Encouraged by the most recent polls which place him in the lead, the leader of the Parti Québécois believes that Quebec is at the dawn of an important transformation in terms of support for independence. He is staying the course with a referendum in his first term and believes he will be able to rally sovereignists from other political parties.
“I think we are at the dawn of an important transformation on the question of independence,” declared PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
The PQ has the wind in its sails, according to the most recent Léger poll published Wednesday morning in our pages. For the first time in 10 years, the PSPP party is leading in voting intentions and overtakes François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).
With 31% of intentions against 25% at the CAQ, the sovereignist party continues its rise.
Once again, Prime Minister François Legault reiterated that he took “all responsibility” for the dissatisfaction with the CAQ.
“The third link, the salary increase for deputies, the Los Angeles Kings… it’s a set of factors,” he said to explain the dissatisfaction of 63% who affect his training.
- Listen to political analyst Elsie Lefebvre speaking to Richard Martineau via QUB radio :
The PQ leader admits for his part that he is taking advantage of the discontent afflicting François Legault’s party, to the point of attracting non-sovereignists into his electorate.
Moreover, although it continues to climb in the polls, support for sovereignty stagnates at 34%.
The leader of the PQ maintains that he has work to do to explain his plan for Quebec independence, he points out.
“Political action should not be based on polls […] I think that the coming years will allow us to increase support for independence. I think it is hasty to talk about a ceiling,” said the leader of the PQ.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon even believes that the movement will gain momentum between now and the next elections.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Referendum
However, he does not intend to play the balancing act and assures that he will hammer home his speech on sovereignty. His plan remains the same: a referendum in a first mandate of the PQ.
He plans to tour Quebec to explain that Canada is harming Quebec.
“The real country is Canada, and it is it that is causing the suffocation of health financing, in particular,” he explained, arguing that its year 1 budget demonstrates the vitality of a sovereign Quebec.
He believes he can convince the separatists of the CAQ and QS to join the PQ.
“There are still 40% of independentists in the CAQ,” he mentioned.
Constitution
However, a major obstacle appears before the PSPP project. The Léger poll indicates that 47% of Quebecers would sign the Canadian Constitution in its current state, like the other provinces. The PQ leader reiterated that the trend can be reversed.
The liberal Monsef Derraji did not want to comment on the constitutional question, while his party is still slipping in the polls. However, he affirmed that “everything will be on the table” during the leadership race.
Québec solidaire, which rose by a small 2% in voting intentions, assures that their work in the National Assembly and the arrival of the new co-spokesperson, Émilise Lessard-Therrien, will bear fruit one day or the other.
MP Andrés Fontecilla nevertheless admits that a 2% increase is “not enough.”