‘It is fantastic news’: With PQ set to take power in Quebec, the Bloc dreams of separation while Liberals stay quiet

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet speaks to members of media in West Block on Parliament Hill on Sept. 21, 2026. Photo by Hyungcheol Park /Postmedia

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OTTAWA — The Quebec election is two weeks away and the separatist Parti Québécois is well on its way to form government, with new polling showing they remain in the lead.

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While the Liberals either remain mum on the issue or claim that the situation can still change, Bloc Québécois MPs are already cherishing the idea of working with their provincial cousins to hold a third referendum for Quebec to separate from Canada.

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“The election of the Parti Québécois will bring us closer to Quebec’s independence. And in that sense, for me, it is fantastic news, because it is a way to move toward our goal,” said Bloc MP Alexis Deschênes in an interview with National Post.

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The PQ has promised to hold a referendum on separation in a first mandate, but only after U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office in January 2029. That means that the party would have a small window to hold one if it stays in power for a four-year term.

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Deschênes said the last time the PQ took power with a promise to hold a referendum in the first mandate was in 1994 under Jacques Parizeau. He ended up holding a vote on separation a year later and nearly succeeded in Quebec seceding from Canada.

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But for the moment, PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is not campaigning on independence, instead insisting on good governance and slashing taxes. He even refused to say the word “referendum” in the first debate of the campaign.

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Despite support for Quebec independence being at historical lows, Deschênes believes the PQ will respect its commitment to hold another referendum in a first mandate.

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“What we see coming is the election of a Parti Québécois government with a mandate to achieve independence. So, it is a vitally important mandate,” he said.

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Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has been busy campaigning this summer with some PQ candidates in the suburbs of Montreal. His MPs have been doing the same, giving a helping hand to their local candidates in events and meeting stakeholders.

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“It’s an organic relationship, I’d say. We’re part of the same family,” said Deschênes, who represents the riding of Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj.

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The federal Liberals are carefully not endorsing any of the provincial parties in the Quebec election to avoid any accusations of political interference from Ottawa.

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Whilst there was speculation Prime Minister Mark Carney was backing incumbent premier Christine Fréchette because of their many joint announcements in the lead-up to the election, he has refrained from interacting with her since the writ dropped.

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On Friday, Carney’s Quebec lieutenant Joël Lightbound said he was closely following the election in Quebec, but he said it is “too early to speculate on the election result” because there is still lots of time left and a large portion of voters are undecided.