Quebec Liberal leader says 24/7 CLSCs, education to be election priorities

Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez, responds to reporters questions at a news conference at the beginning of a pre-session caucus meeting in Lac-Beauport Que. Tuesday, September 9, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez laid out some of his 2026 election platform on Saturday: 24/7 CLSCs, a general assembly on education, economic summits in each region, and improvements to the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP).

He presented himself as a unifying federalist leader by attacking head-on the party he considers his main opponent, the Parti Québécois (PQ), at the Liberal conference.

On Saturday, Rodriguez took part in his first PLQ general council meeting in Trois-Rivières since he was elected leader of the party last June.

With less than a year to go before the elections, he rallied some 500 activists who say they must rebuild and reorganize the party to take the lead in the polls.

Opinion polls suggest that the PQ is well ahead in voting intentions, but the PLQ is now in second place, ahead of the CAQ.

“I have a message for the leader of the Parti Québécois: when things go wrong, you change the government, not the country,” he said to Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who has pledged to hold a referendum on independence if he forms the next government.

“Together, we will defeat the CAQ, defeat the Parti Québécois, and form the next government,” he concluded to applause.

He accused his opponents, both Premier François Legault and St-Pierre Plamondon, of sowing division.

“The first duty of a premier is to bring people together,” he argued.

“I ask Paul St-Pierre Plamondon to respect Quebecers who don’t think like you, and that’s the vast majority ... We are no less Quebecers because we don’t want a referendum.”

CLSCs

In a 35-minute speech, Rodriguez pledged to restore the prestige of Local Community Service Centers (CSLC) and make it a gateway to the healthcare system, open 24/7.

“We will do this by convincing doctors ... by putting in place the necessary conditions to get doctors interested in their regions,” he assured.

At what cost?

“All of this will be quantified when we present our election plan,” was all he would say.

In May 2024, a coalition of organizations representing seniors called for CLSCs to be open at all times during a summit on home care, which the CAQ government rejected.

Home buying and education

In addition, if he forms the next government, the Liberal leader wants to implement a measure to facilitate access to home ownership.

Parents would be able to transfer part of their RRSPs to their children without penalty so that they could increase their down payment under the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP).

He has also committed to convening a national conference on education.

“It’s time we talked to each other about our education system,” he said.

If he becomes premier next October, he also wants to organize economic summits in each of Quebec’s regions in the months that follow.

Finally, he wants to create a joint Ministry of Employment, Immigration, and Social Solidarity, thereby merging two missions that are currently separate.

However, Rodriguez acknowledged there is a long road ahead before the next election campaign and there is still work to be done. The LPQ suffered two heavy electoral defeats in 2018 and 2022.

“We need to rebuild our party,” he admitted to party members, who were given posters reading “Rebuild together now.”

The leader promised that he would field the best candidates in the 2026 general election.

“We’re going to have a great team in the next election,” he concluded.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French Oct. 26, 2025.

Patrice Bergeron, The Canadian Press