Support for Quebec sovereignty at 30-year low, according to new poll – Montreal | Globalnews.ca


The idea of Quebec separating from Canada is the least popular it’s been since the 1995 referendum, according to a new poll.

Support for Quebec sovereignty at 30-year low, according to new poll – Montreal | Globalnews.ca

The new Leger/Journal de Montreal survey found that if a referendum were held now, 71 per cent of Quebecers would vote no to separation, and just 29 per cent would vote yes.

Leger pollster Sebastien Dallaire says the Trump administration’s hostility toward Canada and other ongoing global disruptions are making people think twice about creating a country.

“It’s a bit unnerving for voters at this time,” Dallaire said in an interview. “We can expect that the numbers will rise again if tensions ease up, but even that’s a question mark because we know unpredictability is pretty much the name of the game right now.”

The Parti Quebecois has held a commanding lead in the polls for several months as the province heads toward October’s provincial election. They’ve promised a referendum in their first mandate.

Story continues below advertisement

According to the new Leger voter intention numbers, the PQ is now neck-and-neck with the Liberals. Thirty-one per cent of the vote would go to the PQ, and 30 per cent to the Liberals. The Liberals have gained four points in the past month, while the PQ has lost one.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

The Conservatives are at 15 per cent, the CAQ is at 13 per cent and Quebec Solidaire is at nine per cent.

New leader Charles Milliard took over the reins of the Liberal Party last month. They had been rising under previous leader Pablo Rodriguez until scandal struck, dragging  numbers back down.

“It seems to be the case right now that the Liberals are turning a corner and maybe turning the page on this,” Dallaire said of the multiple ongoing investigations into Rodriguez’ leadership campaign.

“Of course, we know this issue will likely come back in the news as investigations draw to a close in coming months.


Click to play video: 'Sovereignty debate heating up as PQ loses ground in new poll'


Sovereignty debate heating up as PQ loses ground in new poll


Dallaire doesn’t necessarily think Milliard is the reason for the new surge, saying the 46-year-old is still relatively unknown.

Story continues below advertisement

The pollster believes growing support for Prime Minister Mark Carney is helping the Liberals, and so is international instability.

“There’s a bit of a natural tendency for Quebec voters to go back to the Liberal party in moments like these,” he said.

According to Dallaire, the most recent numbers would likely amount to a PQ minority government. With the election still seven months away, a lot can change.


&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.


Quebec Liberals welcome Charles Milliard as new leader – Montreal | Globalnews.ca


About 600 people welcomed Charles Milliard as the new head of the Quebec Liberal Party in Trois-Rivières on Sunday, days after he was acclaimed in a leadership race that no one else joined.

Support for Quebec sovereignty at 30-year low, according to new poll – Montreal | Globalnews.ca

Milliard, who entered the room at the Delta Hotel in the city about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, takes over a party recently shaken by the December resignation of former leader Pablo Rodriguez.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Milliard outlined his five key priorities for a potential Quebec Liberal government: strengthening the economy, improving public services, supporting Quebec’s regions outside major urban centres, promoting culture and addressing access to housing.

Former Quebec Liberal premiers Daniel Johnson and Philippe Couillard, along with past interim leaders, attended the event to welcome the new generation of party leadership.

Rodriguez stepped down amid a crisis involving allegations of vote-buying and reimbursed donations during the leadership race he’d won in June.

Story continues below advertisement

A pharmacist by training from Lévis, Que., and former president of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Milliard faces the challenge of introducing himself to Quebec voters, having never held elected office at the provincial or federal level.

Party members hope Milliard will bring renewed energy to the PLQ, as he pledged to prioritize integrity, transparency, and accountability.


&copy 2026 The Canadian Press