Quebecers prepare to head to the polls in federal election Monday

Most eligible voters in Quebec are planning to cast their ballot for Mark Carney’s Liberals on Monday, according to Léger’s most recent polling.

The poll – for the National Post and Journal de Montréal – found 42 per cent of Quebecers plan to vote for the Liberals, 26 per cent for the Bloc Québécois, 24 per cent for the Conservatives, five per cent for the NDP and two per cent for the Greens.

CityNews went out Sunday to check the pulse of Montrealers ahead of the vote.

“I think it’s either going to be Conservative or Liberal, like it normally is,” a young woman said.

“It’s like two major parties fighting against each other,” added a young man. “But yeah, I think the Bloc-Québécois will get some seats. Maybe they will lose some, but I don’t think they will lose a lot.”

Federal election: CityNews-Leger poll finds U.S. relations are especially important to Quebecers

“I’m concerned about the economy,” added a third person. “And I think that Mark Carney, having been the governor of two national banks and an economist and an Ivy League graduate with years of experience, he just seems the most capable.”

“Normally it’s the environment and everything, but this time is the economy,” said a man in his 50s.

Added a man in his 60s: “That we are not becoming the 51st state. So it’s a fight against not the United States because we are still our friends, 50 per cent of them. But it’s a fight against Trump and his government. And that’s why I voted Mr. Carney.”

A political analyst agrees the relationship with the United States is the biggest issue for voters this election.

“The U.S., again, is having a tremendous impact on the rest of the world,” Karim Boulos said. “So our economy, our inflation rate, our unemployment rate, the value of our dollar, the currency exchange, all comes down to how we manage the next few months vis-à-vis the U.S. tactics that Donald Trump has put in place. So this is going to be very telling. We’re seeing that our economy has not grown in the last 10, 15 years. At least, we’re not keeping pace with the other G20 countries.

“So what happens over the next four years can be crucial. One, to manage our debt, to ensure that we are still competitive globally and not so dependent on the U.S. and to ensure the future generation’s economic prosperity. And so there was a time where environment was number one and then there was a time where education and then health care was number one during COVID. Now people are justifiably concerned with what the future holds for our economy.

“And so is Pierre Poilievre the man to lead us in an economic transformation or is Mark Carney? You know, if you listen to both sides, Mark Carney will say Poilievre doesn’t have the experience, the knowledge, what he needs to have to take us in through this very crucial time. And Pierre Poilievre would say that Mark Carney is an extension of Justin Trudeau because he was his advisor for so many years.”