Trump Tariffs Drive Quebec Separatist Support to Decades Low

Support for an independent Quebec has fallen to approximately 30 percent, its lowest level in decades, following the imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and threats of annexation by Donald Trump. Residents increasingly view remaining within Canada as the most effective way to preserve French culture against U.S. volatility.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois, vowed that a third independence referendum will not occur while Trump remains president. He stated that deciding the province's political fate must not be hijacked by the outbursts of an unpredictable president or a campaign of fear. This shift occurs as Quebec prepares for provincial elections on October 5.

Economic pressure has intensified the trend toward national unity, particularly within the steel and aluminum industries. The Heico Companies, a steel factory owner in Quebec, froze hiring and laid off 140 employees in response to the tariffs. While the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal argues that Quebec must become a country to defend its own interests at the negotiating table, the broader sentiment has shifted toward stability under the Canadian government.