TL;DR
- CAQ leadership race: Christine Fréchette now says she’d temporarily reopen the PEQ and add a “grandfather clause”; Bernard Drainville pushes a similar carve‑out—immigration becomes the key wedge. (journaldequebec.com)
- New Léger polling (Jan 27–29) shows PQ still leading province‑wide; among CAQ supporters, Fréchette is the clear favorite over Drainville. (leger360.com)
- Bill 1 (“Constitution of Québec”) public hearings resume Feb 11–12 with high‑profile presenters (e.g., Julius Grey; the human‑rights commission). (assnat.qc.ca)
- Montréal: blue‑collar workers staged a 24‑hour strike on Feb 4; essential services were maintained but some facilities/collections were delayed. (montreal.ca)
- Quebec cinema at Berlinale (Feb 12–22): Jérémy Comte’s “Paradise” (Panorama), Zoé Pelchat’s “C’est ma sœur” (Generation 14Plus), and Geneviève Dulude‑De Celles’s “Nina Roza” in Competition. (filmsquebec.com)
CAQ leadership: Fréchette pivots on PEQ; immigration becomes the race’s fault line
- Key facts and current state of the topic
- On Feb 10, Christine Fréchette said she would temporarily reopen the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) for two years and grant a “clause de droits acquis” to people in Quebec when PEQ was closed; she would offset this by reducing Skilled Worker invitations to keep targets steady. Bernard Drainville has advocated a grandfather clause for priority sectors. (journaldequebec.com)
- Important context and background information
- The CAQ’s November decision to end the PEQ sparked protests and business backlash; immigration is now the central intra‑party wedge. Legault warned a broad grandfather clause could affect up to ~350,000 temporary residents. (nationalnewswatch.com)
- Recent developments or changes
- The PEQ split is shaping debate formats and campaign narratives, with Fréchette also declining a third early debate proposed by Drainville. (tvanouvelles.ca)
Polls: PQ still leads; Fréchette out front with CAQ base
- Key facts and current state of the topic
- Léger’s Jan 27–29 survey finds Christine Fréchette the preferred CAQ leader among CAQ supporters (59% vs. 22% for Drainville). Province‑wide vote‑intention toplines in the same window keep PQ ahead, with PLQ second and CAQ trailing. (leger360.com)
- Important context and background information
- The poll follows Legault’s Jan 14 resignation announcement and precedes the CAQ debates slated for March 21 (Québec) and March 28 (Laval). (en.wikipedia.org)
- Recent developments or changes
- The results reinforce that leadership choice could materially shift CAQ support heading into the October 2026 election. (leger360.com)
Bill 1 hearings: rights and governance voices on deck this week
- Key facts and current state of the topic
- The National Assembly’s Committee on Institutions resumes Bill 1 (“Québec Constitution Act, 2025”) hearings on Feb 11–12, with appearances scheduled from ENAP’s Stéphane Paquin; the Parti conservateur du Québec; Julius Grey; the Commission des droits de la personne; and others. (assnat.qc.ca)
- Important context and background information
- Earlier briefs from the Barreau du Québec and the Commissaire à la langue française flagged rule‑of‑law safeguards and stronger French‑language anchoring, respectively; February sessions test legal and civil‑society consensus before clause‑by‑clause study. (assnat.qc.ca)
- Recent developments or changes
- Today’s and tomorrow’s line‑ups bring human‑rights and environmental‑law perspectives directly into the record. (assnat.qc.ca)
Montréal: blue‑collar strike (Feb 4) caused one‑day service disruptions
- Key facts and current state of the topic
- CUPE 301 blue‑collar workers held a 24‑hour strike from Feb 4 at 6:00 to Feb 5 at 5:59; snow removal, aqueduct/sewer work, and other safety‑critical operations continued under essential‑services rules. (montreal.ca)
- Important context and background information
- Borough advisories outlined local impacts (arena closures, postponed bulky‑waste pickups, some collection delays). It was the first blue‑collar city‑wide strike in over 15 years, per the union. (montreal.ca)
- Recent developments or changes
- Services resumed Feb 5; talks with the City continue. Keep an eye on union–City updates if further pressure tactics are announced. (montreal.ca)
Quebec at the Berlinale (Feb 12–22): Competition and showcases
- Key facts and current state of the topic
- Quebec/Canadian titles at Berlin include: Nina Roza (Geneviève Dulude‑De Celles) in Competition; Paradise (Jérémy Comte) in Panorama; and C’est ma sœur (Zoé Pelchat) in Generation 14Plus. (screendaily.com)
- Important context and background information
- Paradise marks Comte’s feature debut after Oscar‑nominated short Fauve; Nina Roza is a Canada–Italy–Bulgaria–Belgium co‑production with Entract handling Canadian distribution. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Recent developments or changes
- Festival runs Feb 12–22, 2026; Quebec screens begin this week, offering a strong winter showcase for francophone creators ahead of spring festivals. (berlinale.de)