{
  "id": 8023845,
  "title": "5 things that happened during the first 2 debates of Quebec election campaign",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/5-things-that-happened-during-the-first-2-debates-of-quebec-election",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T12:24:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12062831/5-things-that-happened-during-the-first-2-debates-of-quebec-election-campaign/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "1. During the first two debates of the Quebec election campaign, Coalition Avenir Québec leader Christine Fréchette frequently brought up the possibility of a referendum on sovereignty, even when not directly asked about it. Her opponents, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon of the Parti Québécois and Charles Milliard of the Quebec Liberal Party, criticized her for refusing to commit to how she would vote in such a referendum.\n\n2. Fréchette's rivals sought to portray her party as wasteful and scandal-ridden, citing cost overruns at the auto insurance board and a failed electric battery plant investment. These allegations aimed to discredit Fréchette's administration, which had become unpopular by the time her predecessor François Legault resigned early this year.\n\n3. The ongoing trade war with the United States remained a significant issue throughout the debates. Fréchette positioned herself as a stabilizing force amid rising tariffs and their impact on industries and consumers. She also highlighted her success in negotiating the energy agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador. Her rivals, however, argued that a change in government was necessary to handle the increasing economic threats.\n\n4. Québec solidaire leader Ruba Ghazal and Conservative Party leader Éric Duhaime presented their parties as the only ones offering true change. Ghazal emphasized her commitment to environmental issues and a plan to raise taxes on the ultra-wealthy while reinvesting in public services. Duhaime, on the other hand, proposed tax cuts and a reduction in bureaucratic waste to break away from the \"old bureaucratic model.\" The two leaders also had some playful exchanges, with Duhaime joking about Ghazal's proposal for publicly funded grocery stores.\n\n5. Following Wednesday's debate, the leaders were asked about a Superior Court decision ordering Élections Québec to include voting reminder cards in both French and English, after the authority had previously announced that the materials would only be in English. Fréchette stated that she would review the decision and reiterated her commitment to promoting the French language and protecting the English community. Milliard welcomed the decision, calling it \"a great thing for our democracy.\"",
  "summary": "So far, the campaign has largely been dominated by topics such as Canada's trade war with the U.S., the cost of living, immigration and language politics.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}