CAQ begins advertising offensive just hours before cabinet reshuffle

Quebec Premier Francois Legault waves to people after his speechiat the Coalition Avenir Quebec youth wing congress in Levis Que. Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) launched a new advertising campaign just hours before François Legault’s promised cabinet reshuffle.

The premier hopes to revive his government, which is in free fall in the polls.

On Monday, Pallas Data ranked the CAQ fourth, behind the Parti Québécois, the Liberal Party and the Conservatives.

The advertising campaign promoting certain CAQ measures had been planned for a long time, even before there was any talk of a reshuffle, according to CAQ communications director Claude Potvin.

The seven clips, which will be broadcast on television and social media in September and October, are intended to be fun but “informative,” she told The Canadian Press, without specifying the total cost to the party.

The topics are expected to include seniors’ homes, reducing red tape, assistance for small and medium-sized businesses, electricity rates, purchasing eyeglasses for young people, pharmacists and nurse practitioners, and labour legislation.

“The CAQ’s current advertising campaign on major networks is intended to remind Quebecers that several services are available to them and to SMEs,” said Potvin. “Often, these programs are not well known, so the party has decided to remind people of the measures that have been designed for them and to direct them to the right resources.”

Legault more unpopular than ever

There is no sign of Legault in the advertisements, yet the co-founder and leader of the CAQ used to be at the forefront.

However, a second part of the Pallas Data poll published on Tuesday suggests that Legault is more unpopular than ever.

Nearly eight out of 10 Quebecers now have an unfavourable opinion of the premier, an increase of six points since June, according to the poll commissioned by Qc125.

Conversely, 10 per cent of those surveyed said they had a favourable impression, a drop of five points since June.

After Wednesday’s cabinet reshuffle, Legault is scheduled to deliver an inaugural speech on Sept. 30 in which he will outline his priorities for the coming year.

General elections are scheduled for October 2026.

The Pallas Data poll was conducted on Sept. 6 among a random sample of 1,187 Quebec respondents aged 18 and over. The margin of error on the sample is plus or minus three per cent, 19 times out of 20.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 9, 2025.