SUNY Plattsburgh’s Institute on Québec Studies held its annual Distinguished Fulbright Chair Lecture this past week featuring guest speaker Dr. Jean-François Godbout, a professor of political science at the University of Montreal, who talked about Québec’s current political climate and some of the divisions between the 4 parties that have consistently won seats in Quebec’s National Assembly over the past several elections. Bill 21 is one of them, prohibiting public-sector workers, including police officers, teachers and judges from wearing religious symbols while on the job.
And with a provincial election coming up in October, Dr. Godbout says a 5th party has emerged in recent weeks, the Conservative Party of Québec, bolstered by the pandemic and the protests and blockades across Canada in opposition to vaccine & other COVID mandates. Most all of the public health measures are gone now, but the Conservative Party may have won over new supporters they hope to carry into the fall & the election.