Five (plus one) key moments from the Quebec election campaign

MONTREAL – Quebecers vote in a provincial election Monday. Here are five (plus one) key moments from the campaign:

The PKP fist pump: Pierre Karl Peladeau, one of Canada’s most-powerful media barons, is unveiled as a star Parti Quebecois candidate, thrusts his fist into the air and vows to make Quebec a country. The polarizing majority owner of the Quebecor empire has a clapping PQ Leader Pauline Marois at his side — an image that has been shown throughout the campaign.

“Le Shove”: Marois pushes Peladeau away from a news conference microphone in an effort to regain control of the message of her unravelling campaign. It happens only a few days after Peladeau’s introduction and pro-independence proclamation.

Marois cornered on referendum: In the first leaders’ debate, Coalition Leader Francois Legault corners Marois on the thorny issue of Quebec independence by asking her whether she would hold a referendum in her next mandate. “No, there will be no referendum as long as Quebecers are not ready,” Marois replies.

Couillard blasted on bilingualism: During the second leaders’ debate, the presumed front-runner Couillard is ganged-up on by his rivals. He makes controversial remarks about the importance of bilingualism, even for workers on factory floors. His opponents pummel him with accusations he is too soft when it comes to protecting the French language.

Marois’s tax-cut Hail Mary: With the PQ struggling in the opinion polls, Marois makes a sudden, surprising promise of future income-tax cuts, just days before the end of the campaign. Asked why she has waited until Day 30 of the campaign to mention the commitment, Marois replies: “Not a lot of people asked me (about tax cuts).”

PLUS

Charter chat with Janette: Quebec celebrity Janette Bertrand, an outspoken defender of the PQ’s secular charter, raises eyebrows when she tries to stir up support for the proposal at a public event. To illustrate her point, the 89-year-old former actress tells a bizarre, hypothetical story of men who were upset by the sight of women in the water at a swimming pool. Prominent PQ candidate Jean-Francois Lisee later distances himself from Bertrand’s comments. “My reaction was that this was not the best quote of the campaign, this was not the best argument for the charter,” Lisee says. “But the woman is 89, so I’m going to cut her some slack.”