Latest news with #PabloRodriguez
Montreal Gazette
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: Opportunity knocks for Pablo Rodriguez and the Quebec Liberal Party
Re: ' PQ and Liberals battle it out in new poll as CAQ droops ' (The Gazette, June 26) The most recent Léger poll has the Quebec Liberal Party trailing the leading Parti Québécois by just two percentage points and ahead of the Coalition Avenir Québec by 11 points. What an opportunity for Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez. For an example, take the sizzling New York City mayoral campaign of young, new political star Zohran Mamdani. His campaign is focused on hope for every citizen, embracing immigrants and a promise 'to reach further, to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree, and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements,' as he said in a speech last week. Voters are searching for enlightened leaders. If Rodriguez can deliver on a similar vision, I think the premiership of la belle province awaits him. Barry Beloff, Montreal Redefine limits of academic freedom Re: ' Prayer rooms, student groups increased tensions over Israel-Hamas war at CEGEPs: report ' (The Gazette, June 27) The results of a Quebec government investigation into allegations of tensions at Vanier and Dawson colleges are not surprising. A climate of hostility has been reported at universities and colleges not only in Quebec, but across the country since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians. Aggressive student groups and course content with a political agenda are driving factors of a well-documented campaign that has taken root in our academic institutions. The teachers union's contention that CEGEPs must remain spaces where young people can be challenged and feel free to debate is quite valid. However, the present boundaries of academic freedom do not promote this vision. Instead of being encouraged to enter into dialogue, students with differing opinions are shouted down or silenced in classrooms and public spaces on campus. Pluralistic views on the conflict in Gaza are seemingly not tolerated. It is high time to redefine the limits of academic freedom so that this hallmark of democracy is not used to justify aggression. Students deserve an education, not indoctrination. Marcy Bruck, the Foundation for Genocide Education, Montreal Campus prayer rooms aren't the problem Amid the findings of the government report on tensions at CEGEPs, there was one in particular that I feel is not just misguided, but downright offensive: an argument against the presence of prayer rooms for Jewish and Muslim students on campus. Let's be clear: Prayer rooms aren't political soapboxes. They're spaces for quiet reflection, for people of different faiths to practise in peace. In a city as proudly multicultural as Montreal, offering them isn't some special 'privilege' to be revoked when situations get tense. It's basic respect. Lumping prayer rooms in with student groups that use divisive slogans or escalate conflicts is absurd. The two aren't remotely the same. One exists to deepen understanding of self and community. The other actively tries to fracture it. If we want to cool tensions on campus, removing places for respectful spiritual practice is exactly the wrong move. We should be modelling tolerance and accommodation, not punishing it. Lindi Ross, Carignan Submitting a letter to the editor Letters should be sent by email to letters@ We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette. If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one. Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication. Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation. We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer's argument. Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or 'open letters' addressed to third parties. Letters are published with the author's full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published. We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Support for Quebec Liberal Party surging in the wake of Pablo Rodriguez's election: poll
The effect of Pablo Rodriguez's election as the new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) on voting intentions has been confirmed, with a second poll showing the party surging in popularity. In the most recent Léger poll, conducted on behalf of Quebecor Media, 28 per cent of respondents said they would vote for the QLP if an election were held today. The Liberals have thus gained seven percentage points since Léger's previous poll, conducted in May, before Rodriguez became party leader. Voting intentions in Quebec A screenshot of a chart from a Leger poll released on June 26, 2025, showing current voting intentions in Quebec. (Source: Leger) In the poll released on Thursday, the PLQ is now only two points behind the Parti Québécois (PQ), which remains in the lead in voting intentions with 30 per cent. However, the sovereigntist party has lost three points since the May poll. A Pallas Data poll released last week, just after Rodriguez's victory in the PLQ leadership race, also showed an increase in support for the PLQ. That poll put the Liberals at 26 per cent and the PQ at 31 per cent. In the previous Pallas Data poll, published in March, the Liberals had garnered 22 per cent of support. Increased dissatisfaction with the CAQ The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) continues to plummet. François Legault's party lost another three points and now stands at 17 per cent of voting intentions, according to Léger. The CAQ remains ahead of the Conservative Party (14 per cent, up 1 point from the May poll) and Québec solidaire (9 per cent, down 1 point from the May poll). The CAQ's decline in support coincides with an increase in Quebecers' dissatisfaction with the Legault government. In the Léger-Québecor poll, 65 per cent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the CAQ government's performance, four points higher than in the previous poll. In contrast, 28 per cent of participants said they were satisfied with the government's performance, down four points from the previous poll. Last week, when another poll showed the CAQ down in voting intentions, Legault said that such results make him want to 'fight' for Quebecers. When asked who would make the best premier of Quebec, 23 per cent of respondents chose PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, 19 per cent chose Rodriguez, and 17 per cent chose Legault. Half of respondents said that Legault should step down as CAQ leader. Sovereignty on the rise among young people When it comes to Quebec sovereignty, 33 per cent of respondents said they were in favour, 59 per cent said they were against, and 8 per cent said they did not know or preferred not to answer. While support for independence remained stable from one month to the next, one figure stands out: support for sovereignty stands at 48 per cent among the 18-34 age group. Support for sovereignty is therefore higher in this age group than among aged 35-54 (28 per cent) and those aged 55 and over (35 per cent), according to Léger's data. The Léger-Québecor poll was conducted online among 1,056 respondents in Quebec from 20 to 22 June. There is no margin of error, as online surveys are not considered a random sample of the population, but a probabilistic sample of this size would have a margin of error of no more than ± 3% (19 times out of 20). This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 26, 2025. By Mathieu Paquette, The Canadian Press
