Each of Quebec’s main party leaders entered this week’s French language debates with a particular objective.
The Parti Québécois’ Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leading in the polls for years now, needed to reassure voters that despite his pledge to hold a referendum on sovereignty — a destabilizing adventure most Quebecers don’t want — he can still govern effectively, then deal with the national question later.
Christine Frechétte’s ball and chain is her party’s record. She had to convince voters that a Coalition Avenir Québec under her leadership will function very differently than the same gang (which includes her) that ran the province so wastefully and inefficiently for eight years.