Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is at a “crucial time” as he spoke with Quebec premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon following Monday’s provincial election, with federal officials signalling they intend to push ahead with major infrastructure and energy projects despite the Parti Québécois leader’s opposition to at least one of them.
St-Pierre Plamondon’s Parti Québécois won 59 seats, five short of a majority, and has promised to hold an independence referendum during its first term, though not before U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office in 2029. Carney told reporters on his way into a cabinet meeting that he and St-Pierre Plamondon discussed issues including infrastructure funding and support for Quebec workers affected by the U.S. trade war, rather than the prospect of a referendum.
“This is a crucial time for our country, it’s a crucial time for Quebec,” Carney said. “This is not a time to wait for something a few years down the road. It’s a time to act. It’s a time for boldness.” He pointed to his government’s work on affordable housing, the Churchill Falls energy agreement with Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, and support for tariff-affected workers as examples of that approach.
Churchill Falls and Alto Rail in the Balance
St-Pierre Plamondon has opposed the Alto high-speed rail project, which the Carney government has made a priority, and has said a PQ government would withdraw from it. In Ottawa, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she remains convinced that both the Alto rail link and the Churchill Falls energy development will proceed.
“I’m convinced because this is in the interest of Quebecers. When it comes to Churchill Falls, it is the biggest investment in clean energy in the entire history of North America … $70 billion in investments,” Joly said. On the rail project, she said it would connect Montreal, Trois-Rivières and Quebec City and represents a “long-standing ask” from many Quebecers, including some who voted for the incoming PQ government.
Heritage Minister Marc Miller said he would not speculate on the fate of the two projects but confirmed Ottawa will continue to press its case with the province.
Opposition Parties Weigh Limited Cooperation
Quebec’s opposition leaders said they were open to working with the incoming government on select issues, while drawing clear lines on the question of independence. Liberal Leader Charles Milliard, whose party won 40 seats, said the results show Quebecers want parties to work together, and that he was open to collaborating on matters such as health care and support for families and businesses. However, he said none of his members would support a referendum, adding that St-Pierre Plamondon would more likely seek support for that goal from Québec solidaire, which won nine seats.
Québec solidaire co-spokespersons Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti said they would work to build support for independence but stressed that public backing was essential before any such move. Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime, whose party will hold 19 seats following what was described as a breakthrough result, said his party would act as a “watchdog” for taxpayers, while noting he expected to discuss shared priorities with St-Pierre Plamondon, including eliminating taxes on used goods and reducing state spending.
The Coalition Avenir Québec, in power for eight years, failed to win a single seat in Monday’s election. The Parti Québécois had its weakest support in Quebec’s two largest urban centres, failing to win any riding in the Quebec City region and taking only two seats on the Island of Montreal, where Liberals and Conservatives dominated.
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