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Quebec party leaders hold final debate ahead of provincial election
Quebec political leaders participated in their third and final televised debate hosted by Radio-Canada ahead of the provincial election on October 5, 2026. The debate featured leaders from the five main parties: Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (Parti Québécois), Éric Duhaime (Conservative Party of Quebec), Christine Fréchette (Coalition Avenir Québec), Charles Milliard (Quebec Liberal Party), and Ruba Ghazal (Québec solidaire).
Key themes included the future of Quebec, the economy, healthcare, childcare, and tax cuts. A significant point of contention was the sovereignty movement, with St-Pierre Plamondon promising a referendum within his first term, while Duhaime argued against such a move. Healthcare also sparked intense debate, specifically regarding the role of private versus public services.
Across various ridings, candidates are engaging in local debates and field campaigning. In Duplessis, candidates addressed elderly care and housing; in Matane, discussions focused on regional development and the forestry industry; and in René-Lévesque, students raised concerns regarding student housing and mental health. Current polling suggests the Parti Québécois is a front-runner, though a minority government remains a likely outcome.
Entities
Baie-Comeau · Charles Milliard · Christine Fréchette · Coalition Avenir Québec · Coopérative de solidarité Gaïa · Parti Québécois · Parti conservateur du Québec · Parti libéral du Québec · Paul St-Pierre Plamondon · Québec solidaire · Ruba Ghazal · Éric Duhaime
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Éric Duhaime (PCQ) argued that 70 percent of Quebecers do not want a referendum. globalnews.ca
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Éric Duhaime (PCQ) proposed increasing the role of the private sector in the healthcare system. www.narcity.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (PQ) promised to hold a sovereignty referendum within his first term. globalnews.ca
- [● 2 SOURCES] Paul St-Pierre Plamondon stated that an alliance with other parties is out of the question. lethbridgeherald.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Radio-Canada debate covered five themes: the future of Quebec, the economy, tax and public service cuts, childcare, and health. lethbridgeherald.com · www.narcity.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Poll aggregator Qc125 suggests the Parti Québécois is the front-runner. lethbridgeherald.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Quebec provincial election is scheduled for October 5, 2026. lethbridgeherald.com · globalnews.ca · www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Charles Milliard (PLQ) identified himself as the only federalist among the debate leaders. globalnews.ca