OTTAWA—The leader of Quebec’s separatist party says he won’t launch an independence vote in his province while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office, pushing back another potential test of Canadian unity.
Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon made the announcement Tuesday, as a fall election inches closer and public opinion polls suggest his party continues to lead in voters’ support.
In a social media post on the eve of a critical deadline in tense Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, Plamondon said he wants to avoid the chaos of the Trump presidency dominating the debate over Quebec sovereignty, and defuse “fear-mongering” about the impact of separation during economic tensions with the U.S.
It was just the latest display of how Trump and his tariff agenda has touched Canadian politics, with Plamondon’s opponents quickly charging the move was a recognition of the “uncertainty” a referendum would have on Quebec at this moment.
“An issue as crucial as Quebec’s political future demands conditions that allow for an informed and calm debate,” Plamondon wrote in French.
“It must not be hijacked by the upheavals of American politics, nor by the dramatic actions of an unpredictable president, nor by fear-mongering campaigns.
“I therefore chose to completely defuse the argument that this would be the worst possible 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.”
Plamondon added, however, that should the PQ win this fall’s election, he is still committed to holding a separation referendum in his first term — just not before Jan. 20, 2029, the final day of Trump’s term.
That decision, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said Tuesday, is a recognition of the “thick layer” of uncertainty a referendum will have on the province’s economy.
But the premier, who opposes such a referendum, said holding it further down the line would worsen and prolong that uncertainty.
“If you organize a referendum at the beginning of a PQ mandate, at least after one year or two, you are set. You know if it’s a yes or a no,” Fréchette told reporters in Montreal.
“We already have too much uncertainty, economic uncertainty.
“This is not what Quebecers want. This is not what Quebecers are asking for.”
The Parti Québécois currently holds seven of the 125 seats in the Quebec’s National Assembly, but has seen public support rise in recent years.
Still, public opinion polls suggest most Quebecers do not support separating from the rest of Canada.
Albertans, meanwhile, are preparing for a referendum this fall on whether to start the separation process for their province.
