Latest news with #JeanCharest
CTV News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Liberals surging as CAQ falls to third in new poll, PQ remains in lead
New Quebec Liberal Party Leader Pablo Rodriguez, centre, reacts on stage alongside former Quebec Premiers Philippe Couillard, left, and Jean Charest, right, at the Quebec Liberal Party Leadership Conference in Quebec City, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Joel Ryan/The Canadian Press) The effect of new Liberal (PLQ) Leader Pablo Rodriguez is already being felt on the Quebec political scene. A poll conducted just after his leadership victory shows a rise in voting intentions for the provincial Liberals at the expense of François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). According to the Pallas Data poll published on Tuesday, the Parti Québécois (PQ) is still leading in voting intentions with 31 per cent. The Liberals, now led by Rodriguez, are not far behind with 26 per cent. The previous Pallas Data poll, published in March 2025, put the Liberals at 22 per cent. The shockwaves caused by the arrival of Rodriguez are shaking the CAQ's already fragile support, which finds itself in third place, 11 points behind the Quebec Liberal Party. In March, the CAQ was at 20 per cent of voting intentions, according to the same polling firm. Legault's party is statistically tied with Éric Duhaime's Conservative Party (PCQ). Québec Solidaire is in last place with 12 per cent of voting intentions. The poll also shows that the Liberals have regained support among francophone voters, at 19 per cent. The previous survey by the same firm had them at 14 per cent. The Liberals are now in second place among francophones, but still lag behind the PQ, which holds a dominant 38 per cent. A Léger poll published in May, before the end of the Liberal race, indicated that if the PLQ chose Rodriguez as its leader, it would rise to 31 per cent of voting intentions, statistically tied with the Parti Québécois. Pablo Rodriguez, Philippe Couillard, Jean Charest New Quebec Liberal Party Leader Pablo Rodriguez, centre, reacts on stage alongside former Quebec Premiers Philippe Couillard, left, and Jean Charest, right, at the Quebec Liberal Party Leadership Conference in Quebec City, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Joel Ryan/The Canadian Press) The general election is set to take place in October 2026. The survey, commissioned by poll aggregator Qc125, was conducted from June 14 to 16, 2025, among a random sample of 1,085 Quebec respondents aged 18 and over. The margin of error for the entire sample is three per cent, 19 times out of 20. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 17, 2025.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
New Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez says he'll run for seat in 2026 election
New Quebec Liberal Party Leader Pablo Rodriguez, centre, reacts on stage alongside former Quebec premiers Philippe Couillard, left, and Jean Charest, right, at the Quebec Liberal Party leadership conference in Quebec City, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Joel Ryan) The newly elected leader of the Quebec Liberals (PLQ) says he'll wait until the 2026 provincial election to run for a seat in the National Assembly. Pablo Rodriguez says he doesn't intend to run in a byelection just to enter the legislature as quickly as possible. Instead, he says he'll travel across Quebec in the coming months to rebuild the party. However, the former federal Liberal cabinet minister still plans to appear regularly at the Quebec legislature to give press conferences. Rodriguez won the party's leadership contest on Saturday in the second round. The 57-year-old secured just over 52 per cent of the vote over second-place finisher Charles Milliard, who collected about 48 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2026.
Washington Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Why King Charles III is delivering a rare speech in Canada
TORONTO — King Charles III is coming to Canada to deliver a message: Canada is a sovereign nation distinct from the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated suggestion that the U.S. annex its northern neighbor prompted new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give the speech from the throne on Tuesday where he will lay out the Canadian government's agenda when Parliament reopens. The monarch is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies. 'Canada has a steadfast defender in our sovereign,' Carney said when he announced the visit earlier this month. It is extraordinarily rare for the monarch to deliver what's called the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, only did it twice in her 70-year reign. The last time was in 1977. Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the U.S. and he said that the king's visit clearly underscores the sovereignty of Canada. The Americans had a revolution to gain independence from Britain. Canada remained a colony until 1867 and continued thereafter as a constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system. 'We're different,' former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. 'We are not the United States. It sounds simple, but that's what the visit says. 'We don't have the same institutions. We don't have the same history,' Charest said. 'We are a different country with a different choice in terms of how how we built ourselves, and King Charles tells that story.' This will be Charles' first visit as monarch. He visited Canada 19 times as prince. The king has been showing his support for Canada in recent months, including displaying Canadian military medals on his chest during a visit to a Royal Navy aircraft carrier. Historian Robert Bothwell said that the king's speech in Parliament 'is a gesture of solidarity and identity that can be construed to be a gesture of support.' The speech sets the legislative agenda for a new session of Parliament. It's not written by the king or his advisers in the U.K., as the king serves as a nonpartisan head of state. The king will read what is put before him by Canada's prime minister and his team. The speech is usually read by Canada's governor general, the monarch's representative in Canada. The governor general holds a constitutional but mostly ceremonial and symbolic position. 'King Charles is unlikely to comment directly on the 51st state issue. Yet, his introductory remarks could feature broad statements about Canada's integrity and sovereignty. At least this is what many Canadians would like him to do,' said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Former Canadian prime ministers and governor generals will attend the speech. The king will then pay his respects at the National War Memorial before a Royal Canadian Air Force flyby. Béland said the monarchy has long been unpopular among Quebec's French-speaking majority, and some nationalist voices in the province have been critical of the Carney government's decision to invite the king to deliver the throne speech. 'Whether the separatists work themselves into a lather over this frankly, I don't care. I don't think Quebecers will care a lot,' said Charest, the former premier of Quebec. 'The may not like the monarchy or whatever they'd like to read into it, but British institutions have served us very well.'
