Key takeaways for Quebec after Liberal minority projected

UPDATE: On May 1the validation of the results in the tightly contested Terrebonne riding found that the Bloc candidatenot the Liberal, won the most votes. 

Propelled by the threats from U.S. President Donald TrumpQuebec turned toward Mark Carney's Liberalshelping the party secure a fourth consecutive term in office.

The Liberals were elected in 43 of Quebec's 78 ridings with a remarkable 43 per cent of the popular vote — that's the highest percentage and number of seats since 1980 under Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The Bloc Québécoison the other handwon only 23 seatsdown nine seats compared to the 2021 election.

Here are some key takeaways for Quebec the day after the voteafter CBC News projected a Liberal minority government.

1. Bloc squeezed out

The Liberals enjoyed the best result in the province in decadeswith the Bloc pushed to the sidelines in an election where Trump loomed large.

Issues such as Quebec identitysecularism and language took a backseat in the campaign, said Sébastien Dallaireexecutive vice-president with the polling firm Leger.

"It seems like Trump's shadow really was present not just throughout the campaignbut againin the results that we saw last night," he said.

"This very high concentration of the vote with the two main parties really tells us that this was a choice between who was going to be the best person to lead Canada."

As a resultthe Bloclike the NDP across the countrysaw a major drop in supportDallaire said.

Even soin a minority Parliament, the Bloc could have some influence over what transpires in Ottawa.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Tuesday he had "mixed feelings" about what he described as an "unusual election."

Blanchet said his party's struggles were likely due to a combination of the "threat from the White House and the very clever use of the fear in the population by the Liberals."

He said the first priority now would be to help assist in negotiations with the U.S.

"It won't be a matter of years. It will be a matter of months," he said.

Asked about Quebec sovereignty, Blanchet said"I believe what we need right now is a sort of truce on sovereigntybut not for any extended period of time."

2. Tight races swing to Liberals outside Montreal

All but two seats on the island of Montreal went redincluding LaSalle-Émard-Verduna riding in Montreal's Sud-Ouest borough that swung Bloc in a recent byelection.

One of those seats went to NDP incumbent Alexandre Boulerice. The other went to Mario Beaulieuthe Bloc incumbent in the east-end riding of La Pointe-de-l'Île.

But what did change is some of the ridings in the region outside Montrealboth on the South Shore and north of the city.

The Liberals were declared the winner in Terrebonne on Tuesday afternoon by a narrow margin. On May 1Elections Canada announced that vote validation had found the Bloc candidate hadin factwon the riding.

La Prairie-Atatekenformerly held by the Blocswung Liberalas did Longueuil-Saint-Hubert.

3. Province could play a bigger role

With a weakened Blocit could fall on Quebec politicians to defend the province's interestssaid one expert.

"We know that those identity politics and language and cultural protection issuesthey have not gone away in Quebec," said Donal Gillan associate professor of political science at Concordia University.

"There will be a huge push to put those front and centre by provincial politicians and to sort of position themselves vis-a-vis a Liberal government now that has a prime minister."

Quebec Premier François Legaultwho had avoided endorsing a party during the campaignsaid he wants to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

"We need to work hardOttawa and Quebecto protect businessesto protect jobsand I'm happy also that during the campaignCarney promised not to compromise on Quebec's interests," he said.

Blanchetas wellsaid he would work to defend Quebec's interests in the midst of a trade war with the U.S. He stressed the need for the next federal government to protect the province's aluminum and dairy industry.

"I think that the key word that the people of Quebec want to hear is stability," he addedbut not stability with compromiseswhich is "not in our nature."

Carney has said his priority will be the economy in the face of U.S. threats. During the campaignCarney said he would protect the French language and Quebec's economic interests in any negotiations.

4. Conservatives fail to make inroads

The Conservatives once again failed to make inroads in Quebec.

They secured 11 seats by midday Tuesdaywith one new seat for the party. Conservative candidate Gabriel Hardy won a narrow victory over Bloc incumbent Caroline Desbiens in the riding of Montmorency-Charlevoix.

Since the creation of the modern Conservative party under Stephen Harperthe Tories have struggled to maintain double-digit seat numbers in Quebec.

The party won 10 seats in the 2021 electionmostly in the area around Quebec City.

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