At the PQ’s national council on Sunday in Drummondville, Que., St−Pierre Plamondon told some 500 party members that Quebecers have one "ultimate" chance to secure their language and culture amid what he called an "existential threat" from Ottawa and the province’s declining weight within the federation.

The 47−year−old leader has driven renewed focus on sovereignty since he took the helm in 2020 after the party’s worst electoral showing in nearly 50 years, but his spot atop the polls in recent months has lent a new edge to this weekend’s pledge of a referendum by 2030.

Barely a year and a half after the PQ was seen as moribund, St−Pierre Plamondon’s surging popularity also comes despite flat support for independence, which recent polls show was backed by only about a third of respondents.

His speech provoked strong reactions from adversaries, with the premier’s cabinet spokesman Stéphane Gobeil describing St−Pierre Plamondon’s vow of a vote — which presumes a PQ victory at the ballot box in 2026 — as “either arrogance or poorly controlled euphoria.”

Interim Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay deemed his rival the PQ’s "most radical leader" and accused him of stoking fear to push independence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2024.

The Canadian Press Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St−Pierre Plamondon speaks at the opening of a Parti Quebecois national council meeting, Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Drummondville, Quebec. Paul St−Pierre Plamondon is reiterating his pledge for a third referendum should his party take power in the next election. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot −−>