Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says a PQ government will not hold a referendum on Quebec independence while Donald Trump remains President of the United States, pushing a potential vote until at least 2029.St-Pierre Plamondon made the commitment Tuesday as Quebec heads toward its October 5 provincial election, while maintaining his longstanding promise to hold an independence referendum during the PQ's first mandate if elected."A Parti Québécois government will not hold a referendum as long as Donald Trump is President of the United States," St-Pierre Plamondon said in a statement Tuesday.Formally, he said, that means no referendum would be held before January 20, 2029, when Trump's second term in the White House is scheduled to end.The PQ leader said a decision on Quebec's political future requires conditions allowing for an informed and calm debate, rather than one dominated by events south of the border."An issue as crucial as Quebec's political future requires conditions that allow for an informed and serene debate," he said."It must not be hijacked by the upheavals of American politics, by the headline-grabbing actions of an unpredictable president, or by campaigns of fear.".St-Pierre Plamondon said the "unpredictability of the American administration" would hurt both the referendum process and the quality of the debate over Quebec's future.He said delaying a referendum would also allow a potential PQ government to focus on governing after eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec rule."I have therefore chosen to completely defuse the argument that this would be the worst time to reflect on our future because of Trump, by ruling out the possibility of holding a referendum before the end of his second term," he said.Despite delaying the timeline, St-Pierre Plamondon stressed that the PQ has not abandoned its commitment to holding a referendum during its first term."Yes, a Parti Québécois government will consult Quebecers on Quebec independence during its first mandate if elected," he said."This commitment on my part has been the same for six years. Everyone knows it."St-Pierre Plamondon said he believes independence remains "the only solution" for Quebec to reach its full potential and reverse what he described as cultural, linguistic, and financial decline within Canada.He blamed both the federal government and the governing CAQ for problems facing the province, pointing to homelessness, the cost of living, housing, the decline of French, and what he described as the waste of public money."Many of these setbacks are linked to decisions by a federal government that is not ours and that has mocked the protests of the CAQ government, particularly on taxation, French, culture, and immigration policies," he said.Until a referendum can be held, St-Pierre Plamondon said a PQ government would focus on reducing bureaucracy, addressing the cost-of-living and housing crises, combating homelessness, and improving health services."Our priority remains clear: govern Quebec consistently and restore Quebecers' confidence," he said.St-Pierre Plamondon said the October 5 election should first be about who Quebecers trust to govern the province."Quebecers need to regain confidence and rediscover their taste for Quebec, their taste for our future," he said.The announcement comes as the Parti Québécois remains ahead in voting intentions with less than two months until the provincial election.A Leger poll conducted earlier this month found the PQ leading with 30% support, six points ahead of the Quebec Liberals at 24%. The governing CAQ stood at 20%, followed by the Quebec Conservatives at a historically high 13% and Québec solidaire at 11%. The PQ's support was unchanged from Leger's previous poll in June, while Liberal support fell three points.The survey of 998 Quebec adults was conducted through an online panel and therefore cannot be assigned a margin of error.The PQ last formed a government between 2012 and 2014. Quebec has held two referendums on sovereignty, in 1980 and 1995, with the latter defeated by a margin of less than one percentage point.Alberta will hold a referendum on whether to hold a future binding referendum on its future position in Canada on October 19.
