Ontario Premier Doug Ford dipped his toe into Quebec provincial politics Wednesday, suggesting that the election of a separatist party in Quebec would be a ‘disaster’ for Canada.
Ford was speaking at a joint news conference with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt before a meeting of provincial premiers.
That will likely be current Quebec Premier François Legault’s final first ministers’ meeting, as Legault announced earlier this month he would be resigning as premier once his party selects a new leader.
With the Parti Québécois (PQ)’s Paul St-Pierre Plamondon leading handily in opinion polls ahead of the fall provincial election, Ford and Holt were asked what it might be like to sit around the first ministers’ table with a separatist premier.
“It’d be a disaster for our country if the separatists got elected. It’s as simple as that. We have to be a united Canada right now,” Ford said.
“There’s never been a more important time in our history to make sure that we stand shoulder to shoulder, united,” he continued.
“Not only it’ll be good for Canada, it will be good for Quebecers,” Ford said.
Holt’s response was along the same lines, albeit somewhat more diplomatic.
“Because of everything that’s happening, this current uncertainty, we shouldn’t contribute to the economic and social uncertainty. It’s a time to strengthen ourselves together,” Holt said.
“New Brunswick would like to see Quebec as a good neighbour, a good partner within Canada,” she said.
The comments come as Quebec politics are undergoing a seismic shift in the months leading up to the expected fall election.
Legault’s resignation means his governing and hugely unpopular Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) party is looking for a new leader.
The opposition Liberal Party of Quebec is also looking for a new leader, after the short-lived tenure of Pablo Rodriguez.
That makes St-Pierre Plamondon the longest-serving leader among major provincial parties. Under his leadership, the PQ has been dominating in public opinion polls in recent months and has racked up a series of byelection victories.
St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to launch a referendum on Quebec independence within the first mandate of a potential PQ government.
His popularity among voters does not necessarily translate into a fervour for independence.
Opinion polls generally show that about two-thirds of Quebecers would vote against the idea of an independent Quebec, although a recent uptick in support for sovereignty among younger voters has been encouraging for the PQ.
