The Parti Québécois has announced that they will refrain from initiating a referendum while Donald Trump remains the U.S. President, as revealed by party Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon on Tuesday. St-Pierre Plamondon expressed the importance of avoiding entanglement with American political fluctuations to ensure a well-informed and composed discussion on Quebec’s political future.
This decision comes amidst the upcoming Quebec general election campaign launch, with voting scheduled for October 5. Despite St-Pierre Plamondon’s commitment to hold a referendum during his initial term, he has been actively appealing to anglophone voters, traditionally aligned with the Liberal party. In a recent outreach effort, he highlighted common concerns shared by anglophones and francophones in the province, including challenges related to living costs, housing affordability, and deficiencies in education and healthcare services.
In a published statement, St-Pierre Plamondon emphasized the unity among residents, asserting that they all contribute to the same systems and deserve equal access to quality public services and financial stability. A recent Angus Reid poll, involving over 900 participants, indicated that only 15% would unequivocally vote for separation in a referendum today, while an additional 11% were inclined towards voting for independence.
Despite these statistics, the Parti Québécois enjoys a favorable position in the polls. According to the political aggregator 338Canada, the party leads in overall voting intentions, surpassing both the Quebec Liberal Party and the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec government.