The Parti Québécois has announced that they will refrain from initiating a referendum as long as Donald Trump remains in office as the President of the United States. Party Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon emphasized the importance of avoiding any potential interference from American politics in the debate surrounding Quebec’s political future. St-Pierre Plamondon highlighted the necessity for a well-informed and peaceful discussion regarding such a critical issue.
He mentioned that the upcoming government, tasked with addressing the challenges left behind by the CAQ, will have a significant workload from the beginning of their term. To prevent any distractions caused by concerns over Trump’s presidency, St-Pierre Plamondon confirmed that a referendum would not be held before the end of Trump’s second term on January 20, 2029.
Although a Parti Québécois administration would not conduct a referendum before the specified date, St-Pierre Plamondon expressed his intention to seek input from Quebecers on the topic of independence within his initial mandate if elected. This announcement coincides with the impending launch of the Quebec general election campaign next week, with voting scheduled for October 5.
Despite historically aligning with the Liberals, anglophone voters have shown support for St-Pierre Plamondon, who has been actively engaging with them in recent weeks. In a published open letter, St-Pierre Plamondon highlighted shared concerns between anglophones and francophones in Quebec, such as the cost of living, housing affordability, and challenges in the education and healthcare sectors.
A recent Angus Reid poll involving over 900 participants revealed that only 15% of respondents would definitively vote for independence in a referendum today, with an additional 11% leaning towards that decision. Despite these statistics, the Parti Québécois maintains a lead in overall voting intentions, as indicated by the political aggregator 338Canada, positioning them ahead of the Quebec Liberal Party and the governing Coalition Avenir Québec.