BLOC’S YOUTH WING JOINS EFFORT TO OUST LEADER OUELLET

The youth wing of the

Bloc Québécois has become the latest group to withdraw its support for embattled leader Martine Ouellet, declaring Wednesday she’s not the one to bring the crumbling sovereigntist party together again. Members of the youth wing’s executive said in a statement they don’t believe Ouellet has the necessary qualities to end the crisis within the party. The youth wing publicly supported Ouellet when she became leader last year and even after seven MPs quit the party in late February over her leadership style. But youth delegates have since soured on Ouellet, whose leadership approach has been described as controlling and uncompromising. “It’s not an easy thing to do,” youth wing president Camille Goyette-Gingras said in the statement. “We’ve always been by her side, but we do not think she’s part of the solution anymore.” After battling with Ouellet over her approach of constantly zeroing in on independence instead of defending Quebec’s interests on the federal scene, the seven MPs recently announced plans to start their own party.