Montreal Gazette
6 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
PQ and Liberals battle it out in new poll as CAQ droops
By QUEBEC — A new public opinion poll suggests Quebecers might be headed back to their old habit of voting along the lines of federalism versus Quebec independence — and that spells trouble for the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, which walks the line between the two. Setting the stage for a possible two-way race in the 2026 election, a new Léger poll shows the Liberals under new leader Pablo Rodriguez have picked up seven points in one month. While the PQ continues to lead in voter intentions with 30 per cent and would form a majority government if the election was held today, the Liberals are not far behind with the support of 28 per cent of voters, the poll conducted for the Journal de Montréal reveals. Trailing in third place is the CAQ, with the support of 17 per cent. The Quebec Conservatives are at 14 per cent and Québec solidaire is at nine per cent. 'We have returned to the classic PQ-Liberal (rivalry), the classic of the last 50 years,' Léger president Jean-Marc Léger told the Journal de Montréal. He noted it is the lowest CAQ score seen in 11 years. 'The CAQ is becoming a more and more marginal party,' Léger said. Founded in 2011 by now-premier François Legault, the CAQ offered Quebecers a way out of the eternal federalism versus independence debate by offering a third option: nationalist but within Canada. The poll thus points to an uncertain future for Legault, who has repeated multiple times he wants to run in the 2026 election to attain a third mandate in office. In recent years, he has fought speculation the CAQ is in trouble by saying the last thing Quebec needs in the current uncertain economic times is a PQ government and another sovereignty referendum. Last week, asked about a Pallas Data/L'Actualité-Qc 125 poll also showing support for the CAQ sagging, Legault said such polls energize him and make him want to fight on. The new Léger polls shows only 28 per cent of Quebecers are satisfied with the CAQ government. And 50 per cent of respondents say Legault should quit now. What is unclear, however, is who could succeed Legault as leader of the CAQ, which is a coalition of federalists and nationalists. The pollsters asked respondents to rate possible successors. Even if deputy-premier Geneviève Guilbault remains the favourite potential leader of CAQ supporters, she does not really dominate the field. While 23 per cent of CAQ members think she is the right leader, only 12 per cent of the overall population think that. She is followed by Treasury Board president Sonia LeBel, who comes in at nine per cent with the general population. Eduction Minister Bernard Drainville is at five per cent. The Léger poll was conducted between June 20-22 and is based on the responses of 1,056 Quebecers. An online poll does not carry a margin of error. The poll arrives as all the parties gear up for a fresh by-election battle in the riding of Arthabaska.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Fête Nationale: thousands brave sweltering heat in Montreal to show their Quebec pride
Thousands of people gathered in Montreal on Tuesday to celebrate Fête Nationale and to show their Quebec pride. The extreme heat did not prevent the fleurs-de-lis from invading Rachel Street in Montreal on Tuesday afternoon for the traditional Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade. Thousands gathered at the corner of Molson and Rachel Streets in the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough to march before heading to Maisonneuve Park to watch the show, hosted this year by actress Guylaine Tremblay. Expand Autoplay 1 of 12 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A member of the crowd waves a Quebec flag during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A man waves a Quebec flag during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Dancers dressed in traditional costume entertain the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A boy yawns as he watches the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Drummers entertain the crow during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Pablo Rodriguez, Quebec Liberal party leader Pablo Rodriguez, centre, looks on during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A woman hands out Quebec flags to members of the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Participants entertain the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A performer on stilts entertains the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Members of the crowd look on during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, A participant pushes a giant can of maple syrup along a street during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Participants entertain the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Mathieu Fortier arrived 45 minutes early to make sure he got a good spot. For him, this year's Fête Nationale has a special meaning, as the U.S. president continues to attack Canada's sovereignty. 'This year's Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is about pride, celebration, and purpose,' Fortier said. For me personally, Trump's attacks have boosted my pride in being Quebecois and my Quebecois identity." He said he was looking forward to going to Maisonneuve Park to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day until the end of the evening. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Participants entertain the crowd during the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) For some, this is their first Fête Nationale parade. This was the case for Claude Turgeon, who traveled from Boisbriand with his wife to celebrate Quebec with their Montreal friends. 'I've always been proud to be Quebecois, but this year I wanted to participate,' he said. Politicians take in the celebrations As every year, the various political parties took part in the parade. Non-partisanship was also on the agenda, and the importance of celebrating Quebec identity without politics was on the lips of all elected officials. Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications Mathieu Lacombe said it is important to ensure the sustainability of Quebec culture in an increasingly fragmented world. 