Tesla experiences 90% drop in Québec, and the "secret button" behind Bill 96

Host Kalden Dhatsenpa is joined by returning guest and Executive Director of CUTV, Dru Oja Jay.This episode unpacks six major developments shaping Quebec’s political and social climate. First up, Quebec’s new language regulations under Bill 96, now in effect, require French to occupy more space on commercial signage. This has sparked trade friction with the U.S.. Kalden and Dru untangle the long history of the language debate here in Montreal. Authorities here mistakenly assume that the vital and needed preservation of the french language comes through surveillance.Second, the defection of Nadia Poirier from Québec Solidaire (QS) to the Parti Québécois (PQ) highlights a broader trend: QS’s weakened appeal as it drifts from redistributive politics toward soft sovereignty. As Jay states, if people want sovereingty they’re going with the classic brand, PQ, rather than QS’s new brand of sovereignty.Third, Premier Legault’s proposed Quebec-Newfoundland power line and the creeping privatization of Hydro-Québec ignite resistance across the province. Unions and citizens alike oppose what they see as a threat to affordable energy and public ownership, warning of rising rates and diminished rural access.Fourth, Quebec’s dispatch of firefighting resources to Alberta and Manitoba amid devastating wildfires reveals national solidarity—but also exposes media gaps. While CBC acknowledges climate change as a key driver, outlets like Postmedia largely omit it, reinforcing climate denial through selective framing.Fifth, former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre’s surprise endorsement of Conservative leader Éric Duhaime in a byelection is examined as a tactical, populist maneuver. Coderre, navigating personal and political instability, appears to be courting Quebec’s growing reactionary right.Finally, Tesla’s 90% drop in Quebec registrations this quarter marks a symbolic decline for Elon Musk’s brand in the province. Once a tech status symbol, Tesla’s fall may reflect broader cultural shifts—and the limits of personality-driven loyalty in a volatile political landscape.