Saying that Quebecers need a party that puts them first, Gilles Duceppe is returning to federal politics as the leader of the Bloc Quebecois.
"We are never better represented than when we are represented by people thinking like us, democratically elected, defending our interests, ideals we share," said the returned leader.
Since he lost his seat in 2011 and the Bloc lost official party status, Duceppe had said repeatedly that he had little interest in returning to federal politics, and that was his first reaction when Mario Beaulieu approached him and asked him to take up the mantle of leading the Bloc.
"My first reflex when he asked me to become leader of the Bloc was to categorically refuse," said Duceppe.
However he reconsidered after talking to his family, and winning the full support of Parti Quebecois leader Pierre Karl Peladeau, a man who once dismissed the Bloc as "irrelevant."
"I talked to Pierre Karl Peladeau on Saturday morning, and he told me that he would unconditionally support me, and the Parti Quebecois would unconditionally support me," said Duceppe.
Call to return to the fold
Duceppe called out to all Quebecers to unite behind the Bloc and support its bid for independence.
"Wanting to be a sovereign country is not a disease. It's normal," said Duceppe.
"Jacques Parizeau said we were the point of the spear with regards to sovereignty. We were the ones who talked about it the most. Jacques Parizeau!" said Duceppe.
With him back at he helm, Duceppe said that the Bloc would continue to put the needs and desires of Quebecers first and foremost, something he said the NDP had not done.
Referring to the 'Orange Crush' that swept Quebec in 2011, as voters in more than 50 ridings elected the NDP, Duceppe said that had produced little for the province.
"We gave the NDP carte blanche and each time we have been sorely disappointed.
He also said that the independence movement was something that all Quebecers should support.
"We need to assemble the largest group of Quebecers possible behind the Bloc before the October election. Quebecers of all regions, all generations, and all Quebecers, men and women, no matter their origin."
Could be a factor
The Bloc Quebecois is currently a moribund party with only two seats in the House of Commons, and even with Duceppe at the helm political analysts don't expect it to win dozens of seats in this fall's election.
"They have no money, no organization," said Antonia Maioni. "They're counting on people remembering the glorious past of the Bloc Quebecois.
She also said that the Bloc, and Duceppe, have nothing to lose.
"On the one hand you can say it's a last gasp measure. But if you look at it more positively you can say the sovereignist movement has a bit of 'vent dans les voiles,'" with the new leader of the Parti Quebecois and the remembrance of the legacy of Jacques Parizeau.
She expects that the NDP could lose votes to the Bloc come October.
Decision to be ratified
Duceppe left the Bloc in 2011 when the party was reduced to a rump of four MPs and he lost the Montreal seat that he had held for decades.
Daniel Paillé led the party until he stepped down for health reasons, and last year Mario Beaulieu, the former president of the SSJB, was chosen leader.
Wednesday Beaulieu said he had done everything he had could, but with an election looming realized he was not the man to restore the Bloc to the success it needed.
"After a year of effort by a small but outstanding team that is extraordinarily dedicated, I came to the conclusion that I was running out of time," said Beaulieu.
"It's time to put the party before the individual."
Beaulieu said the party's executive has approved the change, and that it would be ratified before a general assembly on July 1.
