FOG BLOG POLITICAL LOG: QUEBEC KICKS OFF 43RD GENERAL ELECTION !

'The real campaign begins': Quebec's 43rd general election starts CAQ Leader François Legault ahead in the polls, but could face fierce competition Quebec's 43rd general election has officially kicked off.

Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Leader François Legault made the announcement Sunday morning after asking Lt.-Gov. Michel Doyon to dissolve the legislature.

"The real campaign begins," Legault said while making his way to his campaign bus.

Election signs are already up in cities across the province. The campaign will last about five weeks before Quebecers head to the polls on Oct. 3.

Party leaders are swinging into full gear, making appearances in several ridings throughout the day.

The Quebec Liberals and Legault's CAQ were the first parties to hold news conferences, launching their campaigns Sunday morning.

Parti Québécois (PQ) Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon then spoke in the Montreal riding of Camille-Laurin, followed by Conservative Party of Quebec Leader Éric Duhaime in the riding of Chauveau, northeast of Quebec City, where he is running.

Québec Solidaire (QS) is launching its campaign in the riding of Saint-François in the Eastern Townships, where it hopes to make gains this election.

All the major party leaders have named candidates and made election promises in recent weeks.

Polls suggest the CAQ holds a commanding lead as the campaign kicks off, and is widely expected to cruise to a second majority.

• ANALYSIS The dangers of Quebec's 'boring' election as campaign officially begins

The economy was one of the main topics addressed by the party leaders as they launched their campaigns.

Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said the economy would be the ballot-box question and suggested the subject of Quebec's economic growth had been neglected by the CAQ.