Battle of the Blocs? Bloc Quebecois contests name of Balarama Holness' new party
Federal political party Bloc Quebecois is officially contesting the name of the new provincial party led by Balarama Holness, Bloc Montreal.
In a letter sent to elections officials, Bloc Quebecois president Johanne Deschamps said the similarities between the two party names would only cause confusion.
"Some voters might be led to believe that it could be linked to our party," Deschamps said.
But the issue goes beyond potential mixups in the ballot box, she added: part of Bloc Quebecois' opposition stems from how very different its political platform is from that of Bloc Montreal.
"Our values are radically opposed, whether on language, regional development or our ambitions for the future of Quebec, making any resemblance between the names of our two political formations all the more unjustifiable and damaging."
Bloc Quebecois, headed by Yves-Francois Blanchet, is a federal party devoted to Quebec sovereignty and Quebec nationalism. Bloc Montreal, meanwhile, is a provincial party that has vocally opposed language law Bill 96.
Both Balarama Holness and a spokesperson for Bloc Quebecois confirmed the contestation of the name to CTV News.
Holness, a former mayoral candidate with his municipal party Mouvement Montreal, took to Twitter Thursday night to address the issue, stating the complaint has "no legal basis."
He will hold a press conference early Friday morning to provide further comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Early results from London, U.K., suggest Labour's Sadiq Khan will secure a record third term as mayor
Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party's mayor of London, appeared Saturday to be romping to victory as results from the capital pour in.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.