DEBATE NO. 2 - Alone Against Everyone ...

DEBATE NO. 2 - Alone Against Everyone... 
By Bernard Bujold - 
The second debate of the QUÉBEC 2026 election campaign, presented by NOOVO TV (BELL) yesterday, Wednesday, September 16, showed that Christine Fréchette is somewhat alone against everyone… 
If there’s one takeaway from the second debate, it’s that the question at the ballot box could very well be: “Do you want to re-elect the former CAQ government, or do you want to take a chance on Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon and the threat of a possible referendum?” It’s worth noting that none of the other three leaders, aside from Fréchette, really wanted to aggressively attack Plamondon over his referendum during the second debate. Fréchette did try to get the other leaders to attack Plamondon, but none of them went along with it, and even Milliard declined the invitation, telling Fréchette that he would address the referendum issue directly with Plamondon and that they should return to the topic currently being discussed between Milliard and Fréchette... 
There is still a third debate to come, which will likely be more conventional than the first two: the Radio-Canada debate on September 23, moderated by Patrice Roy. The October 5 election could very well be a two-way race between the CAQ and the PQ, while the other parties will split the ridings that are less favorable to the PQ to form the official opposition. If the PQ maintains its popularity in upcoming polls, the CAQ, in my opinion, risks being eliminated due to the polarization Fréchette is trying to create against the PQ. Because of that Plamondon could then hope to secure a majority government! To secure a majority government in the National Assembly, the PQ leader needs to get at least 64 members elected out of a possible total of 127 seats. When the current general election was called, the Parti Québécois (PQ) had 7 members. 
In the end, my friend Mark Carney is a little worried about Paul’s dominance, but he tells himself that we’ll cross the “Plamondon” bridge when we get to the referendum river… 
And Pablo Rodriguez? He’d really like to know who was behind the coup that killed him! 
To be continued! 
https://www.lapresse.ca/elections-quebecoises/2026-09-16/debat-des-chefs-de-noovo/frechette-reconnait-des-erreurs-st-pierre-plamondon-encaisse-des-coups.php

DEBATE 1 - QUEBEC 2026

DEBATE 1 - QUÉBEC 2026 
By Bernard Bujold - 
We can conclude that the clear winner last night, September 15, in the first of three debates leading up to the October 5 election was Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, who had everything to lose since he is leading in the polls. According to a TVA poll conducted after the debate, 38% of viewers felt that Plamondon had performed the best and had demonstrated that he possesses the qualities needed to serve as Quebec’s premier. 
The loser was Christine Fréchette, who was targeted by the other four candidates and was on the defensive throughout the debate. 
What does Mark Carney think of the debate? He’ll have to find an ally other than Fréchette to keep the Parti Québécois leader in check, as the party could win a majority or at least dominate the National Assembly alongside Ruba Ghazal. 
What would Pablo Rodríguez say? “If I’d been there, I would have done much better than Charles Milliard…” 
The second debate is tonight, September 16, on NOOVO at 8 p.m., while the third debate will take place on September 23 on Radio-Canada. 
To be continued… 
See story 
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THE ART OF THE DEBATE

THE ART OF DEBATE - 
By Bernard Bujold- 
Clearly, the three debates among the five candidates vying for the position of Premier of Quebec in the 2026 election could be very decisive, especially given how close the candidates are in the polls. 
Personally, most of the elections I’ve observed have often been decided by a single line delivered during a debate. 
In 1984, Brian Mulroney knocked John Turner out of the running with his line, “You had a choice!” regarding Pierre Trudeau’s political appointments before he stepped down as prime minister. Brian won 211 out of 282 seats—a historic record for the largest number of seats in Canadian political history. 
In 2015, Justin Trudeau dominated Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair during a debate, which secured him a minority government. 
In 2020, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump due to Trump’s poor performance in a debate overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2024, Donald completely ridiculed Biden, who appeared mentally lost and physically helpless in his responses to Trump during the debate. 
The 2026 debates among Quebec’s party leaders could influence the October 5 vote, and the one with the most to lose is frontrunner Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon. We’ll likely be able to predict the next prime minister following the debates, unless none of the candidates manages to dominate! 
To be continued… (The first debate is this Tuesday at 8 p.m. — TVA (French) 
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SERGE LOSIQUE (1931-2026)

