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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.