Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon declared the commencement of the referendum campaign for Quebec independence during a passionate address to party members at a convention in Saint-Hyacinthe. Blaming Prime Minister Mark Carney for kickstarting the federalist “No” campaign with recent remarks, St-Pierre Plamondon emphasized the significance of the unfolding political landscape.
Carney’s comments regarding the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, where he portrayed the 1759 battle as the foundation of a “partnership” between French and English communities in Canada, were met with criticism from St-Pierre Plamondon. The PQ leader asserted that Quebec’s existence is not owed to Canada and highlighted the province’s enduring distinctiveness amid national unity rhetoric.
In a fervent denunciation of Carney’s statements, St-Pierre Plamondon condemned the perceived colonial legacy embodied by the Prime Minister, implicating a historical pattern of misinformation and suppression of Quebec’s narrative. He rallied supporters, affirming a break from British colonialism and the pursuit of an independent Quebec.
