Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says a PQ government would not hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty while Donald Trump is president of the United States.
The 49-year-old party leader made the announcement on social media early Tuesday, saying he wants to remove concerns that Trump’s presidency would make a sovereignty referendum particularly risky.
“I have chosen to completely defuse the argument that this would be the worst possible time to reflect on our future because of Trump,” St-Pierre Plamondon said, adding that the decision would allow the PQ to focus its campaign on its proposals for Quebec rather than what he called “fear-mongering.”
Le Parti Québécois s’engage à ne pas tenir de référendum tant que Donald Trump sera président.Je m’adresse à vous ce matin à titre de chef de parti qui travaille ardemment à trouver la voie qui permettra de remettre le Québec sur les rails au cours des prochaines années. Comme… pic.twitter.com/1OoUhfJzS2
Although he had already addressed the subject in the past, St-Pierre Plamondon had never formally stated the precise timing of a referendum.
He argued that “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 upheavals of American politics, nor by the outbursts of an unpredictable president, nor by fear campaigns,” he wrote.
St-Pierre Plamondon said a PQ government would not hold a referendum before Jan. 20, 2029, when Trump’s current presidential term is scheduled to end.
With this stance, the PQ leader believes he is “completely defusing the argument that this is the worst time to think about our future because of Trump.”
The announcement comes as support for Quebec sovereignty remains relatively low, while the PQ continues to lead the provincial polls. Recent voting-intention numbers put support for the party at around 30 per cent.
—With files from The Canadian Press, first published in French and translated by CityNews
