MONTREAL - A key player in Canada's constitutional wars of the 1990s wants Quebec to sign the country's most fundamental document, stop talking about independence and rebuild bridges with the rest of the country.

Jean Allaire became a symbol of the nationalist sentiment sweeping the province when he bolted from then-premier Robert Bourassa's provincial Liberal party, laid out 22 conditions for Quebec to sign the Constitution and then founded the Action democratique du Quebec.

He's laying out only five conditions now -- and has dropped longstanding demands for a limit on federal spending power and for a Quebec veto over any future constitutional change.

His five remaining demands include recognition of the Quebec nation in the Charter of Rights and a full transfer of power to Quebec in any area that touches language -- like immigration and telecommunications.

These days, Allaire is especially keen on seeing Quebec adopt more conservative economic policies.

In a report released Thursday, a group led by Allaire called for health-care user fees, and for a voluntary program of "civic service" for social-assistance recipients. The program would top up welfare benefits for people who work.

He also wants to see a decrease in income taxes, a hike in sales taxes, higher prices for electricity in the province, and toll booths on roads.

The 79-year-old former lawyer was a high-profile provincial Liberal who abandoned the party over what he perceived as a sellout of Quebec's interests to English Canada.

The move fuelled the nationalist fervour that had erupted in the province after the 1990 failure of the Meech Lake constitutional deal, a time when many previously soft nationalists became outright supporters of Quebec independence.

Allaire founded the ADQ with fellow defector Mario Dumont, then president of the Liberals' youth wing, and they went on to become the first and second leader of the small provincial party.

At the time the ADQ supported Quebec independence but Allaire calls for a different approach now.

"There will be no chance of amending the Constitution unless we first rebuild bridges with the rest of Canada -- I'm convinced of that," Allaire said.

"And we cannot rebuild them with threats of a referendum. . . An author (a book edited by Andre Pratte) talks about 'Reconquering Canada.' That's pretty much on the mark. Reconquering it -- but reconquering the spirit and the hearts of Canadians."