People in Quebec are voting to elect the province's parliament, in a poll which could shape the future of Canada.

Opinion polls have suggested that the current prime minister, Lucien Bouchard, and his Parti Quebecois will stay in power, beating their nearest challengers, the Liberal Party.

The Parti Quebecois, which wants to Quebec to be a separate state, has promised to hold a vote on the issue.

The last referendum, held in 1995, rejected separation by one percentage point.

A BBC correspodent in Canada says Quebeckers have shown little appetite for another poll on whether or not to split from Canada.