Your handy guide to the PQ leadership race

With the nomination period for the PartiQubcois leadership race now over, here is an overview of the five candidates vying to replace Pierre Karl Pladeau as leader of the sovereigntist party.

The wunderkind:AlexandreCloutier

Alexandre Cloutier, a former cabinet minister, is seen by many as the front-runner in the race. Though he finished a distant second toPladeau in the 2015 contest, that he managed almost 30 per cent of the vote surprisedmany. At 38, he is the youngest in an already young field.

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• Sovereignty:Cloutier says as PQ leader he would onlydecide whether to hold a referendum six months before a general election.
• Other banner issues:He has spoken about improving relations with Quebec's aboriginal peoples.
• Support: Former premier Bernard Landry,formerBlocQubcoisleader Gilles Duceppe and at least 11 members of the current PQ caucus.

The mandarin:Jean-FranoisLise

Jean-FranoisLisewas an influential advisor to both JacquesParizeauand LucienBouchardat the height of the sovereignty movement, circa the 1995 referendum. This gives him a certain amount of streetcredwithin the party.

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• Sovereignty:As leader,Lisepromises no referendum in the first mandate of a PQ government. He has also said that public funds shouldn'tbe used to promote sovereignty.
• Other banner issues:Lisewants to gradually remove the presence of religious symbols in Quebec's civil service. He suggested Quebec should debate banning the burkini.
• Support:Lisepicked up the support of four MNAswho had been backing Vronique Hivon's campaign. Recent polls suggesthe is running secondplace toCloutier.

The engineer:MartineOuellet

Whereas every other candidate in the race has a background in law,MartineOuellet is an engineer by training. She served as Pauline Marois'sminister of natural resources. But when she ran in the last leadership contest, she managed only 13.3 per cent of the vote.

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• Sovereignty:Ouelletis asovereigntistin a hurry. She promises a referendum in the first mandate of a PQ government, which also distinguishes her from the other candidates.
• Other banner issues: Ouelletpromises toinvest $30 billion in the green economy by 2030, which says will create 30,000 jobs.
• Support:Former Bloc Qubcoisleader Mario Beaulieu and Ren Lvesque-era cabinet ministerGilbert Paquette. She is thought to have little support within the caucus.

The dark horse:Paul Saint-PierrePlamondon

Even the most ardent PQ supporters could be forgiven for asking, 'Who's he?' Unlike the other candidates, he is not an MNA.Plamondon, a lawyer, is perhaps best known as author ofLes orphelins politiques, which argues a moderate left is the best response to those who feel alienated by Quebec politics.

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• Sovereignty: Plamondon has promised not to hold a referendum in the first mandate of a PQ government. He would re-evaluate in 2022.
• Other bannerissues:He wants to push the PQ to the left. He has also spoken about getting moreyoung people involved in the party and in politics more generally.
• Support: Former Bloc MPSuzanne Tremblay.

The bridge-builder:VroniqueHivon

VroniqueHivondropped out of the race in late August citing health reasons. The former cabinet minister is dealing withlabyrinthitis, an inflammation of the inner ear that can cause vertigo.

Hivon had been considered a front-runner heading into the race, but trailed Cloutier and Lise in early polls.She initially shotto prominence for her role drafting Quebec's right-to-die legislation. It was a rare bill to pass with bipartisan support.

Vronique Hivon quits Parti Qubcois leadership race for health reasons

• Sovereignty:Hivonwants to avoid talking about the timing of a referendum, and speak instead of the merits of sovereignty itself. LikeCloutier, she has not committed to holding a referendum as a PQ premier.
• Other banner issues:She wants to make Quebec carbon neutral by 2050, and has promised to run a carbon neutral campaign if elected PQ leader.Hivonhas also pledged to reform Quebec's voting laws.
• Support:She counts the support of at least five members the caucus, but has struggled in recent polls.