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With Canadians \u2013 and even Quebecers \u2013 rallying around the flag in the face of threats from the Trump administration, the sovereigntist Parti Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois is struggling to find its footing.<\/p>\n
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The Quebec opposition party has been leading in the polls for more than a year, and leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third referendum by 2030 if his party forms government in next year\u2019s election.<\/p>\n
But U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s threats of tariffs and annexation have shaken up the political landscape in Quebec. Support for independence is suddenly lower than it has been in years, raising questions about whether the PQ needs to pivot away from sovereignty.<\/p>\n
For now, the party insists it\u2019s staying the course. \u201cWe believe it\u2019s something that inspires Quebecers to have people who are faithful to their convictions and their values,\u201d Pascal Paradis, a PQ member of the national assembly, said in a recent interview.<\/p>\n
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He said it\u2019s interesting to see Canadian leaders defend the country\u2019s sovereignty \u201ctooth and nail\u201d against Trump\u2019s threats to make Canada the 51st state. He compared the wave of nationalism to Quebec\u2019s own independence movement, questioning why it\u2019s \u201cgood for Canada but not for Quebec.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will stay true to our message,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That could make the PQ vulnerable. A recent L\u00e9ger poll found support for Quebec independence had dipped to 29 per cent. Executive vice-president S\u00e9bastien Dallaire said that\u2019s around the lowest level of support the polling firm has ever measured.<\/p>\n
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