SERGE LOSIQUE (1931–2026) - THE GLORY OF CINEMA 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Our friend Serge Losique has left us. I really admired him, and he brought Montreal its moments of glory in cinema. In my opinion, the World Film Festival was just as significant as Expo ’67. However, he was too set in his ways and would not accept any opinion that contradicted his vision. That can become dangerous for one’s survival, especially if, on top of that, one doesn’t know how to surround oneself with people who can protect you. For example, Pierre Péladeau was just as combative as Serge, but he knew how to surround himself and always had a very close circle of people that his enemies couldn’t penetrate. But in the end, Serge was Serge, and the adventure of his Festival enjoyed its moment of glory before fading into the shadows of memories of a bygone era. 

See full story 

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SELLING A CONDO IN 2026

SELLING A CONDOMINIUM IN 2026— 
By Bernard Bujold — 
Many people have asked me how my faithful companions and I experienced the recent sale of our city condo! 
Real estate is a financial investment, but with the difference that you can’t cash it in whenever you want. You have to wait for the right moment, and that can take anywhere from two weeks to two years… 
In our case, the process was complicated because we wanted to sell but didn’t want to leave the city due to professional obligations. 
In real estate, the agent acts as an advisor, but doesn’t make decisions for the owner, who must choose whether to sell with or without renovations; set the asking price based on market comparisons; and negotiate offers from potential buyers—if there are any—since it’s possible that no one will show interest (no fish on the hook)… 
Renovating a condo for sale is a complicated decision to evaluate because, while renovating will speed up the sale, in 90% of cases, the buyer will tear everything down from top to bottom once they become the owner—removing the fixtures in the rooms (bathroom, kitchen), replacing the floors and paint, and often changing the partition walls. On average, a buyer invests between $100,000 and $200,000 in remodeling their new condo, even if it has been renovated by the seller. In the end, the seller’s renovations are generally a waste of money or, at best, a temporary facade to make the unit more appealing—much like a stage set… 
In our case, we hadn’t renovated! 
The ultimate goal in selling a condo, however, is the result: to sell! “We have to find a solution!” 
And as with any sale, you have to find a buyer who’s interested in the space. 
Real estate agent Louise l’Heureux and I are longtime friends, but we each have a completely different style. I’m impulsive (shoot from the hip), and Louise is very classy. I managed to rein in my impulses, and she managed to find the buyer because she knows her business inside and out. 
In my view of life, what matters isn’t the journey, but reaching the destination! Congratulations to real estate agent Louise L’Heureux, while my faithful companions and I are off on new adventures! www.lestudio1.com

THE DREAM OF FLYING

THE DREAM OF FLYING... 

By Bernard Bujold - 

On September 11, 2001, I was in the midst of a professional upswing, having just taken on the role of communications director for Air France in Canada. It was a wonderful new challenge for me, following a career in politics (Brian Mulroney) and finance (Quebecor), especially since Air France was planning to expand the Canadian market to France by doubling the number of daily flights. 

I remember that sunny fall morning as I waited in the restaurant of the Montreal tower where Air France had its Canadian offices. When I saw one of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center on the restaurant’s TV, I thought it was the trailer for a new fiction movie. Reality surpassed fiction... 

