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Quebec party leaders take the stage for final debate of election campaign

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • September 23, 2026

Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Christine Frechette and her partner Guy Nadeau arrive for a leaders debate in Montreal on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Quebec votes in a provincial election on Oct. 5, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

MONTREAL -- Quebec party leaders are on stage for the third and final debate of the provincial election campaign.

The two-hour debate is hosted by Radio-Canada and features the leaders of the five main parties.

The buses carrying Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Liberal Leader Charles Milliard, Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Christine Frechette, Quebec solidaire's Ruba Ghazal and Eric Duhaime of the Conservatives were greeted outside the venue by a raucous crowd of both cheering supporters and protesters, including striking paramedics, pro-Palestinian activists and environmental groups.

Leaders will spar on five themes: the future of Quebec, the economy, cuts to taxes and public services, childcare, and health.

The party leaders have faced questions in recent days about potential alliances if no party succeeds in forming a majority.

Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Monday that an alliance was out of the question, after his rivals suggested his ideas are similar to those of Conservative Leader Eric Duhaime.

Quebec voters go to the polls on Oct. 5.

Poll aggregator Qc125 suggests the Parti Quebecois remains the front-runner but that a minority outcome remains the most likely scenario.

Sovereignty, affordability and the trade war with the U.S. have been among the top issues so far in the campaign.?

This report by was first published Sept. 23, 2026.