Latest news with #PartiQuébécois
Montreal Gazette
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
‘There are Quebecers who are disappointed' in the CAQ, so Legault plans to shuffle cabinet this fall
Quebec News By Recognizing Quebecers are disappointed in his government, Premier François Legault has announced plans to shuffle his cabinet this fall. Trailing in the polls to the Parti Québécois and the Liberals as Quebec enters the summer season, Legault revealed his plan Friday in announcing the name of the Coalition Avenir Québec candidate in the byelection in the riding of Arthabaska-L'Érable. The candidate will be local chamber of commerce president Keven Brasseur. 'I am aware there are Quebecers who are disappointed in certain issues handled by the CAQ,' Legault said at a news conference in Victoriaville. 'This summer, we will prepare changes ... including a cabinet shuffle. I will take the summer to plan the changes.' Legault heads a caucus of 96 MNAs. He did not say who might be added or removed from cabinet. The shuffle will happen as Quebec moves closer to the 2026 general election. This story will be updated.
Montreal Gazette
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Opinion: Legault should consider stepping down for the CAQ's own good
'It makes me want to fight.' That's how Premier François Legault reacted to last week's Pallas Data poll, which showed his party trailing both the Parti Québécois and the Liberals following Pablo Rodriguez's election as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. The Coalition Avenir Québec is now polling at just 15 per cent provincewide. The situation is so disastrous that Legault's party is now virtually tied with Éric Duhaime's Conservative Party of Quebec, which stands at 14 per cent. And the downward trend has persisted for over a year now; if an election were held today, the CAQ could be completely wiped out, with some projections suggesting it might not be able to win even a single seat. That puts all 86 of the party's MNAs — including Legault himself — at serious risk of losing their jobs by the fall of 2026. Turning this around would require a drastic shift. Yet so far, Legault insists he has no intention of changing his strategy. With the next general election scheduled for a year and a half from now — unless Legault surprises everyone by calling an early vote — some battles may still be winnable, but others might simply not be worth fighting. This isn't just about Legault's future as premier. It's also a matter of survival for the party he founded 14 years ago. Either the CAQ goes down with him, or Legault finds the wisdom and selflessness to step aside and give someone else a chance to turn things around. After five decades of alternating Liberal and PQ governments, Legault achieved what many thought impossible in Quebec politics: proving that a viable 'third way' can exist. That could be his lasting legacy — unless he lets it sink with him in the next election. As he takes time to rest this summer, Legault should reflect on how he wants his political journey to end. After seven years in power, it's only natural for any politician to feel fatigue — and equally normal for voters to seek change. The premier acknowledged it himself last week: Quebecers are deeply disappointed — with the economy, the management of public finances, and the lack of improvement in public services despite major reforms, among other issues. Legault now finds himself in a situation not unlike Justin Trudeau's about a year ago: a leader trying to cling to his sinking ship, with a caucus that may be starting to worry internally over the prospect of a historic defeat. In Trudeau's case, his inner circle ultimately panicked a few months later and forced him out, replacing him with Mark Carney. The rest is history. A similar fate may await Legault if poll numbers don't improve by the end of this fall. And the clock is ticking — it's nearly midnight already. If close allies start publicly calling for his resignation, Legault could face the humiliation of being pushed aside by the very party he built and led to power. That would be a sad ending. In politics, knowing when to leave is an art. Legault should avoid the trap that has claimed so many leaders before him who tried to remain in power past their expiry date, damaging their reputation and legacy in the process. In 2019, Legault promised to serve only two terms. Maybe it's time to consider honouring that commitment. As a devoted hockey fan, the premier should know that too often, great players stay in the game far too long. Take Chris Chelios, for example, who was still in the NHL at age 48. Despite an incredible career, he was rarely used in his final seasons and became more of a liability than an asset for his team. If I were one of Legault's top advisers today, I'd tell him: Don't make a Chris Chelios of yourself, Mr. Legault.
Hamilton Spectator
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Quebec singer, songwriter Serge Fiori, founder of rock group Harmonium, dead at 73
MONTREAL - Quebec singer-songwriter Serge Fiori, founder of French-Canadian rock band Harmonium, died Tuesday at the age of 73. Serge Grimaux, Fiori's manager at GSI Musique, confirmed the death in the early morning hours of Quebec's St-Jean-Baptiste holiday, which he attributed to the consequences of a long illness. Fiori was the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band, founded with Michel Nomandeau. They were active between 1972 and 1979 and were immensely influential in Quebec. Fiori was born in 1952 in Montreal. His career took off in 1974 with the self-titled album 'Harmonium' and the song 'Pour un instant' which became a Quebec classic. Premier François Legault paid tribute on his X account, noting that Fiori left his mark on several generations of Quebecers with songs imbued with poetry, depth and sensitivity. Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, writing on X, called the founder of Harmonium a 'true ambassador of Quebec culture' and said his lyrics and melodies have withstood 50 years and will continue to do so. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Quebec singer, songwriter Serge Fiori, founder of rock group Harmonium, dead at 73
MONTREAL – Quebec singer-songwriter Serge Fiori, founder of French-Canadian rock band Harmonium, died Tuesday at the age of 73. Serge Grimaux, Fiori's manager at GSI Musique, confirmed the death in the early morning hours of Quebec's St-Jean-Baptiste holiday, which he attributed to the consequences of a long illness. Fiori was the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band, founded with Michel Nomandeau. They were active between 1972 and 1979 and were immensely influential in Quebec. Fiori was born in 1952 in Montreal. His career took off in 1974 with the self-titled album 'Harmonium' and the song 'Pour un instant' which became a Quebec classic. Premier François Legault paid tribute on his X account, noting that Fiori left his mark on several generations of Quebecers with songs imbued with poetry, depth and sensitivity. Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, writing on X, called the founder of Harmonium a 'true ambassador of Quebec culture' and said his lyrics and melodies have withstood 50 years and will continue to do so. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2025.
