The Parti Québécois has declared that they will refrain from initiating a referendum while Donald Trump is serving as the President of the United States, as stated by party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon on Tuesday morning. In a statement on X, he emphasized the importance of preventing the issue from being influenced by American political fluctuations.
St-Pierre Plamondon underscored the necessity of conducive conditions for a well-informed and composed discussion on the critical matter of Quebec’s political future. Citing the numerous challenges that the next government will confront, he made it clear that calling for a referendum would only add to the existing complexities.
To remove any speculation regarding the timing of a referendum due to Trump’s presidency, St-Pierre Plamondon confirmed that there will be no referendum held by the conclusion of Trump’s second term in January 2029. However, he affirmed that if elected, he would seek input from Quebec residents on the topic of independence following Trump’s departure from office.
This announcement comes shortly before the official launch of the Quebec provincial election campaign, with voting scheduled for October 5. Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing to avert the imposition of new American tariffs, with Prime Minister Mark Carney engaging in intense discussions to reach a mutually beneficial agreement before the impending deadline.
In a bid to appeal to anglophone voters, the separatist leader has pledged to conduct a referendum within his initial term. Despite historical anglophone support for the Liberals, St-Pierre Plamondon has been actively reaching out to this demographic in recent weeks. In a public letter featured in the National Post, he highlighted the shared concerns and realities between anglophones and francophones in Quebec, including challenges related to living costs, homeownership, and deficiencies in education and healthcare provisions.
A recent survey conducted by Angus Reid revealed that only 15% of respondents would definitively vote for independence in a referendum today, with an additional 11% leaning towards independence. Despite this, the Parti Québécois leads in overall voting intentions according to the political aggregator 338Canada, positioning them ahead of the Quebec Liberal Party and the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec government.
