Key takeaways from Quebec party leaders’ final showdown
What we heard in the final debate — and what we didn’t — as Oct. 5 vote looms
With less than two weeks until Quebec voters head to the polls on Oct. 5, the leaders of Quebec's five main parties faced off over the health-care system, the trade war and the possibility of a referendum.
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leaders → hear → referendum
The third and final debate of this campaign was hosted by Radio-Canada.
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debate → host → Canada
While the leaders traded predictable jabs on the economy and immigration, several critical issues— namely Indigenous affairs and climate change— were left off the table.
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issues → trade → table
And although issues pertaining specifically to English-speaking Quebecers were also not discussed during the debate, four of the five party leaders were given a chance to address anglophones while meeting with reporters afterwards.
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four → pertain → reporters
On a referendum, PQ leader says he's an optimist
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he → say → referendum
With the Parti Québécois (PQ) leading in the polls, the possibility of another referendum on Quebec independence is a very real possibility.
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possibility → lead → independence
But it took more than half the debate for the topic to be raised — when Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Leader Christine Fréchette took a jab at the PQ's leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, as she pumped up her own economic plan.
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she → take → plan
A little later, St-Pierre Plamondon was asked if he would hold a referendum after Trump leaves office even if the polls suggest the No side will win again.
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side → ask → office
Although he didn't answer directly, he didn't walk back his promise — and stressed he remains an optimist.
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he → answer → promise
"We shouldn't be afraid of democracy," he said, in response to the question.
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he → say → question
"Jacques Parizeau used to say: 'Don't be afraid of your democracy, of going to the polls, of reflecting on our future.'
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Parizeau → use → future
"
Woman's struggle to find doctor sparks exchange
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struggle → find → exchange
One Montrealer, Tania Lamoureux, asked a question to the leaders that sparked a heated exchange between the leaders about how to improve access to health care.
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that → ask → care
The woman said she’s been waiting for years to be assigned a doctor, and asked what concrete plans the leaders have to fix this problem shared by so many Quebecers.
"
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leaders → say → Quebecers
We still have a lot of work to do.
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We → have → work
I am very aware of this," Fréchette began, before citing improvements made by her party over the years.
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Fréchette → begin → years
Quebec Liberal Party Leader Charles Milliard cut in to say there are still significant waiting times at emergency rooms.
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Milliard → cut → rooms
St-Pierre Plamondon said he would eliminate Santé Québec, the newly formed government agency that manages the province's health-care system, to cut down on bureaucracy, while Conservative Party of Quebec Leader Éric Duhaime said he would introduce more privatized care.
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he → say → care
Québec Solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal championed more public care.
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Ghazal → champion → care
Speaking more generally, she warned that cutting back on the state, as her counterparts propose, could impact services.
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counterparts → speak → services
Trump looms large
U.S. President Donald Trump and the trade war, not surprisingly, featured prominently in the debate.
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Trump → loom → debate
We heard from the parties about how they would best manage the cost of living and Quebec's finances in tumultuous times.
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they → hear → times
Each tried to make the case they were the person best suited to defend Quebec's interests and protect its economy as Canada negotiates with Washington.
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Canada → try → Washington
"We won't let you down," said St-Pierre Plamondon, speaking on behalf of the five party leaders.
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Plamondon → let → leaders
St-Pierre Plamondon again said he would cut back the bureaucracy to balance the budget — an ambition shared by the Conservatives.
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he → say → Conservatives
The topic of immigration generated some fiery debate, with each party outlining its well-entrenched position.
Three out of the five parties want to cut immigration levels compared to last year.
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Three → generate → year
The CAQ wants to reduce immigration levels to 45,000, down from 60,000 last year.
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CAQ → want → 60,000
The Conservatives set the same target, while the PQ would cut that further, to 35,000.
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PQ → set → 35,000
Only QS wants to raise the level of newcomers, targeting 70,000.
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QS → want → 70,000
The Liberals, meanwhile, still didn't give a clear answer.
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Liberals → give → answer
The party has previously said it would accept anywhere between 45,000 and 70,000 permanent immigrants, depending on integration capacity and workforce needs.
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it → say → capacity
"I am not going to commit tonight," Milliard told reporters after the debate.
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Milliard → go → debate
The business community has pushed for more immigrants to meet the demands of the labour market.
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community → push → market
What was left off the table
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left → leave → table
Beyond the many topics discussed during the debate, two issues were notably absent: Indigenous affairs and the environment.
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issues → discuss → debate
During the election campaign, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) urged parties to commit to equitable public services, recognize First Nations police services as essential services, and support the revitalization of ancestral languages.
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Assembly → urge → languages
In a recent interview with CBC, Kebaowek First Nation Chief Lance Haymond said it has been "disappointing" that leaders of major parties have passed through his region of Témiscamingue without discussing plans to improve the lives of his constituents.
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leaders → say → constituents
The leaders, as well, had little to say on the environment.
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leaders → have → environment
On that front, much of the discussion centred around a proposal by Duhaime to suspend the gas tax.
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much → centre → tax
Duhaime took the opportunity to also outline his plan to withdraw Quebec from the cap-and-trade carbon market and eliminate the Electrification and Climate Change Fund, formerly the Fonds vert.
Post debate: leaders address English-speaking Quebec
The English-speaking community also received scant mention during the debate.
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community → take → debate
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
