At a time when the Parti Québécois is dominating the polls, the youth wing of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) is holding its convention under the theme of “renewed federalism.”
Several observers see this as a symptom of a broader phenomenon in which the party would like to refocus debates in the Quebec public sphere on the constitutional question — in order, in particular, to win back the traditionally liberal federalists who migrated to the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2018.
“It’s been a while since the youth wing of the PLQ has asked itself questions about these issues. We clearly wanted to equip members so that they can defend their federalist option, especially if the PQ makes independence a central issue during the 2026 elections,” says David Carpentier, a doctoral student in political science at the University of Ottawa.
Mr. Carpentier was also invited to the congress on Saturday morning in Montreal to participate in a panel on “Quebec’s place within the Canadian federation.”
He also notes that the candidates expected to run for the party leadership, some of whom were present on Saturday, “do not really have the choice but to take a new nationalist turn to reconnect with the entire electorate.”
“There is a certain nationalist principle that structures Quebec political life and no party can truly deviate from it without risking being marginalized,” continues the researcher. Dominique Anglade tried unsuccessfully to make such a change, but she quickly returned to square one.”
Divergent speeches
Almost five months to the day before the official start of the PLQ leadership race, candidates have already begun to speak out on their vision of federalism. And their speeches diverge, albeit subtly.
Denis Coderre, the first candidate to launch, last June, sent an open letter to various media outlets on Friday advocating “assumed federalism” rather than the “renewed federalism” advocated by the congress organizers. “If there is one thing that doesn’t interest many people, it’s the Constitution,” he wrote, paradoxically.
“No one will doubt my federalism, but we must refocus the debate on other issues,” said the former federal minister and mayor of Montreal on Saturday, in a press scrum.
Other candidates have spoken more about Canada-Quebec relations in their recent media appearances. This is the case of MP Frédéric Beauchemin, who says he should make his candidacy official “soon.” He proposes the establishment of a Commission on Fiscal Imbalance to regulate federal government spending in provincial areas of jurisdiction, a proposal nevertheless supported by Mr. Coderre.
“François Legault’s government has given up on the development of a federalism that could make Quebec grow,” he lamented Saturday, hoping to focus more on his vision of federalism in his campaign, without promising that he would try to “reopen the constitution” if he were elected leader.
The same goes for Charles Milliard, who announced Friday that he would run. He says he wants to “take an interest in Canada” and “ask Ottawa for more powers.” As for the constitution, “it’s an important subject,” he adds, “but there is no appetite for debates on the subject among the electorate. We want to talk about health, culture, housing and purchasing power instead.”