Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard has made the Parti Québécois’ promise to hold another sovereignty referendum a central issue on the final full day of the provincial election campaign.
Speaking Sunday in Sherbrooke, where he is campaigning for a seat in the riding of Orford, Milliard argued that the Quebec Liberals are the only party voters can rely on to defend Canadian federalism. He also urged voters who want to prevent the PQ from forming the next government to strategically support the Liberals.
The PQ, led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, has pledged to pursue a referendum on Quebec sovereignty. The issue has become one of the defining themes of the final days of the campaign, with the party leading in several recent polls.
Milliard has repeatedly warned that another referendum could create economic and political uncertainty for Quebec. He has compared the prospect to the experience of Brexit in the United Kingdom and has positioned the Liberal Party as the province’s main federalist alternative.
The Liberal leader has described the PQ as his party’s principal rival for government and is seeking support from voters who oppose Quebec independence.
St-Pierre Plamondon, meanwhile, has maintained his commitment to a referendum while asking Quebecers to give the PQ a majority government. He has previously said that the referendum commitment would remain in place even if his party formed a minority government.
The sovereignty debate has returned to prominence after years in which issues such as health care, affordability, housing, immigration and the economy dominated Quebec politics.
The campaign has also unfolded against the backdrop of Canada-U.S. trade tensions and economic uncertainty, adding another layer to voters’ concerns about Quebec’s economic future.
Quebecers will head to the polls Monday, bringing an intense campaign to an end. With the PQ, Liberals, Coalition Avenir Québec, Conservatives and Québec solidaire all seeking support, the final result could have significant implications for the province’s political direction and its relationship with the rest of Canada.
Milliard’s final-day message makes clear that the Liberal campaign sees the referendum question as a key opportunity to consolidate federalist voters before election day.
Swifteradio.com
