Founded in 1968, Parti Quebecois (PQ) has stood for Quebec's secession from Canada and setting itself up as an independent country. They held a referendum in 1980, which failed, and they tried a second time in 1995 which nearly won. Parti Quebecois garnered 49.6% of the vote. Just another fraction of a percent and they would have won, and the separation process would have been launched.
After the 1995 referendum all outside observers (Americans) figured Canada was toast. They expected the PQ to go back, do some more organizing, hold another referendum, and win it. Somehow, that never happened. The third referendum was never held, and the PQ simmered down to being the provincial government of Quebec. Probably the election of Pierre Trudeau to the premiership of Canada had something to do with it. Quebecois figured a premier with a French name couldn't be all bad. Anyhow the Quebec separation issue died down and little has been heard of it since the '90s.
It's back. Quebec held elections and PQ won. Not quite enough to form a pure PQ provincial government, they will have to cut a deal the either the Liberal party or the Coalition Avenir Quebec to form a coalition government. But, it's a big step up for PQ from the last election.
Just to start things off with a bang, a gunman showed up at the PQ victory party and shot two people, one fatally, and set fire to the building. We can expect more fireworks in the future.
Speaking as an American, whose lights are lit by Quebec Hydro, and whose family came from Montreal, I'm not in favor of Quebec separatism.
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