PQ leader rules out Quebec referendum while Trump remains president
Parti Québécois chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says no independence vote will be held before Donald Trump leaves office, though he would consult voters if elected.
Ahead of the Quebec provincial election campaign, Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon posted on X that his party will not hold a referendum on Quebec’s political future while Donald Trump is still president, citing a desire to avoid the issue being swayed by American politics. He set the earliest possible date for a vote at January 20, 2029, the conclusion of Trump’s second term, but said a PQ government would still seek a public consultation on independence within its first term.
St-Pierre Plamondon also highlighted the challenges awaiting the next administration, which must address the legacy of the CAQ. In recent weeks he has appealed to anglophone voters, emphasizing common concerns such as housing costs and health-care quality. The announcement precedes the official start of the campaign for the Oct. 5 election, where polls show the PQ leading the Liberal Party and the governing CAQ. Nationally, Canadians await negotiations aimed at averting new U.S. tariffs, with Prime Minister Mark Carney planning talks before a Wednesday deadline.
Why it matters
The decision shapes Quebec's independence debate and could influence voter sentiment in a key provincial election.
How this story developed
- Jul 23 White House signals upcoming tariff announcement as Trump readies new trade measures
- Aug 6 Administration refunded roughly $100 billion of previously collected tariffs and imposed new 10‑12.5% duties on imports from about 60‑80 countries.
- Aug 11 Canada's trade minister Dominic LeBlanc is set to meet U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington, the third face-to-face encounter in three weeks, as the Aug. 19 deadline for steep new tariffs approaches.
- Aug 13 The White House issued an assessment on August 13 that flagged over 40 foreign partners as high‑risk for facilitating tariff evasion.
- Aug 13 U.S. Court of International Trade unanimously upheld the administration's authority to eliminate the $800 de minimis exemption.
- Aug 18 Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will speak with President Trump before the tariff deadline.
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