Martine Ouellet needs to resign, former Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe says

Former BlocQubcoisleader GillesDuceppeis calling for the resignation of embattled party leaderMartine Ouellet, in an open letter signed by 21 former Bloc MPs.

Duceppesays Ouellet is weakening Quebec's voice in Ottawa and dividing sovereignists.

The damage Ouellet's"intransigeance" has caused to the party can be repaired, but she needs to leave for that to happen, he said.

"The crisis in the BlocQubcoiscomes at a bad time," Duceppewrote in the letter published Friday morning inLe Devoir.

Seven of the party's10 MPsquit on Wednesday, citingOuellet's leadership style.

• BlocQubcoishobbled as 7 of 10MPsquit

The former leader said"Quebec is weak at the moment," with a federalist provincial government sidestepping any potential conflict with Ottawa.

He said the Bloc is the only true independent voice for the province in Parliament.

"Ouelletweakened the voice of Quebec in Ottawa in the very moment that it needs to be a strong voice," the letter said.

"We completely understand why seven MPsleft."

They cited Ouellet'sleadership style in announcing Wednesday they were quitting.

"The differences we have with our leader are unfortunately too great for a lasting peace to be considered," they said in a statement.

Ouellet has not backed down, despite calls for her resignation.

"I deplore what happened today. I think it's really regrettable," she told Radio-Canada soon after.

"But, you know, theBlocQubcoisis not just theBlocQubcoiscaucus."

Ouelletsaid she had the support of other member groups, including its youth wing.

'It's done,'Duceppesays

In a televised interview on Radio-Canada on Thursday, Duceppesaid it is now up to those MPsto take action by proposing solutions that could help reunite the party if Ouelletwere to resign.

"The case has been made.It's done," Duceppe said, explaining he didn't understand why the leader hadn't left her post yet.

"I think the majority of the Bloc's members I'm talking about members, not the people at the helm are not OK with it."

The Bloc'simpact on the national politicalscene has diminished since itsheyday under Lucien Bouchard. In the 1993 election, the party secured 54 seats and formed the country's Official Opposition.

After taking over from Bouchard, Duceppeled the Bloc to five consecutive elections in which it won at least half of the seats in Quebec.

Duceppealso guided the party in the 2011 and 2015 elections, leading them to only four and 10 seats,respectively.

A funeral for Quebec's separatist movement?

7 years ago

Duration 2:07

Is it time to plan a funeral for Quebec's separatist movement? Seven MPs in the Bloc Quebecois announced today they are fed up with the leader so they're splitting off from the party. With just three elected members of the Bloc left, Quebec's separatist movement could be on its last legs