Add StudioX as a preferred source on GooglePaul St-Pierre Plamondon is settling into his first days as Quebec premier. He leads a Parti Québécois minority government that has promised another independence referendum and wants deep cuts to temporary immigration.
St-Pierre Plamondon was sworn in as Quebec’s 34th premier on Oct. 21 at the National Assembly in Quebec City. His election brought the sovereigntist party back to power for the first time in more than a decade.
A minority, one seat closer
In the Oct. 5 election the PQ won 59 of the legislature’s 127 seats. That left it short of the 64 needed for a majority. The Liberals form the official Opposition.
A judicial recount in the Montreal-area riding of Vachon later gave the PQ a 60th seat. Élections Québec reported that PQ candidate Stephan Fogaing won by three votes, reversing a narrow Liberal lead on election night. The Liberal candidate has said her party plans to challenge the result in court.
Even with 60 seats, the government will need support from at least one opposition party to pass legislation.
A smaller cabinet with an independence portfolio
The new cabinet has 22 ministers, down from 28 under the previous Coalition Avenir Québec government. Catherine Gentilcore is deputy premier and minister responsible for independence. She is also immigration minister.
The premier told his ministers that “Quebec’s independence is an ambitious and demanding undertaking.”
Referendum timing and the Alberta vote
St-Pierre Plamondon has promised a third referendum on Quebec independence once U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the White House.
He seized on Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum. About three-quarters of Albertans voted to stay in Canada. They also backed seeking constitutional changes that would give the province more powers from Ottawa. Preliminary results showed narrow majorities in favour of several immigration-related questions.
St-Pierre Plamondon said the vote showed there is “nothing to fear” from holding a referendum. He argued that Canada’s status quo “is no longer acceptable.”
Not everyone in Quebec shares that urgency. A Léger poll for Le Journal de Montréal, taken after the election, found only 20 per cent of respondents favour a referendum in the PQ’s first mandate. The same poll suggested the party would have won more votes without its referendum pledge.
Former Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe gave the new government a simple message at the swearing-in: “When you govern, you have to govern well. Period.”
What it means for newcomers
For immigrants and temporary residents in Quebec, the government’s immigration plans may matter more right now than any referendum.
During the campaign the PQ proposed cutting temporary immigration by at least half. Its goal was to bring the number of non-permanent residents down to roughly 250,000 to 300,000 by the end of a four-year term. The party also proposed lowering permanent immigration levels.
These are proposals, not law. Existing permits and applications have not changed, and Ottawa still makes final permanent residence decisions. Some changes, such as new rules for work permits, would need federal cooperation.
International students and temporary workers in Quebec have told reporters they are uncertain about their future. Some expect the minority government to need Liberal support to pass its measures.
Readers in B.C. and elsewhere who have family on temporary permits in Quebec should watch for the province’s next immigration levels plan and any announcements from Gentilcore’s ministry.
Sources: Élections Québec, Global News, The Canadian Press, CTV News, Léger/Le Journal de Montréal, New Canadian Media, Noovo
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
