Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was sworn in as Quebec’s 34th premier on Wednesday, bringing the sovereigntist Parti Québécois back to power after more than a decade. The premier named 22 ministers, including one who is responsible for Quebec independence, as well as a president and whip. St-Pierre Plamondon also appointed himself as homelessness minister. His cabinet includes nine women and 14 men, including the premier. He has said his priorities are to tackle the province’s deficit and prepare for his promised referendum on Quebec independence. “Look at the quality of my team. We were only three (legislature members) last election,” St-Pierre Plamondon said. “I am convinced that, as individuals and as a people, we must always envision the best. And we must never, ever accept being told that everything is lost or that we aren’t good enough.” He added that his first order of business will be to make money available to municipalities to prepare to support the unhoused this winter. The sovereigntist party won 59 seats in the Oct. 5 provincial election, falling short of the 64 needed for a majority government. Recounts are taking place in two ridings where PQ candidates finished second, potentially bringing the party closer to a majority. For the first time in the province’s history, Quebec’s lieutenant-governor, Manon Jeannotte, was not present at the swearing-in ceremony at St-Pierre Plamondon’s request. The government’s general secretary presided over the ceremony, and Jeannotte agreed to sign appointment documents at her office immediately after. The PQ’s elected representatives were sworn in last week, pledging allegiance to the people of Quebec rather than the King, following a 2022 change to the legislature’s rules prompted by St-Pierre Plamondon’s refusal to swear allegiance to the monarch. The Liberals and Québec solidaire representatives followed suit. As he presented his cabinet, St-Pierre Plamondon stressed he would cut bureaucracy and spending, and balance the province’s budget. Under the Balanced Budget Act and the government’s current fiscal plan, Quebec must eliminate its multi-billion deficit by 2030. His party has also pledged to freeze provincial legislators’ salaries until Quebec balances its budget. St-Pierre Plamondon has said his cabinet would be smaller than that of the last government, reflecting his campaign promise to reduce the size of government and rein in public spending. The previous Coalition Avenir Québec government had 28 ministers. As a result, some ministers will have to juggle several portfolios, including Justice Minister Marie-Claude Sarrazin, who will also handle interprovincial relations, relations with anglophone Quebecers, the fight against racism, LGBTQ+ issues, access to information and secularism. Sarrazin is a member of the Quebec bar and notably served as prosecutor during the inquiry into the cost overruns for the digital modernization of Quebec’s auto insurance board, known as the SAAQclic fiasco. Though most of the party’s officials are new to the legislature, St-Pierre Plamondon chose to lean on experience on important files such as finance, education and the treasury board. Joël Arseneau will serve as education minister and Pascal Bérubé as culture minister. Nicolas Marceau, who served as finance minister under Pauline Marois, is back in that same role. Both Arseneau and Bérubé were elected alongside St-Pierre Plamondon in 2018, when the PQ only had three legislature members. Catherine Gentilcore, first elected under the PQ banner in a byelection in 2025, was named immigration minister and minister responsible for Quebec independence. Alain Therrien, who served with both the PQ and the Bloc Québécois in Ottawa, will serve as president of the treasury board. In order to cut bureaucracy, St-Pierre Plamondon also created a position dedicated to government efficiency, held by former Amos, Que., mayor and Survivor Quebec contestant Sébastien D’Astous. St-Pierre Plamondon repeatedly promised to do some “much-needed housekeeping” and “reduce wasteful spending” before focusing on sovereignty. He has promised to hold a referendum on Quebec independence once U.S. President Donald Trump is out of the White House. “Quebec’s independence is an ambitious and demanding undertaking,” the premier told his ministers. “We must restore Quebecers’ desire to dream and take initiative. We must rediscover the ambition to build and participate in things greater than ourselves.” During the ceremony, St-Pierre Plamondon made several references to Marois, who was in the room for the ceremony. On her way into the legislature, she told journalists that she is familiar with minority governments, having led a PQ minority from 2012 to 2014. “(St-Pierre Plamondon) said he would take inspiration from other parties’ programs, which I think will make it easier to get things done,” she said. Marois is also tasked with giving the new PQ legislature members a workshop in the coming days. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
