Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon wins his seat
Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will have the chance to lead his party, for the first time, from the National Assembly.
- QUEBEC ELECTION 2022: Get the latest updates and in-depth coverage
With 142 polls reporting, the PQ leader secured just over 10,000 votes for 42 per cent of the vote in the Montreal riding of Camille-Laurin. The CAQ was trailing behind with 7,415 votes, or 31 per cent of voter support.The Liberals came in third in Camille-Laurin with just under 4,000 votes.
St-Pierre Plamondon lead a campaign squarely in favour of separation, forcing his party to split the remaining 30 per cent of Quebecers who would still vote "yes" to sovereignty. However, that population "deserves representation," he said.
"The independence project has been devalued… doubted," he said during his closing speech. "The destiny of Quebec is to become a country."
The leader predicted that sovereignty would grow into popularity once again in Quebec. Shortly after his speech, returning premier Francois Legault gave a victory speech to an auditorium of supporters in Quebec City. Legault, a former PQ member himself, will preside over a dominating majority outwardly disinterested in separation.
Instead, the CAQ's brand of Quebec nationalism has taken centre stage -- at least for now. With just three seats for the PQ, St-Pierre Plamondon said the "dream" of separation is far from gone.
"We will have our country," said St-Pierre Plamondon. "The potential is there."
Parti Quebecois supporters cheer on leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon during the provincial election in Boucherville, Que., Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler
The CAQ second landslide victory solidified that, not only has Quebec nationalism transformed in the last decade, but that the PQ and Liberals are no longer the province's natural governing parties.
Once major players at the National Assembly, the Quebec Liberals will form a relatively weak Opposition against the CAQ, and the PQ will have just three candidates to voice their version of politics.
Both leaders, however, had an uphill battle as their respective party's new faces -- and pre-election polls cast doubt on whether there was enough support to award them their own seats this mandate.
Regardless of that, St-Pierre Plamondon took a decisive, or even victorious, tone taking the stage after winning his seat. Supporters chanted from the floor: "mon cher Paul, c'est à ton tour" -- "my dear Paul, it's your turn."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.