On October 1st, Quebec holds its 42nd General Election and for the first time in 50 years the main issue is NOT independence. Things have changed somewhat into "Quebecois Values" being the signature theme of the campaign. As the stumbles, provocations and three televised debates have passed, what was once a seeming inevitability of a majority Coalition Avenir Quebec victory has become a real horse race with the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party.

What is new in QCpoli?

Immigration. Not the act of it, just the methods, quotas and "Quebec values" of immigrants. A mine field which has been the main reason the CAQ lead has evaporated.
Healthcare. As the population ages, senior care raises in importance and the ideas from the parties are markedly different on how to arrive at a common stated goal.
Legal marijuana. The discussion of making the legal age to purchase or possess it in Quebec being set at 21, older than the legal age for alcohol, has opened a whole new discourse with voices not usually drawn into elections. Again, ask the CAQ where that lead went.
A new dominant sovereign leftist party. Quebec Solidaire is on the heels of the Parti Quebecois for the title of Progressive Independistes. QS has broken free from the Montreal tree-hugger label in a big way this campaign.
Demographics. For the first time ever, Millennials have as much voting power as Boomers in Quebec. Will they show up to vote? Anglophones are approximately 10% of the electorate and there was finally an English leaders debate. The winner of that seems to be Quebec.

Language. Generational division. Social safety net. Values. Always issues in Quebec, but a little different this time. Political evolution? Let's not get carried away.

The View Up Here welcomes back Polly Ticks (@PTicks) for her fifth guest appearance to discuss Quebec politics today and where this road is heading.

Quebec Votes - Has The Playing Field Changed? Pas Tellement

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