Bloc Quebecois national office rallies behind leader after wave of resignations

“It was never a question of exclusion,” she said at a news conference, flanked by the remaining party members.

“The resigning deputies can remain members of the Bloc Quebecois if they wish.”

The seven MPs wrote a letter in Saturday’s Journal de Montreal saying that excluding them from the party would contribute to its death.

The letter reiterated criticisms of Ouellet’s leadership and said her choice to focus only on independence does not serve Quebec’s interests.

“(Ouellet) adds, almost incidentally, that it is also necessary to defend the interests of Quebec, but that this is not the foundation of our presence in Ottawa,” the letter read.

“On the contrary, we believe that to serve independence, the interests of Quebecers must be given priority. Without compromise. First and all the time.”

But Ouellet remained steadfast in her commitment to independence on Saturday, adding that all the remaining members are on the same page regarding the party’s future.

“A Bloc Quebecois that will work towards the promotion and preparation of independence, but also defending the rights of the Quebec nation,” she said.

“For us, one doesn’t go without the other.”

The seven MPs who resigned stood by their position.

“We will meet in the next few days to evaluate all our options and to see how we can continue to serve Quebecers to the best of our capacity,” the statement read.

On Friday, more than 20 former Bloc Quebecois MPs published an open letter in Le Devoir calling for Ouellet’s resignation.

The letter, co-signed by ex-Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe, says Quebec’s status is feeble within the Canadian federation, with a pro-Canada premier in Quebec City and an “intransigent” and divisive Bloc leader in Ottawa.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Bloc Quebecois national office rallies behind leader after wave of resignations

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