Blanchet maintains 97% support of Bloc Québécois members in vote of confidence
CBC
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet received overwhelming support from his party members in a vote of confidence Saturday, with 97.25 per cent voting in favour.
"The vote of confidence is not about me, it's about all of us," he said at the party's annual convention in Drummondville, Que., about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
"The vote of confidence, because it has the word 'confidence,' must be about Quebec … about the responsibility we have to our citizens to become a country."
Blanchet reiterated that the party's main goal is Quebec sovereignty, and mentioned its long-standing collaboration between the separatist Parti Québécois (PQ).
He described his party as a one-stop shop for all sovereigntists but said the PQ was the party's "main vehicle in Quebec." Bloc members adopted a proposal recognizing that its role is to bring separatists of all stripes under one roof while recognizing its historical links to the PQ.
According to PQ leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, who was present at the convention, the Bloc is at a "historic moment." He affirmed that the PQ will use all its resources to ensure that the Bloc breaks records in the next federal election.
Blanchet attacked the federal government, the fossil fuel industry and the British monarchy in a convention speech, saying "Ottawa is ready to sacrifice everything for oil." He accused Canada of being a "petromonarchy."
"The problem is the fans of the British royal family, the oil and monarchy lovers who use your money to attack our values," he said to a cheering crowd.
"We must remove Ottawa from the equation."
Under Blanchet, the party won 32 seats in back to back federal elections in 2019 and 2021.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.