François Legault attended what was likely his last sitting at the Quebec legislation as his party’s leader.
Following a weeklong break from the national assembly, the Coalition Avenir Québec is scheduled to choose a new leader on April 12.
After being grilled by the opposition for the last time, Legault, who has been premier since 2018, delivered his farewell speech and received a flood of tributes from fellow MNAs of all parties.
In his 20-minute speech, he spoke of his humble origins and his higher education, which enabled him to become a businessman, found Air Transat, then enter politics and eventually create the CAQ.
Responding to Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who argued that it is impossible to make gains within Canada, Legault quoted Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis: “You have to take what the game gives you.”
He added that whoever takes up the mantle must remember the state’s role in the economy, work to protect the French language and never give into cynicism.
House Leader Simon Jolin-Barrette was in tears as he kicked off the tributes, thanking Legault for having been “a reassuring figure in difficult times, a model of valour and loyalty.”
The premier enjoyed high approval rates throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortin said that “the whole of Quebec is grateful to (him)” for how he handled the crisis.
“Whether or not we agree with the decisions he has made, (…) 28 years of public service comes with significant personal and family sacrifices,” he said.
St-Pierre Plamondon agreed, saying it’s clear Legault “loves Quebec deeply.”
Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime added that Legault succeeded at putting the secularism debate on hold – at least temporarily.
Despite his pandemic-era successes and two majority government mandates, Concordia political science professor Donal Gill says Legault is leaving his party in a “horrendous” position.
The latest Léger poll conducted for Quebecor and published on Tuesday shows that the CAQ’s decline is continuing. Of intended voters, the party is tracking at 9 per cent, well behind the PQ and the Liberals.
But, Gill says, Legault’s impact will be felt across Canada.
“I think that we’ll see that Legault has actually had an enormous influence in recasting Canadian federalism,” he said.
After leaving the PQ, Legault championed Quebec’s autonomy within the Canadian federation.
“And whether you agree with how they did it or why … the reality is that the CAQ made incredible progress in pushing that ball down the pitch,” said Gill. “They did effectively move the goalposts of the Canadian Federation in favour of additional autonomy for Quebec.”
He adds that Legault’s influence is already being felt in Alberta with Premier Danielle Smith pushing similar ideas. Smith previously penned a letter to Legault asking to collaborate on lobbying for provincial autonomy.
Legault often butted heads with the federal Liberals, especially when pushing for Quebec to have more powers over immigration. Though Legault failed, Gill points out that Smith’s pushing for a referendum over immigration echoes the outgoing Quebec premier.
The CAQ’s pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause, which allows governments to override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, also had a ripple effect across the country. After Quebec used it to shield its controversial secularism law from legal challenges, provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario followed suit.
“Quebec did it first, and they proved that under the right circumstances, with the right messaging, you can do this, and populations will go along with it,” said Gill. “It was a game changer.”
Once Legault leaves his post, everything will be “up in the air in Quebec politics,” says the political scientist.
Legault is the longest-serving member of Quebec’s legislature. He got his start in politics in 1998 under former Parti Québécois premier Lucien Bouchard and created the CAQ in 2011.
He will stay on as an elected member of the national assembly until the fall general election.
Either Christine Fréchette or Bernard Drainville will be sworn in as the new premier shortly after April 12 leadership convention.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2026.
— With files from Caroline Plante in Quebec City
