In 1980 Quebec held a referendum to decide whether they wanted the authority to govern themselves and separate from Canada. Of the 90 percent of the population that voted, 60 percent voted against it as they Believed in Canada's national unity and opposed the separation of Quebec. Prime Minister Trudeau even promised to change the Canadian Constitution to give Quebec more equality, in order to avoid the separation of the country. Thankfully the Partis Quebecois lost but this was not the last of Quebec's efforts to gain sovereignty.