The voters have spoken in Quebec. The Parti Quebecois is out and the Liberals are in. At the start of the election campaign, it appeared that the government was going to sail forward to an easy majority.
As the campaign evolved, it increasingly appeared that the Parti Quebecois was very out of touch with voters. That was very evident over the issue of a referendum on separation.
The Quebec Liberals ended up smacking down the Parti Quebecois and its leader Pauline Marois on Monday. The PQ leader lost her own seat and has resigned as party leader.
The separatist cause in Quebec appears to have been dealt a serious blow by voters who were more interested in the economy, jobs, and issues that mattered to them.
The real change in the campaign came with the announcement of a star Parti Quebecois candidate. Pierre Karl Peladeau, a Quebec media mogul entered the campaign presented as the star candidate for the PQ.
“My joining the Parti Québécois is tied to my most intimate and profound values,” stated Peladeau. “I want Quebec to become a country. I am a sovereigntist. Today we have all the tools to take control of our own destiny.”
Philippe Couillard and the Liberals in many ways didn’t have to react to those comments, as voters did. The lead in the polls evaporated faster than a snowball in Florida.
Philippe Couillard and the Liberals gained 22 seats in the election and have a strong majority government.
