Quebecers can expect to see political parties starting to ramp up their activity in the provincial election campaign, according to a pollster. There is less than one month to go before Quebec voters head to the polls on Oct. 5, to elect the next government. Philip Fournier, who runs poll aggregator 338Canada, said fall election campaigns typically intensify after Labour Day as more citizens start tuning in. “Generally, things really start to pick up,” he said in a recent interview. “It’s like the long weekend before the storm.” With children going back to school, parents settling back into their routines, and a series of debates on the horizon, Fournier says the campaign is entering a critical period. “It’s volatile,” he said. “All it would take is one slip-up for things to turn around … it could be much more damaging than making a gaffe in August when people are on vacation.” Charles Milliard, the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, says he is counting on the upcoming debates to boost his profile and popularity. “There won’t be a middleman,” said Milliard at a press briefing in Sherbooke, Que., Tuesday morning. “There will be five people aspiring to lead Quebec who will engage in a debate of ideas — not a debate of spin, not a debate of polls, but a debate of ideas on the future of Quebec.” According to Fournier, the five leaders will have to fight for the attention of voters who largely remain undecided. Fournier said the Liberal leader will need to shift gears, as his party has consistently been lagging behind the Parti Québécois and the Coalition Avenir Québec in the polls. Milliard acknowledged that he is “the least well-known leader” running in the election. He also claimed his opponents are “exploiting” the trade war with the United States for political gain. Tariffs were the topic of the day on the campaign trail on Tuesday, after the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec government adopted an order-in-council on Monday requiring public contracts to be awarded to Quebec and Canadian companies. Leader Christine Fréchette has been accused by her rivals of trying to capitalize on the trade war by stoking voters’ anxiety to gain their support, which she denies. The five party leaders will give interviews and discuss their platforms on Radio-Canada’s airwaves on Wednesday evening. The leaders are also scheduled to participate in their first debate, broadcast on TVA, on Sept. 15. The following day, the leaders will face off in a second debate on Noovo. The final Radio-Canada debate will be held on Sept. 23. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2026.