All of Air France’s projects in Canada were shelved, and for me, that marked the end of the aviation dream. One great consolation: I wasn’t in one of the towers in New York that morning of September 11, 2001… 

www.lestudio1.com

MARK CARNEY IS WORRIED

MARK CARNEY IS WORRIED… 

By Bernard Bujold— 

If Mark Carney watched the special program aired by Radio-Canada, "Cinq chefs,une élection", he must be worried… In fact, none of his favorite candidates performed well, and the big winner, in my opinion, is Paul-Saint-Pierre Plamondon… 

Current Prime Minister Christine Fréchette was nervous and tried to avoid answering questions by changing the subject. Charles Milliard would have been the most skilled if this had been a debate, as he continually attacked Christine Fréchette—just as one does in a debate. He was aggressive, but he didn’t use the platform to showcase himself and raise his profile, as he should have. Éric Duhaime was the most candid of the five leaders; he didn’t hide his weaknesses but highlighted his strengths. Ruba Ghazal was the most likable of the group, but she showed a touch of wishful thinking when she declared she was convinced she would form the next government with a majority… In the end, it was Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon who emerged as the winner of the evening and the only one to demonstrate the character of a good prime minister—someone who sees reality and doesn’t shy away from it. 

It’s my friend Mark Carney who must be disappointed and worried. You could say his favorite horses cannot take the lead in the race! 

www.lestudio1.com

THE POWER OF POLITICS

THE POWER OF POLITICS- 
By Bernard Bujold - 
With the Quebec provincial elections just a few weeks away, a question arises: What draws candidates to politics? It’s a job that pays little and demands a great deal of time, and there’s no such thing as loyalty. 
Personally, I was introduced to the world of politics through Brian Mulroney in 1984, but I also experienced the world of business and finance through Quebecor and Pierre Péladeau in 1991. I quickly realized that political power is an illusion and that true power lies in finance. 
With Brian, whenever we walked down the street, everyone treated him as if he were their employee… When Pierre Péladeau was around, people viewed him as a kind of god and believed that the chance to speak with him would bring them wealth… (a Chinese belief that touching gold makes one rich).  
Pierre Péladeau never wanted to go into politics, and he often told me that true power lies in finance. There are many reasons why people go into politics, including a quest for glory—a sort of illusion in the face of life’s realities. To be happy in politics, in my opinion, you have to be financially independent before you start and want to take on a new challenge for the pleasure of testing your talent, not out of the need for a job. 
Mark Carney is an example. He had a career at the top of his field and is financially independent. For him, politics is like an active retirement pursuit after a lifetime in finance. He’s enjoying himself and will leave when he no longer finds it fun. 
Unfortunately, when it comes to the 2026 Quebec election, none of the party leaders demonstrate either financial independence or a previous career at the top. But there’s no getting around the fact that we have to choose a premier, and these are the only options on the ballot… 
Happy voting on October 5! 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8TY-nXty9Xl6jQMgsPJGHeyqJ11z-jW/view?usp=sharing

VISITING THE NEW CONDO

VISITING THE NEW CONDO... 
By Bernard Bujold - 
My friends Donald and Mark really love my new city condo (an urban pied-à-terre in Old Montreal). I have to admit I won them over by showing around my workspace, where I’d placed a photo of each prominently on my coffee tables. Ulysse keeps a watchful eye on the photos... 
The challenge: how to have two political opponents in the same room! The answer is simple: politics is nothing more than theater. The real reality lies behind the curtain, and in the end, we’re always surprised to find that what we see on stage is an illusion… 
Happy Labor Day—2026 edition. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JXx4JKMMHtj1s6w26GX3bgU3f15zihue/view?usp=sharing

SUMMIT MEETING

SUMMIT MEETING— 
By Bernard Bujold - 
We are one month away from the provincial elections in Quebec, which will be held on October 5. Who is the favorite to become the next premier? There are three possible candidates: Christine Fréchette, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, or Charles Milliard! 
According to my friend Mark, Christine could win by default, but Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon’s team is more popular as a political party than the CAQ. Charles Milliard’s Liberal Party has several strong candidates, but it hasn’t managed to take the lead in the race. The next few days of the campaign will be eventful—or at least they should be—otherwise we’ll be headed for an election with a disastrous voter turnout of less than 50%… 
This Labor Day long weekend will be an opportunity for the candidates to take stock and draw up their action plans for the coming month. You could call this weekend the candidates’ summit… 
Stay tuned! 
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