 In the 1976 election campaign, he softened his message by promising a referendum (plebiscite) on sovereignty-association rather than outright separation, by which Quebec would have independence in most government functions but share some other ones, such as a common currency, with Canada.On November 15, 1976, Lévesque and the Parti Québécois won control of the provincial government for the first time.The question of sovereignty-association was placed before the voters in the 1980 Quebec referendum.