After 9 years in power, the Liberals of Quebec are aweakened. Despite holding 88 seats, the Canadian constitutionnal crisis and the reject of Brian Mulroney’s Meech Lake accord boosted sovereignism in Quebec to an unprecendent approval support.
The Pequists, led by the very independentist Jacques Parizeau are expecting and willing to make big gains. A year ago, in 1993, the Bloc Québécois with Lucien Bouchard got 50,3% of the vote in Quebec and almost 2 millions votes, winning 54 federal seats and forming the official opposition in Ottawa.
The victory of the PQ has to be the second step of independentist walk, the third will be a referendum in 1995 on sovereignty organized by the government of Quebec. Can the pequists get the second step of the sovereignist walk to independence?
This election is crucial because the sovereignists can’t hold any referendum on sovereignty without winning Quebec’s parliament. The Liberals, without their historical leader, Robert Bourassa, are now led by the last Johnson, Daniel Johnson Jr.
His short term of a year as incumbent Premier didn’t give him the time to deliver a complete strategy against sovereignists but Liberals are up since spring.
The former Liberal youth president Mario Dumont has left his party and is now leading the Action Democratique du Quebec.
Can this young and fresh politician wins his seat of Rivière-du-Loup?
This francophone right-wing party is, for itself, unclear about independence.
The famour polemist and radio animator, André Arthur is also declared as independent candidate and wants to win his seat of Louis-Hebert, local polls give him a solid 27% behind the Parti Québécois.
Will the Pequist prevail? Or the Liberals? Or will the ADQ be able to win enough seats to become the King Maker in this crucial election for Quebec’s future? And what about André Arthur’s bet?