Plamondon reiterated his position of refusing to take the oath of allegiance to King Charles III, stressing that he requested a legal opinion regarding the options available to his government regarding the constitutional functions associated with the British Crown within Quebec institutions.
He also announced that a legal team is studying the possibility of the Viceroy of Quebec not participating in the opening ceremonies of the new legislative body, in addition to examining alternative formulas for some of the formal tasks currently undertaken by the royal institution.
He said that one of the proposed scenarios is to assign some of these functions to an independent body or what he described as a “guardian of the people,” provided that the possible formula will be determined after completing the legal study, acknowledging that the file carries constitutional complications that cannot be overcome by a single political decision.
Plamondon links his position to his perception of the sovereignty of the people of Quebec, stressing that the political institutions in the province should derive their legitimacy from the will of the population.
This came one day after he ensured the formation of a minority government, marking the first time that the province's residents had elected a sovereign party since 2012.
Plamondon said in a press conference on Tuesday that he looks forward to addressing some of the outstanding issues immediately, noting that his priorities include combating the homelessness crisis, increasing funding for food banks, and forming a specialized team to manage trade negotiations with the United States, as well as dismantling some of the failed projects of the previous government, most notably the “SAAQclic” traffic system.
He added that he plans to organize a summit on homelessness, establish a general secretariat to enhance government efficiency and simplify regulations, and form a smaller government than the previous government. In this context, he confirmed his intention to submit a draft law to freeze the salaries of representatives and ministers, including his personal salary, and the salaries of directors of crown institutions.
He stressed that "money does not grow on trees," stressing the need to take every step carefully to ensure the proper management of public funds, saying: "Yesterday, the people of Quebec decided to elect a competent team of men and women who are ready to govern Quebec, and as I said in my speech, the work begins now."
The Parti Quebecois ended election night with 59 seats, five seats shy of an absolute majority. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by Charles Millard, will form the official opposition with 40 seats.
Plamondon pointed to the historical dimension of his victory, saying that his election comes exactly 50 years after René Levesque and the Parti Quebecois won the provincial elections on November 15, 1976, defeating the Liberal Party led by Robert Bourassa.
He added: “Our government should seek inspiration from the 1976 team in its ability to make an immediate positive impact on society and find solutions wherever possible.”
Despite running a minority government, the leader of the Quebec Party adhered to the project to hold a new referendum on the province’s independence from Canada before 2030, stressing that his electoral pledges will remain part of his government’s agenda, although he plans to wait until US President Donald Trump leaves the White House before proceeding with this step.
Plamondon said that issues that require legislation will be subject to discussion within the National Assembly, noting that the government’s position requires dialogue and negotiation. On Tuesday, he hinted at the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Quebec Solidaire party, despite expected opposition from the Liberals and Conservatives.
However, the party's spokeswoman, Rupa Ghazal, warned that her party's support for the government would not be absolute or unconditional.
In the first indication of the shape of the expected relationship with Ottawa, the Prime Minister-elect revealed a call he had with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, which he described as “positive, respectful and constructive,” explaining that the two parties agreed to hold a direct meeting to discuss files including infrastructure, immigration, and trade relations with the United States.
Plamondon affirmed his readiness to cooperate with the federal government when it comes to the interests of Quebec, stressing his desire for the province to be “on the table, not on the menu,” in a clear indication of the need for his government to be actively involved in any negotiations affecting the economic or cultural interests of Quebec, announcing his intention to meet with leaders of all parties in the coming weeks to return to a constructive civil dialogue in the province.
