Quebec political parties unveil agriculture and culture platforms

As the Quebec election campaign progresses, major political parties are unveiling specific platform commitments regarding agriculture and culture.

The Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) and the Parti québécois (PQ) have detailed their agricultural plans. The PLQ proposes redistributing $560 million over four years, focusing on regional logistics hubs and reforming the Financière agricole du Québec. The PQ proposes an additional $450 million investment over four years, with a primary emphasis on protecting agricultural land through legislative reform.

In the cultural sector, candidates from the Coalition avenir Québec, Parti québécois, Parti libéral du Québec, and Québec solidaire participated in a debate organized by Réseau Culture 360°. While all parties acknowledged the economic importance of culture—noting its contribution of approximately $15 billion and 125,000 jobs—critics noted that financial commitments varied. Concerns were raised regarding the lack of social protections, such as employment insurance and pensions, for many workers in the industry.

Additionally, the Parti québécois is advocating for targeted economic interventions to support businesses facing international trade tensions, specifically suggesting measures to help SMEs diversify export markets rather than implementing broad, reciprocal tariffs.