'We must always stand up to defend our culture, our language, and our identity,' Lacombe told reporters. 'We have been fighting for who we are in Quebec for 250 years, so I think this fight is far from over, especially with the upheavals we are currently experiencing on the international scene with our southern neighbor, but also within Canada as a whole.' Québec solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal emphasized the need to 'be proud of our uniqueness as a people and not try to be like the United States.' 'There is so much bad news in the world, so being here and celebrating our Quebec values and our pacifist values feels good,' Ghazal said. Wearing a blue t-shirt with the words 'Vive le Québec libre' (Long live free Quebec) printed on it, Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon said he felt that the population needed 'a unifying Quebec identity.' 'In a more fragmented and divided period of our society, it's time to come together and talk and socialize as we are doing today,' he told reporters. The PQ leader also said he was 'struck' by the sovereignty sentiment among young people, even though he 'can't take credit for it,' he added with a laugh. For his part, the new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP), Pablo Rodriguez, took the opportunity to emphasize the non-partisan nature of this celebration and the importance of being united for Fête Nationale. 'We'll fight tomorrow or next week, but today we're all proud to be Quebecers,' said Rodriguez. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and MP for Laurier--Sainte-Marie, emphasized the Quebec pride that has emerged in response to the U.S. president's threats. 'We see it in Quebec and across the country, there is a movement of Quebec pride, people want to stick together in the face of what is perceived as economic aggression and also an attack on our identity and our sovereignty, so it warms my heart to see people come together like this and say 'this is not what we want.'' According to the Fête Nationale organizing committee, 650 events were scheduled across the province to mark the holiday. This year's edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first public performance of the iconic song 'Gens du pays,' written by Gilles Vigneault and composed in collaboration with Gaston Rochon. Vigneault's song was played several times during the parade, interrupting the festive music and inviting the crowd to sing along to its familiar chorus. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 24, 2025. By Quentin Dufranne, The Canadian Press
Montreal Gazette
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Libman: Quebec Liberals gamble on Rodriguez. Will voters?
Did Quebec Liberals shoot themselves in the foot last weekend? Pablo Rodriguez, a former MP and minister under Justin Trudeau, narrowly won the leadership of the provincial party over pharmacist and former head of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Charles Milliard. The Liberals face an uphill challenge. To win next year's election, they must wrestle back the support of francophone voters who make up 80 per cent of the electorate. For the past several years, francophone support has been languishing at or below 10 per cent. The Liberals are largely the default party for non-francophones concentrated primarily in the Montreal area. Montreal Island and Laval, however, comprise only 33 of 125 ridings. As the Coalition Avenir Québec and Parti Québécois have shown, you can win elections without Montreal, but you can't win without the overwhelmingly francophone regions covering the rest of Quebec. Rodriguez came to Quebec as a refugee from Argentina at eight years old, not speaking French or English. He became involved politically in the provincial Liberal youth wing before jumping to federal politics. He is affable and a good organizer with political experience who knows how to say the right things. Is that the right recipe, though, to save the Liberals? According to polls, most voters crave change from the CAQ government, and with the Liberals in limbo, had been parking their votes with the PQ — despite a commitment by its leader to hold a sovereignty referendum most Quebecers don't want. Rodriguez will undoubtedly hammer away at the PQ's referendum pledge as adding more uncertainty in an uncertain world. And when asked how he will win over the regions, he duly responds that all Quebecers want good government. More than rhetoric, though, he will need to start showing some substance on major issues, particularly the economy, health care and education — areas of failure by the existing government. His campaign website has several broad commitments but is short on specifics. Rodriguez's challenge, however, may go beyond just that. In the history of Quebec, only one premier — French-born Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1878-'79) — wasn't born in the province (though René Lévesque was born in a hospital in Campbellton, N.B., across the bay from his Quebec home in New Carlisle.) Electoral politics, like it or not, often includes an element of voting for someone with whom you identify — linguistically, culturally, ethnically. In Quebec's regions, where the population is much less diverse and typically more nationalistic, a native son could articulate immigration or economic policies, for example, without the message's focus being potentially blurred by their roots or nationality or mother-tongue. On language issues, Rodriguez has recently been criticizing the CAQ government's actions as divisive, saying he would modify Bill 96 by eliminating two irritants — the search and seizure provisions and six-month grace period for immigrants to receive government services in English. He also promises to reverse tuition hikes that penalize English universities, and he opposes the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause. But as he inevitably faces pressure to solidify his pro-Quebec credentials or acknowledge 'the decline of French,' will the standard recoil reflex to throw anglophones under the bus kick in? He certainly didn't object to Bill 96 as Trudeau's Quebec Lieutenant, and he supported the Official Languages Act revision (C-13) that compromises minority-language protections for Quebec anglophones. Rodriguez beat other strong leadership candidates, but many party members may have supported him based on a Léger poll showing the Liberals under his direction had the best chance of rivalling the PQ. However, that poll may have been skewed by the name-recognition effect at the time. Any new leader, once chosen, inevitably grows in stature. Few Canadians knew Mark Carney a year ago. Rodriguez has positive attributes and a compelling life story. In choosing him, though, Liberals are challenging history — and gambling that Quebec voters are prepared to do the same.
