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| Quebec’s Separatist Premier Calls a Snap Election for April | Quebec’s Separatist Premier Calls a Snap Election for April |
| (6 months later) | |
| OTTAWA — Less than 18 months after gaining a tenuous hold on power, Pauline Marois, the separatist premier of Quebec, on Wednesday called a snap election. | |
| Ms. Marois said in a brief televised address that she was dissolving the provincial legislative assembly and that voters would choose a new one on April 7. | Ms. Marois said in a brief televised address that she was dissolving the provincial legislative assembly and that voters would choose a new one on April 7. |
| She did not mention her party’s signature policy, independence for Quebec from Canada, in her speech. To avoid scaring off voters who are more interested in other issues, Ms. Marois has promised to consult the public about separation rather than move swiftly to hold a referendum on it. But barely an hour had passed before one of her main rivals, Philippe Couillard, the Liberal leader, said a victory for Ms. Marois’s Parti Québécois would lead Quebec to its third independence referendum. | She did not mention her party’s signature policy, independence for Quebec from Canada, in her speech. To avoid scaring off voters who are more interested in other issues, Ms. Marois has promised to consult the public about separation rather than move swiftly to hold a referendum on it. But barely an hour had passed before one of her main rivals, Philippe Couillard, the Liberal leader, said a victory for Ms. Marois’s Parti Québécois would lead Quebec to its third independence referendum. |
| The Parti Québécois government of Ms. Marois has already prompted a divisive debate over a proposed law that would ban the wearing of overt religious symbols by any government employee or by workers at institutions that receive government financial support, like hospitals and day care centers. The premier and her cabinet ministers say the proposal — stalled for now by the snap election — is intended merely to ensure secularism within the government. But many immigrants and members of religious minorities see it as an attack on their values, and some in Quebec’s English-speaking minority are uneasy about it as well. | The Parti Québécois government of Ms. Marois has already prompted a divisive debate over a proposed law that would ban the wearing of overt religious symbols by any government employee or by workers at institutions that receive government financial support, like hospitals and day care centers. The premier and her cabinet ministers say the proposal — stalled for now by the snap election — is intended merely to ensure secularism within the government. But many immigrants and members of religious minorities see it as an attack on their values, and some in Quebec’s English-speaking minority are uneasy about it as well. |
| At the same time, a long-running inquiry continues to reveal links among organized crime groups, labor unions and politicians, mainly Liberals from the Montreal area. | At the same time, a long-running inquiry continues to reveal links among organized crime groups, labor unions and politicians, mainly Liberals from the Montreal area. |
| Ms. Marois mentioned the religious-symbols bill in her remarks on Wednesday. But to address what many in Quebec traditionally view as her party’s weak spots, she emphasized her government’s management skills and vowed not to raise taxes despite a projected budget deficit of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars, about $2.3 billion, in the current fiscal year. | Ms. Marois mentioned the religious-symbols bill in her remarks on Wednesday. But to address what many in Quebec traditionally view as her party’s weak spots, she emphasized her government’s management skills and vowed not to raise taxes despite a projected budget deficit of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars, about $2.3 billion, in the current fiscal year. |
| “My government has a realistic plan to build a better Quebec, a more prosperous Quebec,” she said before leaving without taking questions from reporters. | “My government has a realistic plan to build a better Quebec, a more prosperous Quebec,” she said before leaving without taking questions from reporters. |
| Opinion polls have indicated for years that a clear majority of Quebec’s voters do not favor separation from Canada. Ms. Marois’s party formed a government after winning the most seats in the provincial assembly in the September 2012 election, but it is nine seats short of an outright majority and depends on support from opposition lawmakers to pass legislation. Some polls suggest that the Parti Québécois could gain a majority this time, though perhaps more because of her opponents’ weakness than any surge in public support. | Opinion polls have indicated for years that a clear majority of Quebec’s voters do not favor separation from Canada. Ms. Marois’s party formed a government after winning the most seats in the provincial assembly in the September 2012 election, but it is nine seats short of an outright majority and depends on support from opposition lawmakers to pass legislation. Some polls suggest that the Parti Québécois could gain a majority this time, though perhaps more because of her opponents’ weakness than any surge in public support. |
| Jean Charest, the former Liberal premier and one of Quebec’s most prominent politicians, resigned after he lost his assembly seat in the last election. His successor, Mr. Couillard, has been criticized as a weak leader even by some members of his party. | Jean Charest, the former Liberal premier and one of Quebec’s most prominent politicians, resigned after he lost his assembly seat in the last election. His successor, Mr. Couillard, has been criticized as a weak leader even by some members of his party. |
| A relatively new party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, hopes to attract votes from people who are fed up with the Liberals and the corruption scandals that have dogged them, but do not want to break away from Canada. | A relatively new party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, hopes to attract votes from people who are fed up with the Liberals and the corruption scandals that have dogged them, but do not want to break away from Canada. |
| David Meren, a historian at the Université de Montréal who studies relations involving Canada and Quebec, said the importance of separatist sentiment is often overstated. | David Meren, a historian at the Université de Montréal who studies relations involving Canada and Quebec, said the importance of separatist sentiment is often overstated. |
| “You can’t reduce Quebec or Quebec politics to the question of independence,” he said. “Quebecers are like everyone else, so there are other issues at play.” | “You can’t reduce Quebec or Quebec politics to the question of independence,” he said. “Quebecers are like everyone else, so there are other issues at play.” |