Quebec Separatists Delay Independence Vote Until Trump Exits

The leader of Quebec's separatist party said Tuesday he will not hold a referendum on independence from Canada until Donald Trump is out of the White House.

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said a PQ government would still stage a referendum during its first term — but not before Jan. 20, 2029, when Trump's term ends.

His party is out of power but leads the polls ahead of a Quebec election that must be held by Oct. 5.

Why Trump Is the Reason

St-Pierre Plamondon said a question as consequential as Quebec's future requires a clear and calm debate.

"It must not be hijacked by the upheavals of American politics, nor by the outbursts of an unpredictable president, nor by fear campaigns," he said.

"This unpredictability of the American administration will harm our process as well as the quality of the debate on our future as a nation."

The Associated Press reports that Trump's tariffs and his repeated talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have complicated the separatist case in Quebec — fueling Canadian nationalism and prompting some French-speaking Quebecers to see more security in staying part of Canada.

The Numbers

Support for sovereignty in Quebec sits at 31%, according to a Leger poll for Le Journal de Montréal and TVA this month. Sixty-nine percent say they would vote "No" — including 85% of non-francophones and 64% of francophones.

The PQ leads provincial voting intentions at 30%.

Quebec is about 80% French-speaking and already holds significant autonomy: the province of 9.1 million collects its own income tax, runs immigration policies favoring French speakers, and has laws giving French priority over English.