Quebec separatists rule out referendum under Trump

Quebec's separatist Parti Quebecois said Tuesday it would not hold an independence referendum while US President Donald Trump is in power, even as polls suggest the party is favored to win the Canadian province's October election.

Party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said a decision on Quebec independence “requires conditions that allow for an informed and calm debate” and should not be shaped by “the upheavals of American politics” or “the theatrics of an unpredictable president.”

An August 8 poll by Leger said 63 percent of Quebecers opposed independence, 28 percent supported it and nine percent were undecided.

Plamondon said that, if elected, his government would focus on public services, affordability and restoring Quebecers' confidence “as a nation.” He added that “this would be the worst possible time to reflect on our future because of Trump.”

The position contrasts with separatists in Alberta, who have argued that Trump's presidency creates a strategic moment to push for independence from Canada.