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If elected, the Parti Québécois (PQ) will wait until Donald Trump leaves office—in January 2029—to hold a referendum. That's what the party's leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (PSPP), announced Tuesday in a lengthy post on social media.
With his statement on Tuesday, the PQ leader aims to “clarify” his position as the provincial elections fast approach (October 5, 2026). According to him, the U.S. president's “unpredictability” could “undermine” the discussion on Quebec's future.
“An issue as crucial as the political future of Quebec requires conditions that allow for an informed and calm debate […] It must not be hijacked by the ups and downs of U.S. politics, nor by the outbursts of an unpredictable president, nor by fear campaigns,” stated PSPP.
With this statement, the PQ aims to “completely defuse” the notion that this would be the “worst possible time” to consider Quebec's future because of Trump. This is an argument often raised by opposing parties.
PSPP had previously addressed the referendum timeline. In particular, in March 2025, he acknowledged that U.S. tariffs could influence the date of a referendum on Quebec's future. On the evening of his victory in Chicoutimi the following winter, he acknowledged for the first time that voters were “genuinely afraid” of a referendum in the current geopolitical context.
This latest announcement by the PSPP came the day before 50% tariffs were set to take effect on approximately $28 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada secured a three-day reprieve on these tariffs, lasting until Saturday.
PSPP says it wants to run a campaign based on “proposals to help Quebecers,” rather than on “redundant and fruitless fear-mongering.” His party promises to tackle the rising cost of living, the housing crisis, and homelessness, among other issues.
He also notes that the next government will already have “more than enough challenges and tasks to tackle right from the start of its term [including] cleaning up the mess left by the CAQ.” “The vote must first and foremost be about this fundamental question: who can we trust to put Quebec back on the right track?” he asks.
According to the most recent polls, the PQ could form a majority or minority government following the upcoming elections. Support for its referendum proposal has remained stable for months in Quebec, hovering around 30%.
Opposing parties are up in arms
According to Premier and leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), Christine Fréchette, this new commitment by the PSPP casts a “thick veil of uncertainty over four years rather than just the start of a PQ term. […] On the eve of the highest rates we're facing. It's irresponsible, and I'm surprised he's sticking to his guns.”
“This is an attempt to manipulate public opinion to broaden the Parti Québécois's electoral base. It's the PQ's latest political ploy. I'd even say it's the Parti Québécois's ‘lobster pot 2.0.' […] It's an admission of weakness on the part of the sovereigntist movement,” denounced Charles Milliard, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP).
On the sidelines of an announcement before the legislature on Tuesday, the Québec Solidaire (QS) party—also a sovereigntist group—argued that this project should not depend on the policies of another nation.
“Our plan to make Quebec a country cannot depend on the vagaries of the entire world,” argued the party's co-spokesperson, Ruba Ghazal. “And unfortunately, the instability we're plunged into is becoming our new normal, so we can't act based on that.”
“PSPP is a true referendum weathervane! How can you trust someone who has been repeating for five years that he would achieve independence at any cost, only to change his mind a week before the election?” said Conservative leader Éric Duhaime in a statement released to the media on Tuesday.
“If another protectionist administration takes power in Washington, what will it do? Delay the project even further?” the Conservative leader added.