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Why King Charles III is delivering a rare speech in Canada
King Charles III is coming to Canada to deliver a message: Canada is a sovereign nation distinct from the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated suggestion that the U.S. annex its northern neighbor prompted new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give the speech from the throne on Tuesday where he will lay out the Canadian government's agenda when Parliament reopens. The monarch is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies. 'Canada has a steadfast defender in our sovereign," Carney said when he announced the visit earlier this month. Why is Charles visiting Canada? It is extraordinarily rare for the monarch to deliver what's called the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, only did it twice in her 70-year reign. The last time was in 1977. Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the U.S. and he said that the king's visit clearly underscores the sovereignty of Canada. The Americans had a revolution to gain independence from Britain. Canada remained a colony until 1867 and continued thereafter as a constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system. 'We're different,' former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. 'We are not the United States. It sounds simple, but that's what the visit says. 'We don't have the same institutions. We don't have the same history,' Charest said. "We are a different country with a different choice in terms of how how we built ourselves, and King Charles tells that story.' This will be Charles' first visit as monarch. He visited Canada 19 times as prince. The king has been showing his support for Canada in recent months, including displaying Canadian military medals on his chest during a visit to a Royal Navy aircraft carrier. Historian Robert Bothwell said that the king's speech in Parliament 'is a gesture of solidarity and identity that can be construed to be a gesture of support.' What is the speech from the throne? The speech sets the legislative agenda for a new session of Parliament. It's not written by the king or his advisers in the U.K., as the king serves as a nonpartisan head of state. The king will read what is put before him by Canada's prime minister and his team. The speech is usually read by Canada's governor general, the monarch's representative in Canada. The governor general holds a constitutional but mostly ceremonial and symbolic position. 'King Charles is unlikely to comment directly on the 51st state issue. Yet, his introductory remarks could feature broad statements about Canada's integrity and sovereignty. At least this is what many Canadians would like him to do," said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Former Canadian prime ministers and governor generals will attend the speech. The king will then pay his respects at the National War Memorial before a Royal Canadian Air Force flyby. What will the French in Quebec think? Béland said the monarchy has long been unpopular among Quebec's French-speaking majority, and some nationalist voices in the province have been critical of the Carney government's decision to invite the king to deliver the throne speech. "Whether the separatists work themselves into a lather over this frankly, I don't care. I don't think Quebecers will care a lot,' said Charest, the former premier of Quebec. 'The may not like the monarchy or whatever they'd like to read into it, but British institutions have served us very well.'
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Why King Charles III is delivering a rare speech in Canada
TORONTO (AP) — King Charles III is coming to Canada to deliver a message: Canada is a sovereign nation distinct from the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated suggestion that the U.S. annex its northern neighbor prompted new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give the speech from the throne on Tuesday where he will lay out the Canadian government's agenda when Parliament reopens. The monarch is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies. 'Canada has a steadfast defender in our sovereign,' Carney said when he announced the visit earlier this month. Why is Charles visiting Canada? It is extraordinarily rare for the monarch to deliver what's called the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, only did it twice in her 70-year reign. The last time was in 1977. Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the U.S. and he said that the king's visit clearly underscores the sovereignty of Canada. The Americans had a revolution to gain independence from Britain. Canada remained a colony until 1867 and continued thereafter as a constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system. 'We're different,' former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. 'We are not the United States. It sounds simple, but that's what the visit says. 'We don't have the same institutions. We don't have the same history,' Charest said. 'We are a different country with a different choice in terms of how how we built ourselves, and King Charles tells that story.' This will be Charles' first visit as monarch. He visited Canada 19 times as prince. The king has been showing his support for Canada in recent months, including displaying Canadian military medals on his chest during a visit to a Royal Navy aircraft carrier. Historian Robert Bothwell said that the king's speech in Parliament 'is a gesture of solidarity and identity that can be construed to be a gesture of support.' What is the speech from the throne? The speech sets the legislative agenda for a new session of Parliament. It's not written by the king or his advisers in the U.K., as the king serves as a nonpartisan head of state. The king will read what is put before him by Canada's prime minister and his team. The speech is usually read by Canada's governor general, the monarch's representative in Canada. The governor general holds a constitutional but mostly ceremonial and symbolic position. 'King Charles is unlikely to comment directly on the 51st state issue. Yet, his introductory remarks could feature broad statements about Canada's integrity and sovereignty. At least this is what many Canadians would like him to do,' said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Former Canadian prime ministers and governor generals will attend the speech. The king will then pay his respects at the National War Memorial before a Royal Canadian Air Force flyby. What will the French in Quebec think? Béland said the monarchy has long been unpopular among Quebec's French-speaking majority, and some nationalist voices in the province have been critical of the Carney government's decision to invite the king to deliver the throne speech. 'Whether the separatists work themselves into a lather over this frankly, I don't care. I don't think Quebecers will care a lot,' said Charest, the former premier of Quebec. 'The may not like the monarchy or whatever they'd like to read into it, but British institutions have served us very well.'
