A Turbulent End to Québec’s Parliamentary Session

As the holiday season approaches once again, some traditions never fade: the Christmas tree, festive carols, New Year’s wishes… and the Québec Now parliamentary session wrap up. If you want to know what has shaped the past few weeks in Québec’s halls of power— and what lies ahead for 2026—this year-end edition is a must-read.

Physicians’ Compensation: A First Breakthrough Amid Ongoing Uncertainty

After weeks of deadlock, negotiations over physicians’ compensation have seen a first breakthrough, with the Québec government and family physicians reaching an agreement in principle and the government agreeing to delay the coming into force of its legislation to allow talks to continue. While key issues remain unresolved and negotiations with medical specialists remain stalled, the development has eased immediate concerns over clinic closures and service disruptions. The coming weeks will be critical as the government, with Premier François Legault playing a central role and Health Minister Christian Dubé remaining in the background, seeks a broader and more durable settlement with the medical profession amid continued uncertainty.

A year-end under extreme tension for the Québec Liberals

The end of 2025 was marked by major turbulence within the Québec Liberal Party (PLQ). Parliamentary leader Marwah Rizqy first dismissed her chief of staff—a close ally of new party leader Pablo Rodriguez—for “serious reasons,” without offering any public explanation. Shortly thereafter, Rizqy herself was removed from her position and expelled from caucus by Rodriguez. This opaque and dramatic turn of events reinforced the impression of deep internal dysfunction within the PLQ. The very next day, another scandal worsened the situation: the Journal de Montréal revealed that party activists had paid members to influence their vote in the leadership race. Although legal, this practice seriously damaged the credibility of the Liberal leader and rekindled unpleasant memories for many Quebecers. At this point, Pablo Rodriguez does not appear to have regained control of the crisis. Time will tell whether the holiday break will give him a chance to steady the ship.

The CAQ opens a new front with the unions

In early November, Labour Minister Jean Boulet officially tabled his long-awaited bill aimed at modernizing union activity in Québec. The bill would make certain union dues optional, impose new requirements to disclose specific expenditures, and require the publication of audited financial statements. It immediately sparked outrage among all major labour federations, which are now seeking to mobilize the public—just as physicians successfully did before them—even raising the possibility of a social strike in the spring. The problem for now is that unions are even more unpopular in the public discourse than the CAQ. It remains to be seen who will win this battle between two unpopular and polarizing forces in Québec.

New bill to strengthen secularism introduced

The minister responsible for the French language and secularism, Jean-François Roberge, used the final days of the parliamentary session to table legislation aimed at bolstering secularism in Québec. The bill would extend secularism rules to daycares, CEGEPs, and universities. Students and staff would be required to have their faces uncovered, prayer rooms would be prohibited (except in residential spaces), and funding for private religious schools would be gradually eliminated. By introducing this legislation, the government appears keen to replicate the political success it achieved with Bill 21 just a few years ago.

Québec eyes a military turn to boost the provincial economy

Following the recent setbacks in the battery sector, and in an effort to reposition the government’s economic strategy, Premier François Legault officially unveiled his new economic vision. While still relying on a major increase in electricity production to attract industrial projects, priority is now largely being given to companies in the military sector and in critical minerals extraction. Québec is positioning itself to seize a significant share of the massive defence investments planned by the federal government in the coming years.

Submission to Ottawa: the PQ leader apologizes

In Québec, the appointment of Marc Miller—who has previously said he was tired of debates over the decline of the French language—as the new federal Minister of Culture caused considerable backlash. Premier François Legault denounced the appointment, calling Miller a “disgrace for Quebecers.” For his part, the Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon went even further by attacking representatives of Québec’s cultural sector who had congratulated the new minister—a standard practice—by accusing them of disloyalty to Québec. Faced with the outrage sparked by his extreme comments, St-Pierre Plamondon had no choice but to issue a public apology.

A last-ditch effort to unlock major projects?

The Québec government has taken steps aimed at accelerating major projects, with Finance Minister Éric Girard introducing a bill to speed up the implementation of large-scale initiatives and Environment Minister Bernard Drainville announcing plans to cut environmental assessment timelines in half. After nearly two mandates marked by the cancellation of several major projects, including GNL Québec’s liquefaction terminal in Saguenay, the government now appears to be shifting its approach in an effort to improve the province’s economic outlook ahead of the election. While these measures are expected to be welcomed by proponents of major projects, questions remain as to whether they will be sufficient to effectively and rapidly support economic recovery.

No change in grim polling numbers for the CAQ

While the CAQ had hoped to capitalize publicly on the scandals engulfing the provincial Liberals, a poll published in recent days delivered a harsh blow. Although the PLQ fell to 21% support in voting intentions, the CAQ gained just one point, reaching a paltry 18%. The Parti Québécois is currently the main beneficiary of Liberal misfortune, significantly widening its lead to 39% of voting intentions—a level of support for the separatist not seen in 15 years.

Winners and losers of the parliamentary session

In the fall, François Legault carried out a rare cabinet shuffle in a last ditch effort to breathe new life into his decreasingly popular government just a year out from an election. The CAQ had strategized a series of seemingly favourable measures: an intentional shift to the right, a firm hand on physicians’ compensation, modernization of the union framework, and reinforcement of secularism. Alas, nothing unfolded as planned. Physicians waged a fierce fight and, despite the adoption of Bill 2 under closure, they still won the battle of public opinion that the CAQ believed it had secured. This crisis overshadowed the rest of the government’s plan for success, and the other measures failed to gain traction—as if the problem lay less with the message than with the messenger. Legault now heads into the election year with a bad hand and few political cards left to play to close the narrowing gap.

Fortunately for the CAQ, the parliamentary session was no picnic for its opponents either: the PLQ remains mired in scandal, and Québec solidaire has been practically voiceless since the departure of its spokespeople, all within a political climate unfavorable to the left. For now, it is the PQ that is the emerging winner, poised to form a super-majority government if an election were held tomorrow. But eight months remain—an eternity for any party—especially one with a leader sometimes viewed as impulsive and inexperienced.

In short, while the CAQ is lagging as 2026 begins, the current volatility in the political arena of the province makes the coming election year more unpredictable than ever. Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be quite a ride!