PQ, Bloc Québécois join forces to defend Quebec independence at major party convention

Hundreds of delegates are gathering at a key convention for the Parti Québécois this weekend, and sovereignty is high on the agenda.

The party is holding its annual convention in St-Hyacinthe, about 60 kilometres east of Montreal, where they are reviewing a draft platform and discussing Quebec independence ahead of the provincial election this fall.

"Someone told me this is the last PQ congress before independence — is that true?" said Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Friday night, drawing applause from the crowd and reflecting the heightened expectations among party activists.

The PQ is polling near the top in voter intentions, though support for independence lags behind the party's overall popularity.

On Friday, PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon urged delegates to stay disciplined and cautious.

"Do not give in to the temptation to get carried away, nor to the fear of the moment," he said, emphasizing measured action ahead of the vote.

Some young party members called for ambitious reforms.

Carolanne Boileau, president of the PQ's youth wing, told members they were gathered to "adopt the platform of the next Quebec government," signalling the party's high ambitions.

The draft platform contains more than 300 proposals covering health care, labour, education, immigration, the environment and public administration.

Activists suggested revising physician compensation models and limiting the incorporation of doctors — a practice that reduces taxes for medical professionals.

In 2022, incorporation-related tax losses were estimated at $252.5 million for federal and provincial governments, according to the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques.

Labour policies also feature prominently. The PQ plans to assert a pro-worker stance and make unionization easier across all sectors.

These proposals come amid union criticism of the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, which recently introduced legislation making part of union dues optional.

Other proposals include 10 paid days off for victims of sexual and intimate partner violence, creating a national education commission, and ending what the party calls a "three-speed school system."