The Parti Quebecois is going to choose an interim leader this week, a choice made necessary by the surprise resignation of Pierre Karl Peladeau.

Among the possible candidates are Agnes Maltais, the MNA for Taschereau and the PQ's deputy house leader, and Sylvain Gaudreault, MNA for Jonquiere and the opposition critic for municipal affairs.

Tuesday morning, talk about Gaudreault potentially becoming interim leader is amplifying because of a declaration of support from Mathieu Traversy, the MNA for Terrebonne.

Traversy tweeted that Gaudreault is a formidable parliamentarian and would make an excellent interim leader

 

The real question is who would lead the PQ into the next election.

PKP handily defeated all comers when he was named as leader last year, and some of those candidates are expected to once again throw their hat in the ring.

PQ house leader Bernard Drainville became a strong supporter of PKP, and was quick to thank the former leader for his work.

However former Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe does not think Drainville will run again.

"I think he'll stay as house leader," said Duceppe, who said he believed the top three contenders will be Alexandre Cloutier, Veronique Hivon, and possibly Jean-Martin Aussant.

Jean-Francois Lisée described PKP as a "ticking time bomb" last year, and said he gave up the challenge when it became clear that the PQ wanted to have its "Pierre Karl Peladeau moment."

Now Lisée is saying Peladeau wasn't the leader he chose, but he became his leader, and he's very saddened at his departure.

Other possible leadership candidates include Alexandre Cloutier, a former minister under Pauline Marois who came in second to PKP in the leadership race.

There's also talk of Veronique Hivon, who piloted the very delicate "dying with dignity" legislation through several governments in the National Assembly.

Many people are discussing Jean-Martin Aussant, the former MNA who left the PQ in a huff because he did not think it was doing enough to promote an independent Quebec.

He started his own party, Option Nationale, but after its dismal showing in 2012 quit politics and moved to London.

The protegé of Jacques Parizeau spoke eloquently at Parizeau's funeral, and recently returned to Quebec.

Should he make a bid for the leadership, Aussant would have some fences to mend first.

"They didn't like what he did... It was, let's say, a different option creating a new party, certainly not helping the PQ that time around," said Duceppe.

Aussant said several months ago that he was not interested in returning to politics because of his young children.