The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, made it clear on Tuesday that the party will not pursue a referendum while Donald Trump is in office as the U.S. President. St-Pierre Plamondon expressed his desire to prevent the issue from being influenced by American politics. He emphasized the need for a well-informed and calm debate on Quebec’s political future, stating that the upcoming government will already face numerous challenges without the need for a referendum during Trump’s presidency, which is expected to end in 2029.
St-Pierre Plamondon assured that if he is elected, he would seek input from Quebec residents on the topic of independence after Trump’s term concludes. This announcement comes shortly before the official launch of the Quebec provincial election campaign, with voting scheduled for October 5.
In a bid to attract English-speaking voters, the separatist leader has been reaching out to anglophones, acknowledging their shared concerns with francophones in the province. St-Pierre Plamondon highlighted common issues such as the cost of living, housing affordability, and challenges in the education and healthcare sectors. A recent poll by Angus Reid revealed that only a small percentage of respondents were in favor of leaving in a potential referendum.
Despite this, the Parti Québécois is leading in overall voting intentions, surpassing the Quebec Liberal Party and the Coalition Avenir Québec according to 338Canada’s political polling data. The party’s stance on the referendum and efforts to engage with English-speaking voters are part of its strategy leading up to the election.
