Premier-presumptive Paul St-Pierre Plamondon vows referendum despite minority result

Premier-presumptive Paul St-Pierre Plamondon doubled down on his promise to stage a sovereignty referendum despite the Parti Québécois finishing five seats below a majority. Addressing supporters in downtown Montreal, he called for the cooperation of Québec Solidaire’s nine MNAs, even though QS prefers a co-created constituents’ assembly over a direct vote. The piece highlights the PQ’s hard-line anti-Canada rhetoric, echoed by Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and mentions plans to eliminate the lieutenant governor’s role except for bill signing.

It also points out that Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard has not taken the oath to the monarch. The columnist argues that a strong minority may give Plamondon an exit from his referendum pledge, while nationalist demands for greater immigration control and a return of the digital services tax remain popular in the province.