During the first two debates of Quebec's election campaign, held one night apart, the leaders of major political parties discussed several key issues including the potential for another sovereignty referendum. Coalition Avenir Québec leader Christine Fréchette emphasized her party’s stability and management skills amid accusations from opponents that her administration is scandal-ridden and wasteful. The trade war with the U.S. also emerged as a significant factor, with Fréchette highlighting her ability to broker deals while rivals argue for change in leadership to address economic challenges.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
During the first two debates of Quebec's election campaign in early September leading up to the Oct 5 election, the topic of another referendum gained significant traction. The leaders from five major parties—Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), Parti Québécois (PQ), Quebec Liberal Party, Québec solidaire, and Conservative Party of Quebec—participated in these debates. CAQ Premier François Legault's party leader Christine Fréchette attempted to frame the election around a potential referendum on sovereignty, particularly by emphasizing that voters must choose between her party and PQ. This strategy was evident even when questions were directed towards other campaign issues such as Canada’s trade relations with the U.S., cost of living, immigration, and language politics. The third debate is scheduled for Sept 23.
Written for “Quebec Election Campaign Debates” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
After getting some moderate attention and a few feisty exchanges during the first debate of the Quebec election campaign, the prospects of another referendum on sovereignty became a hot topic in round two, one night later.
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prospects → get → round
The leaders of the Coalition Avenir Québec, the Parti Québécois, the Quebec Liberal Party, Québec solidaire and the Conservative Party of Quebec return for a third debate Sept. 23 in the lead-up to the Oct. 5 election.
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leaders → return → election
So far, the campaign has largely been dominated by topics such as Canada’s trade war with the U.S., the cost of living, immigration and language politics.
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campaign → dominate → living
But the referendum topic came up frequently in Wednesday’s debate — even when it wasn’t expected.
Here are five things we learned after the first two debates:
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we → come → debates
Christine Fréchette tried to use the threat of a referendum to frame the election as a choice between her Coalition Avenir Québec party and the Parti Québécois.
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Fréchette → try → party
On Wednesday, she repeatedly brought the subject of the debate back to a sovereignty vote, even when questioned on other subjects.
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she → bring → subjects
Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Liberal Leader Charles Milliard, meanwhile, attacked Fréchette for refusing to state how she’d vote in a referendum.
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she → attack → referendum
Even as Fréchette tries to distance herself from the last eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec rule, her rivals have repeatedly sought to blame her for an administration that had become deeply unpopular by the time her predecessor François Legault resigned early this year.
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predecessor → try → time
Throughout the two debates, the other party leaders have sought to portray Fréchette’s party as wasteful and scandal-ridden, pointing to cost overruns at the auto insurance board and a major investment in an electric battery plant that failed.
3.
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that → seek → plant
The trade war with the U.S. continues to be an X-factor in the campaign.
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war → continue → campaign
Fréchette has positioned herself as the voice of stability as some industries face looming layoffs and consumers continue to see their cost of living driven up by tariffs.
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cost → position → tariffs
Fréchette has also touted her track record of brokering deals in government, such as the recent tentative energy agreement reached with Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Fréchette → tout → Newfoundland
Her rivals say a change of government is needed to face the escalating threats.
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change → say → threats
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NDP → face → moratorium
Québec solidaire’s Ruba Ghazal and Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime have each presented their ideologically-opposed parties as the only ones representing true change.
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Ghazal → present → change
Ghazal highlighted her party’s commitment to the environment and a plan to boost public services by taxing the ultrarich, while Duhaime promised to deviate from the “old bureaucratic model” by cutting taxes and what he calls bureaucratic waste.
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he → highlight → what
The pair also had some lighthearted exchanges during debates.
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pair → have → debates
In the first debate, Duhaime prompted Ghazal to laugh after saying he disagreed with her plan for publicly funded grocery stores by suggesting bureaucrats shouldn’t be the ones to stock tomatoes on shelves.
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bureaucrats → prompt → shelves
In the second debate, Duhaime’s proposal to make the province rich and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by exploiting natural gas
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province → make → gas
led Ghazal to say Quebec has more to offer the world than gas.
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Quebec → lead → gas
Some of the leaders were asked after Wednesday’s debate to comment on an earlier Superior Court decision ordering Élections Québec to mail voting reminder cards in both French and English, after the authority had announced voter material would be in English only.
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material → ask → English
Fréchette said she would take time to read the decision, adding she was committed to promoting the French language and protecting the English community.
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she → say → community
Milliard welcomed the decision, calling it “a great thing for our democracy.”
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Milliard → welcome → democracy
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