A Turbulent End to the Parliamentary Session in Québec

After weeks of political whirlwind and media frenzy, the National Assembly has finally adjourned. As MNAs head back to their respective ridings for the summer, the Boudeweel Public Affairs team offers, in addition to the regular Québec Now news roundup - its own analysis of the latest parliamentary session.

Energy reform passed under a gag order

As many expected, the CAQ government used the final week of the session to force through its energy reform legislation under a gag order. Introduced almost exactly a year ago, the bill had been stalled in committee since the departure of then-Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon. The law that has now been passed is significantly different from the original bill championed by the former super-minister. His successor, Christine Fréchette, tabled no fewer than fifty amendments at the request of Hydro-Québec, weakening the Energy Board and substantially altering the bill.

Standoff between government and doctors continues

Unable to reach a negotiated agreement with physicians, Health Minister Christian Dubé chose to take a hardline approach by tabling Bill 106. This bill would mark the end of fee-for-service billing, instead moving to a compensation model based partly on patient caseload and partly on performance. The main medical federations, which strongly oppose the reform, will get a temporary reprieve, as the Minister decided not to force the bill through before the session ended. Will this short pause allow for one last chance at negotiations this summer?

SAAQclic scandal: new bombshell revelations

Cover-ups, favouritism, generous contracts awarded to associates of the former IT director, the existence of hundreds of hidden satellite contracts, and even the SAAQ considering dipping into the accident victim compensation fund to cover its massive deficit—these are just some of the explosive findings revealed by the commission investigating the SAAQclic fiasco. While the government has largely escaped blame so far, the testimonies of the current and former Transport Ministers— the latter now Public Safety Minister—will certainly be watched closely.

CAQ falls to third place in voting intentions

For the CAQ, the parliamentary session ended on a troubling note. Already trailing the Parti Québécois in the polls, the CAQ now finds itself in third place behind the Quebec Liberal Party, despite the latter not having a permanent leader. This will only fuel speculation about Premier François Legault’s future, despite his stated determination to run in the next election.

Liberal leadership race: a surprise in the making?

On June 14, members of the Quebec Liberal Party will choose their new leader, who will then face François Legault in the election campaign to be launched next year. While former federal minister Pablo Rodriguez was long considered the frontrunner, the late entry of former Conseil du patronat president Karl Blackburn and the rise of an “Anyone but Pablo” movement within Liberal circles appear to be shaking up the race and could lead to a surprise outcome.

By-election: PQ and PCQ ready to fight, CAQ silent

The opposition wasted no time gearing up for the upcoming by-election in Arthabaska, even before the government officially called the race. Both the Parti Québécois and the Conservative Party of Québec, which are each seen as having strong chances, have announced high-profile candidates: the PQ is running a well-known journalist, Alex Boissonneault, while the PCQ is fielding its own leader, Éric Duhaime. As the two parties trade barbs over the PQ candidate’s troubled past, the CAQ remains silent and has yet to trigger the by-election.

Session recap – Our analysis

Even the most loyal CAQ supporter would struggle to convincingly argue that the latest parliamentary session went well for the government. While the CAQ aimed to regain momentum after a rough patch, it spent most of the session playing defense.

On the political front, several of the CAQ’s major initiatives have either stalled or failed to deliver expected results: the battery sector, despite receiving billions in government investment, is faltering. The Santé Québec agency, meant to revolutionize the public healthcare system, has so far failed to deliver the expected transformation. And the hoped-for public support to counter tariff threats from the Trump administration never materialized. At the National Assembly, Premier Legault and his ministers often appeared tired—and at times even frustrated—under the weight of mounting criticism.

On the fiscal front, the news is no better. The CAQ government is now grappling with a historic $14 billion deficit—one it can hardly blame on the opposition—seriously limiting its room to maneuver and stoking public discontent. In the public sphere, the government messaging is increasingly drowned out. The showdowns with doctors and unions—despite both being unpopular in public opinion—are not resonating. Part of the reason lies in the never-ending revelations from the inquiry into the SAAQ's failed digital transformation. But the CAQ is also facing a deeper challenge: a growing segment of the population simply tuning them out and ready to move past the Legault era.

With about a year to go before the next election campaign begins, is the outcome already written in stone? Not necessarily. After all, Mark Carney led a tired federal Liberal party to a resounding fourth victory. But if the CAQ wants to climb back up in the polls and regain Quebecers’ trust, time is running out. Despite his public denials, Premier François Legault will have no choice but to reflect on his political future this summer. Is he still the right person for the job? And if so, how can he address Québecers’ appetite for change?

One thing is clear: the CAQ will need to come out swinging this fall if it hopes to reverse the course they are on. Otherwise, the so-called 'third way' — meant to offer an alternative to the usual back-and-forth between sovereigntist and federalist governments — may turn out to be nothing more than a brief chapter in Québec’s political history