Former Parti Quebecois leader Bernard Landry believes that any future PQ government should wait until it is certain of winning before holding another referendum on the independence of Quebec.
Landry, who was premier of Quebec from 2001 until 2003, was discussing current PQ leader Jean-Francois Lisée's promise to delay holding a referendum until a second PQ mandate.
Landry said he believes Quebec would be better off as an independent country, but, given the referendum losses in 1980 and 1995, he believes a third loss would be "catastrophic" for the separation movement and the PQ.
He said it would be preferable to not hold a referendum vote if the separatists were likely to lose.
Lisée has said his first goal is to remove the Liberal party from power, and so has pledged that a future PQ government would not hold a referendum on separation during its first four years in office.
The Liberals have formed the government since 2003 except for a year and a half when the PQ had a minority government under premier Pauline Marois.
With a file from The Canadian Press
