Conservative leader Éric Duhaime sought advice from Stephen Harper, the former Prime Minister of Canada. At a news conference on Tuesday morning at the National Assembly, Duhaime said he had spoken to him the previous day. The leader of the Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) said he had received “valuable advice” from him on managing a caucus and on the situation of a minority government. Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada from 2004 to 2015, Harper was first elected in 2006 at the head of a minority government and re-elected in 2008, again as a minority government. The experience could prove useful to Duhaime in the context of the new National Assembly: the Parti Québécois has formed a minority government with 59 out of 127 members, and will therefore need to secure the cooperation of other parties, while the Liberal Party (PLQ) won 40 seats, the PCQ 19, and Quebec Solidaire 9. “There are indeed experienced figures within the Conservative family who will support us in this. For example – and this is perhaps a bit of a left-field example – but yesterday morning (Monday), I was with Stephen Harper (…). I think that’s the sort of expertise we need,” Duhaime said, adding that Harper gave him his book on the history of flags in Canada. “He was drawing parallels with historical events, and reminding me of certain historical facts relating to the Conservative movement in Quebec. And I think that was some very valuable advice.” Duhaime is joining the National Assembly at the head of a parliamentary group of 18 other elected representatives, of whom only two – Maïté Blanchette Vézina and Caroline Simard – have previous experience in the House. “I know we’re going to be put to the test,” he said. “That’s normal. It’s part of the democratic process. We’re less experienced than the others – myself included.” A few days ago, his MNA Patrick Paquet was taken to task by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec regarding the cost of the Quebec City tramway project, for which the Caisse is the project manager. Similarly, Blanchette Vézina suggested in Le Devoir that her party would challenge scientific consensus, which led to a public outcry. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 20, 2026.
