MONTREAL — The streets of downtown Montreal filled with chants of “Le Québec un pays” on Saturday, as hundreds of Quebecers marched to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of the 1995 referendum — and to rekindle the dream of an independent Quebec.
The rally, organized by OUI Québec and several grassroots groups, drew both young students and veterans of the sovereignty movement, united by a belief that the time for renewed debate on Quebec nationhood has come.
Camille Goyette-Gingras, president of OUI Québec, said she sees a new wave of enthusiasm among the province’s youth. “Gen Z, they’re looking for systemic change, and for them, independence is exactly that,” she said. She described the movement as citizen-led and non-partisan — a growing force that could bring about another referendum in the next few years.
The Parti Québécois, which led previous referendums in 1980 and 1995, remains hopeful about holding a third by 2030. The last vote narrowly upheld Canadian unity, with federalists winning by just 50.58 per cent.
At the march, young students from Cégep du Vieux Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal joined older sovereigntists who had campaigned in the past. Many said Quebec’s independence was crucial for protecting its language, culture, and environmental future.
“We want to have our future in our hands,” said university student Catherine Lamoureux-Schmidt, who is helping lead a Quebec-wide student coalition for independence that has grown from five to 22 clubs in a year. She emphasized that any future push for sovereignty must include a “nation-to-nation” dialogue with Indigenous communities.
Québec Solidaire MNAs Manon Massé and Ruba Ghazal also joined the crowd, lending political visibility to a movement that is once again finding its voice on the streets.
But not everyone sees independence as a path forward. Quebec Liberal Party Leader Pablo Rodriguez warned that a sovereign Quebec, while viable, would face steep economic challenges. “We wouldn’t be at the same economic standing, we wouldn’t be part of the G7, and we would have to renegotiate our trade agreements,” he said.
For the marchers, however, Saturday’s demonstration wasn’t about economic forecasts — it was about reclaiming a vision that has defined generations. As one banner read, “30 years later, the dream still lives.”