Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says a Parti Québécois government will not hold a vote on Quebec sovereignty while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office.
The PQ leader took to social media Tuesday morning to reiterate his party’s priorities.
“Yes, a Parti Québécois government will consult Quebecers on Quebec independence during its first term if it is elected,” he said. “A Parti Québécois government will not hold a referendum as long as Donald Trump is president of the United States.”
St-Pierre Plamondon said the issue would not come to a vote before Jan. 20, 2029, the end of Trump’s second term at the White House.
“Because an issue as crucial as that of Quebec’s political future requires conditions that allow for an informed and serene debate,” he said. “It must not be hijacked by the upheavals of American politics, nor by the outbursts of an unpredictable president, nor by fear campaigns.”
Defusing the possibility of a referendum in the near future would allow the PQ to run based on its priorities that will benefit the people of Quebec, St-Pierre Plamondon said.
“We will bring order back to our public services by reducing bureaucracy, tackle the cost-of-living crisis effectively, respond to the housing crisis, fight homelessness, put an end to the shameless waste of public funds, take care of the physical and mental health of our people, and give Quebecers back the taste for Quebec,” he said.
The PQ leader also took the opportunity to take a jab at the governing CAQ, expressing that the next government will have “plenty of challenges” from the start of its term.
Get breaking National news
“The challenges are numerous and colossal; there is a lot of work on the table,” he said.
“Our priority remains clear: govern Quebec with consistency and restore confidence to Quebec women and men.”
Premier Christine Fréchette called St-Pierre Plamondon’s promise “irresponsible”, in a press conference Tuesday.
“We already have too much uncertainty, economic uncertainty. It would add a thick layer of political uncertainty,” she said.
Éric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, said it is concerning to see St-Pierre Plamondon backtracking in the face of Trump.
“It shouldn’t be the American administration that decides the future of Quebec. It should be Quebecers who decide,” he said.
On the eve of the deadline for a fresh round of U.S. tariffs on Canada, Karim Boulos, a political analyst, said the timing of St-Pierre Plamondon’s announcement was calculated.
“If the tariffs go through, he looks like a genius and says, ‘look at me, I’m seeing what’s happening and I’m not going to risk the future of Quebec,’” he said. “If it doesn’t go through he can still play the volatility card.”
With public support for sovereignty waning across Quebec, Boulos said St-Pierre Plamondon is trying to “ignite an emotional flame in people.”
“He’s playing one card and he’s playing it very hard,” he said.
Latest polling shows the PQ is leading the way ahead of the provincial election, which must be held before Oct. 5.
- New Brunswick lawmaker Megan Mitton announces bid to lead provincial Green Party
- Quebec political leaders to appear in TV interviews on day 14 of election campaign
- Ontario hit 58% of 2025 housing goal, even after adding long-term care, student beds
- Trade war takes centre stage in Quebec election campaign
Numbers released as part of a Leger/Le Journal/TVA poll show 30 per cent of voters would vote for the PQ if the election were held today.
The Quebec Liberal Party follows closely behind with 24 per cent.
Charles Milliard, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, said St-Pierre Plamondon’s announcement is a “new trick” to manipulate public opinion on the issue of a referendum.
Polling earlier this month found that just under one-third of Quebec voters support sovereignty.
“Mr. Plamodon came into politics to hold a referendum and this morning, in many interviews, he was surprised that people were surprised that he hadn’t changed his ideas,” Milliard told Global News. “So there will be a referendum. It would be in 2029 instead of 2028, but honestly nothing has changed.”
St-Pierre Plamondon also made an appeal to anglophone voters in a letter published in the National Post last week.
He asked English-speaking voters to keep an “open mind” about his party as the election approaches, adding that he would “even ensure that the rights currently enjoyed by the English-speaking community are entrenched in the constitution.”
Boulos said the letter targeting anglophones was another case of St-Pierre Plamondon attempting to reach a small percentage of voters.
“I think we’re going to hear more and more of these types of announcements that are not sovereignty centric, but still support the idea of sovereignty in a softer, more acceptable tone for voters,” he said.
Let this “have-not” province go!
Go ahead and separate. Then create your own government, currency, police force, infrastructure, and compensate all of Canada for what we have given you so far. Within 10 years you will be ripe for a takeover.
@Anonymous. In the unliklihood Vance wins, there will be a shortage of eyeshadow and lipstick.
Will be waiting a long time, 8 years of Vance & another 8 years of Rubio.
Sounds like youre scared
How about the figure out how to make money themselves instead of being subsidized by Alberta? Could be a positive thing for not just them but the entire country
A Referendum is totally useless. It is completely impossible to achieve independence with a referendum due to Article 43 of the Constitution of Canada. The Referendum platform of the Parti Quebecois is unreasonable, unrealistic and misleading unprofessional for Quebecers. The Blue Book platform of the Parti Quebecois is illegal as it is based on foreign interference in the domestic affairs of Quebec. Plamondon should resign for frauding Quebecers like this.
If its a bad idea today what makes anyone think it will be a better idea in 3 years? No patience for any of QCs baloney right now, thanks
Do a “How do you feel about losing equalization?” Vote.
Put the math on paper, then leave lol.
It benefits the rest if you leave. Take BC with you.
Froggy 🐸
Frogs are fugging cancer on MY COUNTRY
Frogs on same level as piece of dog turd
Frogs on same level as piece dogshite
@Globalnewssucks
Best idea I’ve heard in a while. Love it! Let’s do FNs, too!
Instead of an independence vote for Quebec, can the rest of Canada vote to expel Quebec? They always talk of seperation but a parasite never leaves it’s host.
So only an independence vote if Trump isn’t POTUS. Doesn’t seem like a serious independence pitch then.
Quebec should be kicked out. They are nothing but a burden on the federal budget. Their dairy supply management is costing Canadian consumers a lot of money. Whichever way we look at it, Canada is better off without these freeloaders.
Why isn’t the Carney cult screaming at them?
Refusing to give up power and blaming it on trump…
Liberal playbook
Quebec separating from Canada has always been an empty bluff…they wouldn’t have a credit rating…they’d need to mint their own currency and create their own armed forces…it’s never going to happen…they just use the threat of separation to extract more money and perks from the federal government…
One less province for Alberta to support. Please leave!
“Our priority remains clear: govern Quebec with consistency and restore confidence to Quebec women and men.”
Uh-oh, the purple-hairs will get angry over terms used here.
We already had the Quebec vote. The separatists lost. Get on with life.
If Quebec does not stop spending the money foolishly, and on non essentials, such as French language, Alberta may cut off the equalization payments. – get it together.
BTW: Has this dreamer done the math to show just how much Quebec loses if it separates? No more preferential treatment by the Liberals. No more equalization payments. No more preferential treatment by our military (we would not have to have fluent French in many federal sponsored jobs)