'United' after Lise's leadership test, Parti Qubcois sets sights on upcoming election

Parti Qubcois Leader Jean-Franois Lise has received a resounding vote of confidence from party delegates leading into the next provincial election, which is just over a year away.

A total of92.8 per cent of party delegates who participatedin the leadership review on Saturday cast a vote in his favour.

"The Parti Qubcois is united, the Parti Qubcois is strong, the Parti Qubcois is worthy of confidence," a smiling Lise said after the result was announced.

The score, higher than many expected, was splashed across the screen at Montreal's Palais des Congrs as supporters cheered and waved Quebec flags.

About 1,500 delegates were eligible to vote in the review and 96.4 per cent participated.

Normally, a confidence vote for a political leader heading into an election year would be a given. But the PQ, the province's mainpro-independence party,is known for bringing down its leaders.

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Lise, a longtimebackroom adviser, has had his share of struggles in his short tenure at the helm.He won the leadership a year ago with only 50.6 per cent of the vote, following the resignation of media baronPierre KarlPladeau.

He has faced criticism, in particular, from PQ hardliners for saying he won't hold a referendum on independence in his first term ifhe wins the Oct. 1, 2018 election.

Instead, he has contended the cause would be better served by laying the groundwork for a vote in 2022.

Calls for 'stability'

The leadership review held at the request of more than two dozen riding associations comes as the PQ struggles in the polls, trailing not just the governing Liberals but also the right-leaning Coalition Avenir Qubec (CAQ).

The CAQ, led byFranois Legault,has made inroads with an emphasis on identity issues, including a promise to impose stricter immigration laws amid awave of asylum seekerscrossing into Quebec.

The PQalso faces a challenge on the left fromQubecSolidaire, which holds three seats in the legislature and has a charismatic new spokesperson in former student leader GabrielNadeau-Dubois.

As delegates cast their ballots on Saturday, RaymondArchambault, thePQ'soutgoing president, urged them to set aside their divisions and present a united frontahead of the election.

"I think thePartiQubcoisneeds stability. We have been through some very, very difficult periods since 2011: two election campaigns, two leadership campaigns," he said.

The result, which neared the party's gold standard of 93.1per cent set by PaulineMaroisin2011, will help assuage those concerns.

VroniqueHivon, the PQ MNA forJolietteand a pastrival ofLisefor the leadership, said the vote"means that we will be a very strong force" heading into the election.

"I would say it's even above the expectations becauseoften, we say,at thePartiQubcois, well, they're so tough on their leaders," she said.

Playing to his base

In the days leading up to the vote, Lisetried to appeal tohis party's sovereignist base and those enticed by the CAQ,saying that a PQ government would impose tougher border controlsand curtail fundingfor English-languagejunior colleges, known by their French acronym,CEGEPs.

• Jean-Franois Lise hardens tone on immigration, sovereignty ahead of leadership review

He walked back the latter suggestion on Friday, saying the PQ would prioritizeFrench-languageCEGEPsand ensure English courses were available at those institutions.

"If we can provide good English mastery in French CEGEPS, well, a number of people who have chosen English CEGEPs in the past will come to French CEGEPs," Lisesaid.

• Controversy in Quebec as more francophones choose English CEGEPs

Aproposal to prioritize French CEGEPs, however,is among those that will be put to a voteon Sunday, to determine whether it will be adopted as part of its party platform.

How much did he need?

Under party rules, Lise neededover 50 per centof the vote to stay on as leader. But in reality he needed more than that.

Former premier Bernard Landryfamously set an 80 per cent target for his leadership test in 2005.

He stepped down after falling just short of that number, with a confidence vote of76.2 per cent.

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