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Published on: January 23, 2017 | Last Updated: January 23, 2017 7:34 AM EST

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, left, shakes hand with Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault as Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee, centre looks on, after they gave their season's greetings to Quebecers from the National Assembly, in Quebec City on Friday, December 9, 2016. A Lger Marketing poll for January suggests the Liberals remain slightly ahead of the PQ in popularity. Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS

One month after publishing a survey suggesting the Couillard Liberals and the Parti Qubcois were in a dead heat in public support, a Lger Marketing survey suggests the Liberals lead the PQ by three percentage points.

And while the PQ can take solace from the fact that lead remains within the polls margin of error, the survey contains little good news when it comes to the partyspolitical raison detre Quebec sovereignty.

The survey, conducted for Le Devoir and the Journal de Montral between Jan. 17-19, found the Quebec Liberals polling 32 per cent of public support compared with 29 for the PQ and 23 per cent for the Coalition Avenir du Qubec. Qubec Solidaire polled nine per cent.

Dissatisfaction with the Couillard government stood at 62 per cent, a drop of four percentage points compared with December, with 30 per cent respondents saying they were very dissatisfied.

The Liberal lead remains within the survey 3.1 per cent margin of error and could mirror the findings of a Lger survey in December that found the Liberals and PQ tied in public support at 30 per cent. Meanwhile,none of Quebecsthree main political leaders are more popular than their parties, Premier Philippe Couillard, PQ leader Jean-Franois Lise and CAQ leader Franois Legault each polling 18 per cent.

But two monthsafter Lises pledge not to hold a sovereignty referendum during the first term of a PQ government, support for separation remains stalled at 65 per cent, with 57 per cent of francophones saying they would vote to stay in Canada and voters age 18-24 most opposed to the independence option (77 per cent), followed by respondents 65 and up(74 per cent).

But if most Quebecersseem content to remain in Confederation, they remain concerned over the survival of French, with 54 per cent of respondents saying the language was threatened, a proportion that increased to 66 per cent when only francophone respondents were considered.

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Liberals take back slight lead over Parti Qubcois: Lger poll - Montreal Gazette