كيبيك
Quebec 2026 Party Guide: Where Parties Stand on the Issues That Matter to Our Community
An infographic comparing the five main parties on secularism, Palestine, immigration, the economy, education, health, transport, the environment and living together, ahead of the October 5, 2026 election.
— C4
Quebecers go to the polls on Monday, October 5, 2026. To help you review where the parties stand, this guide offers a short comparison of the five main parties on issues that matter to our community, as shown in the infographic above, prepared on September 18, 2026.
Parties and leaders: QS — Québec solidaire (Ruba Ghazal), PQ — Parti Québécois (Paul St-Pierre Plamondon), PLQ — Quebec Liberal Party (Charles Milliard), CAQ — Coalition Avenir Québec (Christine Fréchette), PCQ — Conservative Party of Quebec (Éric Duhaime).
Where do the parties stand on the main issues?
Secularism (Bill 21 and Bill 9)
- QS: Opposes Bill 21 and calls for it to be repealed or amended, as well as Bill 9. Rejects banning religious symbols and supports state neutrality while protecting individual freedoms.
- PQ: Supports Bill 21 and calls for broader application of secularism, which it sees as part of Quebec identity.
- PLQ: Does not support using the notwithstanding clause to protect Bill 21 after it expires, calls for amending the legal framework, and balances secularism with individual freedoms.
- CAQ: The party that passed Bills 21 and 9. Supports strengthening and expanding secularism and considers it a foundation of Quebec identity.
- PCQ: Supports applying Bill 21 and calls for stricter secularism rules. Rejects religious accommodations in public institutions.
Palestine
- QS: Supports recognizing the State of Palestine, calls for halting arms to Israel, and calls for closing Quebec's office in Tel Aviv.
- PQ: Supports a Palestinian state and backed a proposal to recognize Palestine (2024).
- PLQ: Affirms Israel's right to exist in security, recognizes Palestinians' right to self-determination, and did not support the 2024 recognition proposal.
- CAQ: Its government opened Quebec's office in Tel Aviv and did not support the 2024 proposal to recognize Palestine.
- PCQ: Supports Israel, does not currently support recognizing Palestine, and stresses Israel's right to defend itself.
Immigration and integration
- QS: Calls for a humane, inclusive policy, family reunification and simpler procedures, and supports welcoming refugees.
- PQ: Calls for tighter immigration conditions and focuses on integration through the French language.
- PLQ: Supports a balanced immigration system that makes it easier to recruit skilled workers, and supports family reunification.
- CAQ: Temporarily reduces the number of immigrants and stresses learning French and integration.
- PCQ: Calls for a sharp cut in immigration levels and ties immigration to society's capacity to absorb newcomers.
Economy and taxes
- QS: Higher taxes on the wealthy and large corporations; investment in public services and the green transition.
- PQ: Tax cuts for the middle class; support for the local economy and strategic industries.
- PLQ: Support for economic growth and attracting investment; tax cuts and incentives for innovation and entrepreneurship.
- CAQ: Responsible fiscal management; support for businesses and productive sectors; some tax cuts.
- PCQ: Tax cuts, a smaller state, and support for the private sector.
Education
- QS: More investment in public schools, support for students with special needs, and stronger inclusive education.
- PQ: Strengthen French in schools and increase public school resources.
- PLQ: Improve education quality, support schools and universities, and develop skills for the job market.
- CAQ: Focus on academic results and stricter French-language rules in schools.
- PCQ: Promote traditional values, reduce what it sees as "ideology" in schools, and focus on core subjects.
Health
- QS: Strengthen the public system, increase funding, and expand mental health services.
- PQ: Reduce reliance on the private sector and improve services in remote regions.
- PLQ: Reduce waiting lists, improve system efficiency, and support health care workers.
- CAQ: Reform the system, improve access to services, and make greater use of the private sector.
- PCQ: Involve the private sector, cut red tape, and improve spending efficiency.
Transport and infrastructure
- QS: Expand public transit; invest in electric transport and railways.
- PQ: Develop transport between regions; invest in roads and transport networks.
- PLQ: Invest in infrastructure; support mass transit and major projects.
- CAQ: Deliver major projects; improve roads and transport in the regions.
- PCQ: Improve highways, speed up project delivery, and support transport outside cities.
Environment and climate change
- QS: Rapid shift to clean energy; protect the environment and biodiversity.
- PQ: Responsible use of natural resources; support the green economy.
- PLQ: Balance between the environment and the economy; support clean energy innovation.
- CAQ: Develop clean energy, protect natural resources, and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
- PCQ: Opposes restrictions it considers excessive and focuses on energy independence.
Society and living together
- QS: Fight discrimination and racism, support equality among all groups, and protect social rights.
- PQ: Strengthen identity and the French language; support social cohesion.
- PLQ: A more inclusive society; fight hatred and extremism; strengthen civic participation.
- CAQ: Strengthen public safety, support Quebec values, and focus on integration into society.
- PCQ: Focus on security, curb what it calls "appeasement," and preserve traditional values.
How should you use this guide?
This guide is a short summary. It presents the parties' positions as shown in the infographic and does not endorse any party. We encourage you to read the parties' official platforms and check your local candidate's position before voting. For riding-by-riding recommendations, visit the Muslim Voter Guide on our website.