Elections in Brief

NewsNick Laugher — Published September 4, 2012

PQ Still Leads

A poll published by La Presse sees the Parti Québécois ahead of both the Liberals and the Coalition, with the PQ at 32 per cent, the CAQ in second at 28 per cent and Liberals third with 26 per cent of the prospective votes.

The poll suggests that PQ leader Pauline Marois will win a minority government in the election on Tuesday.

“Two-Way Race”

Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault claims that a vote for anyone other than the CAQ would result in a PQ government and, inevitably, a referendum.

Furthering the divide, Legault has begun delivering some speeches in English, in opposition to the proposed tightening of regulations for English schooling policies by Marois.

Vive le Québec

Despite telling voters not to worry about Quebec separation, Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois admitted Thursday that her main motivation in the election was to make Québec a country.

She promised the development of electric transportation technologies and making it illegal for employees of the public sector to wear any non-Christian religious symbols.

“Together we will build a ‘tightly mixed’ country,” she said.

Charest the Hockey Fan

Liberal leader Jean Charest is attempting to swing the vote through the use of Canada’s most treasured sport: hockey.

Campaigning in Quebec City, Charest claimed that a PQ government could ruin any chance of the return of the a National Hockey League team to the provincial capital—his reasoning being that the political instability of a PQ government would be a turn-off for the NHL.