Tariffs are the topic of the day as the Quebec election campaign continues. Quebecers head to the polls on Oct. 5. Key details: Follow along for the latest updates: Fréchette comes out strong, but 60% want a change in government: poll Sixty per cent of Quebecers say they want a new party to lead the province, according to a recent poll by Leger for Le Journal and TVA. That’s compared to 18 per cent who say they want the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) to remain in power. The poll also finds that CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette is having a “strong campaign,” having been identified as running the best electioneering so far. Voter intentions As the Quebec election draws nearer, voter intentions are becoming more “solidified,” Leger notes, with 56 per cent of voters saying they’ve decided, compared with 55 per cent last week and 47 per cent in June. The Parti Québécois (PQ) remains in first place, with 29 per cent of voter intentions. Closely behind are the CAQ at 23 per cent and the Quebec Liberals (PLQ) at 22 per cent. “Voting intentions have changed little in recent weeks,” Leger states. “The CAQ’s rebound is nevertheless notable when looking further back. After reaching a low of nine per cent in March, it now stands at 23 per cent in voting intentions.” Contrarily, Leger points out that the PLQ has followed the opposite trajectory over the same period, falling from 33 per cent to 22 per cent. The PQ has also dropped from 33 per cent to 29 per cent. Distinct battlegrounds The poll finds Fréchette and PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon are tied at 23 per cent each for who would make the best premier. This comes as the leaders dominate “distinct battlegrounds.” For example, Fréchette leads voters on defending Quebec’s interests and fighting U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs (24 per cent), as well as on the economy and creating jobs (22 per cent). St-Pierre Plamondon leads on immigration (25 per cent) and reducing government spending and the deficit, along with Quebec Conservative (PCQ) Leader Éric Duhaime (17 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively). The PQ leader also ties Québec solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal when it comes to affordable housing (17 per cent each). Methodology The online survey was conducted from Sept. 4 to 6, among 1,008 Quebecers aged 18 or older who are eligible to vote, recruited randomly from the LEO online panel. For comparison, a probability sample of this size would have a maximum margin of error of ±3.09 per cent, 19 times out of 20. - Rachel Lau, CTV News Montreal journalist. Quebec’s voice not heard in counter-tariffs, says PQ “Quebec’s position was not heard,” PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon insisted during a press briefing in Quebec City devoted almost entirely to the trade war. According to him, the “dollar-for-dollar” counter-tariffs are a “disguised tax on Quebecers.” He said he now fears an “inflationary” surge and a “severe recession.” A PQ government, he said, would have had a better “balance of power” with Ottawa. The PQ promised “one-time, targeted” aid programs to businesses in Quebec’s hardest-hit sectors. - The Canadian Press. CAQ wants to negotiate new ‘forestry pact’ After abandoning its sweeping reform of the forestry regime, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has announced it wants to negotiate a “Forestry Pact” with the various stakeholders involved if it returns to power. CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette emphasized the importance of devolving authority to the regions in forest management, while supporting the industry, which has been heavily impacted by U.S. tariffs. During its last term, the CAQ government had put forward a reform of the forestry regime that was widely criticized. The Fréchette government ultimately passed a “mini-reform” at the last minute in June to help the industry. - The Canadian Press. Milliard hopes debates will raise his profile With his standing in the polls stagnating, Liberal Leader Charles Milliard says he is counting on the debates to raise his profile and boost his popularity. “The merit of these debates is that there will be no middleman,” he said. ”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.” The first debate is set to air on TVA on Sept. 15. The next day, the leaders are expected to face off in a second debate on Noovo. A Radio-Canada debate is slated to be held on Sept. 23. The leaders will also be in Quebec City on Wednesday to participate in the program “Five Leaders, One Election,” on Radio-Canada. - The Canadian Press. Québec solidaire’s $2 Billion ‘Trump Fund’ Québec solidaire says its government would establish a $2 billion Trump Fund to provide financial support to Quebec businesses directly affected by U.S. tariffs. The measure would “allow local businesses to keep jobs here and give them time to restructure their production and find new customers,” said spokesperson Ruba Ghazal. A “Trump Fund” was part of Québec solidaire’s economic plan, unveiled a few weeks ago, but the amount allocated at that time was $1 billion per year. “We would also prepare a response by using our hydroelectricity as a bargaining chip,” said Ghazal. - The Canadian Press. Abolish Santé Québec, say Conservatives The Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) is following in the Parti Québécois’ (PQ) footsteps, saying it is committed to abolishing Santé Québec if elected on Oct. 5. This comes as the Conservatives unveiled a series of health care pledges, such as maximum wait times for major surgeries and certain treatments, as well as reducing bureaucracy - including scrapping the Santé Québec agency. - The Canadian Press. PLQ promises to add 1,000 specialized staff to schools Liberal Party (PLQ) Leader Charles Milliard is promising to add 1,000 additional specialized staff members to Quebec’s public schools starting in the 2027–2028 school year. The Liberals explain that this “commitment will add the equivalent of 400 full-time professional positions, including remedial educators, psychoeducators, psychologists and speech-language pathologists, as well as 600 positions for special education technicians.” “When a child needs help, every week counts. A parent shouldn’t have to fight to get support for their child, and a teacher shouldn’t be left alone to deal with needs they can’t meet,” said Milliard. The Liberals have also committed to holding independent public forums on education within the first 100 days of taking office to address key areas, including “school funding” and “trustworthy school governance.” - The Canadian Press. Day 13 Here is where the party leaders are planning to start their day, in order of first appearance: Christine Fréchette (Coalition Avenir Québec) CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette is set to start her day with a press conference on protecting and diversifying the economy at 7:45 a.m. at the Honoré-Mercier Building in Quebec City. She will then head to La Tuque to visit the Arbec lumber mill and hold a press conference at 11:20 a.m. Éric Duhaime (Quebec Conservative Party) Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime is set to remain in the Capitale-Nationale region, presenting his health care platform at 8:30 a.m. at Chauveau Hospital in Quebec City. He will then visit Brasserie Inox at 9:40 a.m. and Novographie at 10:30 a.m. In the afternoon, Duhaime will hold a press briefing at 2 p.m. at the Léopold-E.-Beaulieu Ecological Centre and attend a campaign event at La Cage at 4 p.m. Charles Milliard (Quebec Liberal Party) Liberal Leader Charles Milliard is expected to spend the day in the Estrie region, making an announcement about education at 9:30 a.m. at Édouard-Jean-Desruisseaux Park in Sherbrooke. Later in the morning, he will visit the Havre des Cantons retirement home in Magog and attend a meeting with the AQDR Memphrémagog at Saint-Jude Church. At 2 p.m., he will visit businesses on Principale Street in Magog. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (Parti Québécois) PQ Leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon is expected to remain in the Capitale-Nationale region. At 10:30 a.m., in front of the National Assembly, he is expected to hold a press briefing about Canada’s counter-tariffs, which took effect at midnight in response to U.S. tariffs. He will then attend a lunch at Chouchou Limoilou restaurant at 11:50 a.m. Ruba Ghazal (Québec Solidaire) QS spokespersons Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti will hold a press briefing on resilience in the face of tariffs starting at 10:30 a.m. at Anse de Boischatel Park. In the evening, Ghazal will hold a press scrum at the Hôtel Saint-Édouard at 8:45 p.m., where she will discuss her meeting with Christine Fréchette regarding Canada’s counter-tariffs. The leaders
