In Quebec, lifelong sovereigntists hold their noses to vote Liberal

MONTREAL – Some lifelong sovereigntists in Quebec say they’re holding their noses to vote Liberal for the first time in the upcoming federal election. 

They’re hoping this will be the only time they ever vote Liberal. But they say they want Canada to show a united front against the threats of U.S. President Donald Trump.

A recent Léger poll showed the Liberals with 42 per cent support in Quebec, with the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives trailing far behind at 23 per cent. 

With those numbers, the Bloc is at risk of winning fewer than the 12 seats it will need to keep official party status after the April 28 election.

The Liberals, meanwhile, could be headed for their best showing in decades in Quebec. Polling suggests they’re competitive in a ring of Bloc-held ridings around the Island of Montreal, including some Bloc strongholds. 

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet is urging Quebecers not to elect a majority government, and says Liberal Leader Mark Carney doesn’t care about Quebec. 

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

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Carney will face off for the first time against Blanchet and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in a French-language debate on Wednesday in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2025.