Quebec election 2026: party leaders face off in final debate | CBC

The leaders of Quebec's five main parties will take part in the third and final debate of the 2026 provincial election campaign tonight, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

The leaders are beginning to arrive for the two-hour debate at the Nouvelle Maison de Radio-Canada.

CBC News will be providing pre-debate analysis and commentary throughout the event, which will be livestreamed at the top of this page.

For the second consecutive Quebec election, no English-language debate will be held after most leaders declined. Quebecers head to the polls on Oct. 5.

You can catch up on the parties' campaign promises with CBC's platform tracker. 

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September 237 minutes agoLeaders arrive to blaring sirens, drums and chantingIsaac OlsonI'm outside watching Quebec's main political candidates arrive to a raucous crowd of supporters gathered near the main entrance of the Radio-Canada building in downtown Montreal."I am here feeling positive and looking forward to a constructive debate," said Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime after greeting supporters.The third and final debate before the Oct. 5 election gives the candidates a key opportunity to speak directly to Quebecers, he noted.Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, arri

14 minutes agoProtesters gather ahead of debateHayley CarolanMultiple groups are protesting outside the Nouvelle Maison de Radio-Canada building as leaders arrive for the debate. (Hayley Carolan/CBC)Protesters marched east down René-Lévesque Boulevard and gathered in front of Radio-Canada’s entrance around 6:30 p.m. ET, within a few metres of where the provincial party leaders are entering for tonight’s debate. The protesters carried signs with the logo of the Confédération dessyndicats nationaux union and messages supporting the Fédération du préhospitalier du Québec, the province’s paramedic