The leader of the Parti Québécois says he sees possible areas of co-operation with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith if he’s elected Quebec’s premier next year.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who became leader of the sovereigntist PQ five years ago, was a guest speaker Thursday at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy.
He wasn’t supportive of a pipeline through his province.
But he said support for sovereignty in Alberta and the way Smith has been demanding more provincial rights and less federal interference shows she has been doing a good job in watching out for the best interests of her constituents.
“It doesn’t mean I agree with Danielle Smith on everything. But the purpose of a parliament is to give a voice and some coherence to your people’s will. So from that standpoint we have the same intention,” St-Pierre Plamondon later told reporters.
“Our people’s will may not be the same on certain topics, but we agree on that principle. And I think where it leads in terms of independence of Alberta, that’s up to Albertans, but it is a relevant debate in the current context clearly.”
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Smith has said she doesn’t support Alberta separation and believes in a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.
But with a growing number of Albertans unhappy with Ottawa, Smith has said she would hold a referendum on separation next year if there’s enough signatures on a petition.
The PQ launched referendums on Quebec sovereignty in 1980 and 1995, losing both.
St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third by 2030 if the PQ forms the next Quebec government.
The PQ has been leading in the polls in Quebec and won the past three byelections in the province. Poll aggregator Qc125 says party would win a majority if an election was held today.
On the issue of federal transfers, St-Pierre Plamondon said Quebec would be happier not sending $90 billion in cash to the federal government rather than having money from other provinces sent back from Ottawa with strings attached.
He said if he becomes premier, Quebec will have to work with other provinces and Alberta would be a good choice.
“An independent Quebec would be working with other Canadian provinces as much as we can,” he said.
“It’s the current framework that doesn’t work and leads to many abuses of power by a federal government that I find illegitimate in many of its actions within the provincial powers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2025.
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