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MONTREAL — Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says he is not delaying his promised referendum by waiting until U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office to put the question to a vote.
He told journalists on Tuesday that his promise remains the same as it was six years ago: to hold a referendum on sovereignty in the PQ’s first mandate, if the party forms government.
“I’m just specifying the timeline,” St-Pierre Plamondon said.
Earlier in the day, he said on social media that he would not hold a referendum until at least 2029. His message comes as Quebec political parties gear up for an election campaign expected to begin before the end of August.
St-Pierre Plamondon said an issue as crucial as the future of Quebec requires a clear and serene debate, which should not be disrupted by American politics or surprise announcements coming from the U.S. president.
He also said the unpredictable nature of the Trump administration could harm the referendum process as well as the quality of a debate about Quebec’s future.
The PQ leader believes he is disarming his opponents’ argument that this would be the worst time to elect a separatist government because of Trump.
Trump’s mandate is expected to end Jan. 20, 2029.
St-Pierre Plamondon is also trying to court voters with a federalist leaning who may vote in favour of his policies but against sovereignty.
“I will be widening my electoral base when people will realize how precise and solid we are on each issue,” he said.
“People tell us, ‘We get the part about independence, but we need you to be specific about what you’re offering as a government.’ And that’s exactly what I want to do.”
His party promises to tackle the rising cost of living, the housing crisis and homelessness, among other issues, though the full platform has not yet been unveiled.
St-Pierre Plamondon maintained that sovereignty is the only way to protect Quebec’s culture, even if Americans were to elect another Republican government. He said Prime Minister Mark Carney hasn’t lived up to his promises to keep the province informed during negotiations with the U.S. on issues such as supply management.
Jean-François Daoust, a political science professor at Université de Sherbrooke, believes St-Pierre Plamondon is keen to present himself as a man of principle.
“He’s tackling the issue of the referendum timeline head-on before his political opponents do it for him,” said Daoust in a phone interview. “He’s reaffirming that he’s someone who moves forward with his ideas but is aware of the uncertainty caused by the United States.”
Daoust also said that by waiting to put sovereignty to a vote, the PQ would give itself three years to do “house cleaning” and implement its policies.
“It doesn’t completely shut down the debate,” said Daoust, noting that the Liberals in particular will keep bringing up the topic. “But this takes the heat off the referendum for the next three years.”
Criticism from the Coalition Avenir Québec and the Quebec Liberals was swift, with party leaders saying a referendum will only add to political and economic uncertainty.
Speaking to journalists in Montreal, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said it would be “worse” to draw out the independence question until the end of a mandate.
St-Pierre Plamondon is recognizing that Quebec is under economic and political pressure due to trade tensions with its southern neighbour, she said, and that a referendum would add a “thick layer” of unpredictability.
St-Pierre Plamondon shot back at Fréchette, saying “the worst thing that could happen to Quebec in this context is having four more years of a government that is incompetent and has no vision.”
Liberal Leader Charles Milliard said in a statement that the PQ is admitting that its referendum promise is “too risky” without abandoning it. He said Quebec should be building alliances within Canada, “not choosing the best moment to cut them.”
Québec solidaire, a leftist sovereigntist party, agrees that Quebec should become a country. Parliamentary leader Ruba Ghazal said she finds it “concerning” that support for independence has stagnated, with about a third of Quebecers saying they would vote yes in a referendum. She added that, regardless of who is at the legislature, it’s up to Quebecers to decide on sovereignty.
“Our independence project should not depend on the Trumps of the world,” she said. “This is the new normal, and we don’t know who will replace Trump.”
The PQ has been leading in recent public opinion polls ahead of a general election in Quebec that must be held by Oct. 5.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2026.
Erika Morris, The Canadian Press
