GRANBY - Action democratique du Quebec leader Gerard Deltell can breathe easy after garnering 97.1 per cent of the confidence vote.
At a convention in Granby this weekend, 400 ADQ activists gave their nod to Deltell to lead the party in the next elections.
The vote beats that of Mario Dumont in the last confidence vote in 2008, when he earned 94.8 per cent support from delegates.
The return of the ADQ into the public debate is "the greatest gift" party supporters could give this weekend, said Deltell as he launched into his closing speech at the 9th Congress party.
Deltell, who has been party leader since Nov. 2009, said the support means the ADQ can now turn its focus to gaining ground in the next provincial election.
The party currently holds only four seats in the 125-member national assembly, and critics have argued the party hasn't done enough to grab the attention of Quebecers.
Deltell took the opportunity to attack Premier Jean Charest, using expressions generally devoted to the underworld.
After having called the premier ‘godfather' Saturday, the ADQ leader accused the Charest of forcing his troops to follow a ‘law of silence.'
The Liberals' refusal to debate the merits of establishing a public inquiry into the construction sector shows that the Liberal Party is using a ‘gag' on its team, Deltell said.
Deltell said the ADQ's first order of business, if elected, would be to begin the public inquiry into that subject, something the vast majority of Quebecers want, said Deltell.
This inquiry would cover not only years of Liberals in power but also those of Parti Quebecois administration, he said.
Speculation about a new right-wing party has been floating around Quebec for months.