Montreal Gazette
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Analysis: New Quebec Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez has his work cut out for him
Quebec Politics By QUEBEC — Now comes the hard part. In winning the Quebec Liberal leadership Saturday in the second round of voting, with 52.3 per cent of the vote versus runner-up Charles Milliard's 47.7 per cent, Pablo Rodriguez takes on the stewardship of Quebec's oldest political party, which was founded in 1867 and has governed Quebec for much of its contemporary history. Today that party is at a crossroads — a victim of Quebec's multi-party system, which has muddled the voting patterns from the days when the Liberals thrived by selling themselves as a mixture of economic stability and a bulwark against referendums on independence. After losing the 2018 general election to the Coalition Avenir Québec — which promised a third option beyond federalism and sovereignty, based on economic growth and nationalism — the Liberals did worse in 2022, earning less than 15 per cent of the vote and a mere 21 seats. Without the support of non-francophone minority voters in the Montreal region, which helped the party earn more seats, the Liberals today would not have the title of the official opposition in the National Assembly. Enter Rodriguez, a former federal cabinet minister from the Justin Trudeau years. In electing Rodriguez as leader Saturday over the other candidates in the race, the Liberals decided he is the one to end their long walk in the political hinterland. They believed his promise of a return to power. Throughout the long leadership race, he reminded them that he was the only one of the five candidates with extensive political experience, as a former transport and Canadian heritage minister and political organizer. He was also Trudeau's Quebec lieutenant from 2019 to 2024. And Rodriguez didn't hesitate to mention he was better known than the other candidates, highlighting a Léger poll from May showing the Liberals under his leadership would come out ahead of the soaring Parti Québécois and drooping CAQ. 'Becoming leader of the Quebec Liberals is an incredible honour,' Rodriguez, 57, said in his victory speech Saturday. 'It's the honour of a lifetime. 'One race has ended today and another (the 2026 election) starts right away. Are you ready?' But what lies ahead for Rodriguez in the short and long term? For one thing, he has to quickly get a better grasp of how the Quebec government works. Far off in Ottawa, federal politicians rarely have to address the details of how health and education services are delivered to the people, sticking to big-picture policies. Rodriguez will be facing seasoned politicians like Premier François Legault, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal, all of whom have a much firmer grasp on these issues and are ready to skewer the newbie when he trips up. His federal Liberal roots will make him an easy target, and they won't hesitate to portray his arrival as a federal takeover of the Quebec Liberal 'branch plant.' 'I'm my own man and will be judged on my own decisions, my team, my program,' Rodriguez responded Saturday to reporters. There is also the matter of a seat in the Quebec legislature. Rodriguez does not have one. That will limit his media visibility and ability to impose his leadership on the 19-member Liberal caucus. Participating in the cut and thrust of daily question period — something he can't do without a seat — is good practice for those televised election campaign debates he will face in the 2026 election. There were rumours flying at the Liberal convention Saturday that Rodriguez would ask St-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy, who has announced she will not run in 2026, to leave earlier and free up a riding. But Rodriguez does not appear to be in a hurry to get into the legislature. The advantage of staying away for now is he will have time to rebuild the party in the regions, which is key to shoring up support with francophone voters. In the last two elections, francophone voters turned to the CAQ. They decide who gets elected in Quebec because they dominate the vote in most of the 125 ridings. In the May Léger poll, the Liberals were polling at 10 per cent in this voting group. 'The Liberals need to reconnect with francophone voters,' Université Laval political science professor Éric Montigny said in an interview. 'That implies (the party) renewing itself with a certain nationalism without alienating its current base. 'It also needs to beef up its economic credo and propose audacious ideas. In a multi-party system, it can no longer count on the fear of the PQ to get itself elected.' The Liberals undertook just such a reboot after the 2022 election, led by former senator André Pratte and Bourassa-Sauvé MNA Madwa-Nika Cadet. The party approved a new program that, among other things, called for the drafting of a Quebec constitution to defend Quebec's interests in the federation. Seen as an effort to shore up nationalist votes, none of the candidates in the leadership race aside from Mario Roy said a Quebec constitution would be a priority for them. The challenge is great, the landscape ever shifting. In recent weeks, Legault himself has been adjusting his message to counter the surging PQ, which, for the moment, represents a greater threat to him than the Liberals. Aligning himself with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Legault has been saying only a CAQ government can protect the Quebec economy from U.S. tariffs, and that means working closely with the federal government — something the PQ is not interested in doing. Stopping short of calling himself a federalist, Legault said the PQ's plan to hold another referendum on sovereignty could not come at a worse time. 'Imagine if Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was in my place tomorrow morning,' Legault told Radio-Canada as the legislature recessed for the summer on June 6. 'He only wants to demonstrate that Canada does not work.' Rodriguez will have to find a way to counter Legault's scheme, which taps into the Liberals' federalist bread and butter. Some veteran Liberals remain optimistic about the party's brand despite its poor performance in recent years. A key argument rests on the party's ability to create a bigger tent than the CAQ or PQ can, they say. 'Quebecers are thirsty for leadership — a leadership that is not one of turning inwards,' former premier Jean Charest told Liberals in a speech Saturday. 'Quebecers want us to reconnect with all of Quebec, whether you live in Montreal or the regions, whether you speak English or French. 'More than ever, what we need is to be together.' 'There's a change in the political dynamic that leaves room for the Liberal party,' former premier Philippe Couillard said Saturday in an interview at the leadership convention. 'There have been highs and lows (for the party historically). We have always come through them.'
