorn-rimmed glasses, hadthe pockets sewn in histrousers, assumed anairof'serenity andseverity... finesse ... austerity and seriousness ... no longerafflictedby a doublechin.'To the Liberalreformsineducation, welfare,andthepublicservice, Johnson replied with a m61angeof religiousorthodoxy,nationalism,and administrative efficiency. Ruralvoters, petitbourgeois, andworkers - allthose whofeltleft outoftheQuietRevolution-wereassiduously wooed. Johnson could affordto be morenationalistic than Lesage, a practising Liberalandformerfederal minister, andGodinrichlydescribes hisassault uponLesage's taxsystem: 'All thatismissing isataxonbedsprings andthatwon'tbelongin coming.' Once inoffice, Johnson's principal effortwas inintergovernmental relations andthisbookgives aninteresting, thoughnotparticularly original, viewofthe Quebec-Paris-Ottawa triangle. Johnson hadvague notions oftheadvantages to Quebec ofunitinganAmerican environment andaFrench culture, andsought tomakehisnationalist stance, between those ofLesage andBoutgault andlater between those ofTrudeauandLevesque, aposition ofstrength. Hisformula, Equality or Independence, wasinspired. No onereallyknewwhatJohnson wanted,and evende Gaulle,we learn, becameimpatientwith him. Godin summarizes: 'Johnson isconcerned above allwiththeequilibrium ofthings. He governs byleaning onabalance wherethereisalways asubtle playofcontrary influences.' Johnson wasthelastof theconservative nationalists andhecompleted the lineofMercier,Bourassa, Groulx,andDuplessis. Theirconservatism provided somerestraintfor their nationalist fervour.With the deathof Johnson the nationalist torchpassed to Levesque andthe left. 'DanielJohnson willhave REVIEWS 77 beenthe lastof the ambivalentleaders.He left to Quebeckers a political testament in his own image,that is, susceptible to diametrically opposed interpretations. This washis weakness and his strength... this quiet and reassuring ambivalence, whichconsists inbelieving oneself atonce aCanadian anda Quebecker.' LikemostQuebecnationalists, thisauthorisunabletoconceive of thenotion that there existsa Canadianwho thinksof Canadaashe thinksof Quebec. Thus,thereisastonishment atTrudeau's objection todeGaulle's comparison between Canada,Nigeria,andRhodesia. And thereispartisanship: theleast failingofanyfederalist figureismagnified andcaricatured - ClaudeWagner andJeanLesage, in particular-whiletheseparatists aregenerally whitewashed .Jean-Noel Tremblay,whose outrageous andeffeminate behaviour scandalized the whole provinceand frequentlyembarrassed Johnsonhimself, emerges asa sortof RocketRichardof nationalist letters. Thereisalso anexcess offatuous detail.It isinteresting toreadofdeGaulle's dinnerwithMrsPearson andMrsMartin,wherethelanguage barriermade communication practically impossible, of de Gaullebeingserenaded...