Québec's Political Pulse

Between the March Break, significant weather events, and the wait for the appointment of a new premier, Québec’s political ecosystem has slowed down over the past few weeks, but it hasn’t come to a full stop! Here is our latest roundup of Québec political news from the last month.

CAQ: Leadership race overshadowed by Iran conflict, ice storm

One might have expected that the very first leadership race of the CAQ, which will effectively determine the identity of the next premier, would capture the attention of both the public and the media. Yet, so far, the candidates have struggled to break through a wall of indifference. To their credit, between March break, a major ice storm, the outbreak of an Iran–U.S. conflict, and the sharp rise in gasoline prices that followed, the would-be premiers have had few opportunities to stand out.

The first debate has now taken place, and Bernard Drainville delivered a strong performance, but the question remains: will it be enough to change the dynamics of the race? A final debate is scheduled for March 28, ahead of a vote by approximately 20,000 CAQ members, the results of which will be announced on April 12.

Christine Fréchette opens the door to natural gas development in Québec

If elected as CAQ leader and premier, Christine Fréchette has stated her intention to reassess the possibility of developing Québec’s natural gas resources. According to the leadership candidate, the economic and international context has changed significantly since the CAQ adopted legislation in 2022 banning hydrocarbon exploration and production in Québec. Continuing to heavily import natural gas from the United States, as has been the case for many years, has become a risky bet that could compromise the province’s energy security, says Fréchette.

The Legault government tables its final budget

On March 18, Finance Minister Éric Girard tabled the final budget of the Legault era, and possibly even of the CAQ government. In a challenging fiscal context, and an outgoing premier governing in a caretaker mode, the budget contains few new or bold measures and focuses on funding the government’s core priorities. It is described as “restrained” by the minister himself and “boring” by opposition parties. The budget nevertheless includes a $1.3 billion reserve that the next premier will be able to allocate at their discretion. For more details on the budget, read our full analysis here.

Physician compensation: bill adopted, deadlock with specialists continues

The Legault government has found some much-needed relief. The bill implementing the agreement reached with family physicians on compensation was adopted before the February 28 deadline, thus avoiding the coming into force of controversial measures included in the original bill introduced by former minister Christian Dubé. Despite this small victory, the matter is far from settled, as negotiations with specialist physicians remain at a complete standstill. The situation on that front is escalating as physicians have recently launched a new suite of pressure tactics, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of appointments. It remains to be seen which side will prevail in the final showdown.

Move toward liberalizing ready-to-drink alcohol sales

During the review of Bill 11 focused on reducing administrative and regulatory burdens, the Minister Delegate for the Economy, Samuel Poulin, took the opportunity to respond to a long-standing request from industry stakeholders: allowing the sale of distilled alcoholic beverages in grocery and convenience stores. The minister has expressed his desire to go a step further, mandating a committee to propose a comprehensive modernization of Québec’s alcohol sales framework, which he considers outdated. However, this initiative is unlikely to be completed before the next election in the Fall.

Poll: Quebec Liberal Party catching up to the Parti Québécois

The arrival of Charles Milliard as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party appears to be shifting the political landscape yet again. Recent polls show the Liberals are closing the gap with the Parti Québécois in overall voting intentions. PQ leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, who has pledged to launch a referendum process upon taking power, has begun to soften his stance amidst the drop in momentum. Although he still promises a referendum within a first mandate, Saint-Pierre Plamondon has added the caveat that he will wait for so-called “winning conditions” before doing so. Will that be enough to reassure voters heading into the election?

Public infrastructure: priority on maintaining existing buildings

It is well known that politicians favor construction projects, which offer great photo ops and ribbon cutting opportunities. However, faced with significant infrastructure deterioration—an issue that has compounded in recent years—the Legault government has chosen to prioritize maintaining existing buildings as opposed to new builds. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of new funding in the Québec Infrastructure Plan 2026–2036 will be allocated for the purpose of maintenance. This decision is one of the few elements of the budget that has been well received by opposition parties, although they have also criticized the lack of progress on previously announced projects.

The NDP to lose lone Québec MP?

Bad news for the NDP. Alexandre Boulerice, the party’s only MP in Québec is reported to be seriously considering a jump to provincial politics under the Québec solidaire banner. In recent weeks, a major obstacle has been removed as the QS agreed to make an exception to its internal rules to allow him to run in the riding he is targeting, currently held by Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. Party rules in their present form dictate that a male MNA has to be succeeded by a female or non-binary candidate.