PQ leader downplays federal byelection loss as Quebec election looms amid trade tensions

On the campaign trail, Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon dismissed the significance of the Liberal win in the Chicoutimi-Le Fjord federal byelection, noting that a single riding does not reflect the broader decision Quebecers will face in the provincial election. Liberal candidate Daniel Gobeil secured 51.3% of the vote, leaving Bloc candidate Caroline Dubé with 32.9%. Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard quipped that the PQ only aligns with the Bloc when it suits them, adding a light-hearted jab.

While the PQ remains ahead in provincial polls, the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec is narrowing the gap, aided by the ongoing trade conflict with the United States. A federal Liberal source linked Gobeil’s success to the collapse of Canada-U.S. trade talks and his prominence in the provincial dairy lobby. Both parties agreed that the byelection outcome is unlikely to mirror the October 5 provincial vote, where “apples and oranges” comparisons persist.