Quebec Premier Appoints Finance Minister Amid Independence Plans
Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon appointed Nicolas Marceau as finance minister to manage a C$6.5 billion deficit and prepare for a future independence referendum.
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon appointed economist Nicolas Marceau as finance minister and minister responsible for infrastructure on Wednesday. Marceau previously served in the finance role during the Parti Québécois administration from 2012 to 2014.
The appointment comes as the Parti Québécois, which formed a minority government on October 5 after winning 59 of 127 seats, faces a projected C$6.5 billion deficit for the fiscal year ending March 31. To balance the budget within two years, the administration plans to find C$1.8 billion in savings by limiting expenditure growth to 1.9% and laying off 2.5% of the government payroll.
Beyond fiscal challenges and an ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States, the administration is focused on sovereignty. St-Pierre Plamondon has pledged to hold a referendum on Quebec's independence from Canada following the conclusion of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term in January 2029.
