Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Ontario Premier Doug Ford waded into Quebec’s provincial political debate on Wednesday, saying the election of a separatist government in the province would be a “disaster” for Canada at a time when national unity is critical.
Ford made the remarks at a joint news conference with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt ahead of a meeting of provincial premiers in Ottawa. The comments come as Quebec prepares for a fall election that could usher in major political change following Premier François Legault’s announcement earlier this month that he will step down once his party selects a new leader.
With Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon leading opinion polls, Ford and Holt were asked how premiers would respond to working with a separatist leader at the first ministers’ table.
“It’d be a disaster for our country if the separatists got elected,” Ford said. “There’s never been a more important time in our history to stand shoulder to shoulder as a united Canada.” He added that national unity would ultimately benefit both Canada and Quebecers.
St-Pierre Plamondon responded sharply to Ford’s remarks a day later, using sarcasm to dismiss the Ontario premier’s intervention. Speaking at a PQ caucus meeting in Saint-Georges, Que., he suggested Ford was motivated solely by Ontario’s interests and accused him of meddling in Quebec’s democratic process.
“Why would you intervene in Quebec and tell people how to vote?” St-Pierre Plamondon said, calling the comments “ridiculous.” He also criticized Ford over past disputes, including efforts to recruit Quebec doctors and Ontario-led advertising in the United States that he said affected Quebec without consultation.
Other premiers echoed Ford’s concerns, though in more measured language. Holt said the current global and economic uncertainty makes it especially important for provinces to avoid deepening social and political divisions. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he supports a unified Canada while acknowledging that grievances exist and should be addressed constructively.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said unity remains the only viable path forward for the country, while Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew emphasized Quebec’s cultural and linguistic ties to other provinces, particularly Manitoba’s francophone community. Kinew said he would work with whichever leader Quebecers choose.
The debate unfolds as Quebec’s political landscape shifts rapidly. The governing Coalition Avenir Québec and the Quebec Liberal Party are both searching for new leadership, leaving the PQ — under St-Pierre Plamondon — as the most stable major party. While the PQ is polling strongly, public support for Quebec independence remains significantly lower, with surveys suggesting a majority of Quebecers would still vote against sovereignty.
Despite that gap, St-Pierre Plamondon has pledged to hold a referendum on independence during a first mandate if the PQ forms government, ensuring the question of Quebec’s future will remain central in the months ahead.
