Quebec Election Tests Carney's Unity Message as Parti Quebecois Surges

On Monday, voters in Quebec participated in a provincial election that may challenge Prime Minister Mark Carney's message of national unity. The separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ), aiming for a comeback after 12 years in opposition, has pledged to organize an independence referendum if they win. Carney enjoys considerable popularity in Quebec, and a potential PQ victory is not perceived as a rejection of his views on US President Donald Trump, whose trade disputes and annexation threats have upset many Canadians. Instead, the PQ's increasing support is linked to concerns over affordability and the need to safeguard the French language in a predominantly anglophone nation. "I want Quebec to still be speaking French in 100 years," stated Francis Chalifour, a 49-year-old teacher and PQ supporter, after casting his vote in Montreal.