Bloc Québécois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bloc Québécois
Leader	Yves-François Blanchet
President	Yves Perron
Founder	Lucien Bouchard
Founded	15 June 1991 (1991-06-15)
Split from	Progressive Conservatives, Liberals
Headquarters	3750, Boulevard Crémazie Est Suite 502 Montreal, Quebec H2A 1B6
Youth wing	Forum jeunesse du Bloc Québécois
Membership (2014)	19,000
Ideology	Quebec nationalism Quebec sovereigntism Regionalism Republicanism Social democracy
Political position	Centre-left
Colours	Light blue
Senate	0 / 105
House of Commons	32 / 338
Political parties

The Bloc Québécois (often called the BQ) is a political party in Canada. It focuses on supporting the people of Quebec. The party also wants Quebec to become an independent country.

The Bloc was started by politicians (called MPs) from Quebec. They left their old parties, the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals. This happened when a big agreement called the Meech Lake Accord failed. The party's founder, Lucien Bouchard, used to be a minister in the government.

The Bloc Québécois wants Quebec to separate from Canada. They only run for elections within the province of Quebec. The party is seen as supporting social democracy and Quebec's independence. The Bloc supports things like protecting the environment (Kyoto Protocol) and LGBTQ+ rights. They also want to get rid of the Canadian Senate and the monarchy. The Bloc supports Quebec's law about secularism (keeping government neutral on religion). They also want Quebec to be different from the rest of Canada regarding multiculturalism.

From the 1993 election until 2011, the Bloc was the biggest party in Quebec. They were often the second or third largest party in the House of Commons. But in the 2011 election, they won only four seats. This meant they lost their "official party status." By 2014, they had only two seats left. In the 2015 election, the Bloc won 10 seats. Their leader, Gilles Duceppe, did not win his own seat. In the 2019 election, the party won 32 seats. This allowed them to get back their official party status. In the 2021 election, they kept 32 seats. Because the Liberal Party formed a minority government in 2019 and 2021, the Bloc Québécois shares power with the New Democratic Party.

The Bloc Québécois has strong connections with the Parti Québécois. This is a provincial party in Quebec that also wants Quebec to be independent. But the two parties are not officially linked. The Bloc Québécois has support from many different people in Quebec. This includes workers and more traditional voters in rural areas. People who support the Bloc are called Bloquistes.

What the Bloc Québécois Believes In

The Bloc Québécois has several key ideas and goals. Here are some of them:

• Quebec Independence: They want Quebec to become its own country. They also want to change the Clarity Act. This law explains how Quebec could separate from Canada.
• Environment: They support the Kyoto Protocol. This is an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases.
• LGBTQ+ Rights: They support the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
• Changing Government: They want to get rid of the Canadian Senate. They also want to remove the monarchy in Canada.
• Quebec's Secularism Law: They support Quebec's law that bans government workers from wearing religious symbols.
• Multiculturalism: They want Quebec to be exempt from Canada's Multiculturalism Act.

During the 2015 Canadian federal election, the Bloc Québécois also supported banning face coverings. This was for citizenship ceremonies and voting. This idea was aimed at Muslim women who wear the niqab.

History of the Bloc Québécois

How the Party Started

Lucien Bouchard became the first leader of the Bloc Québécois in 1990.

The Bloc Québécois began in 1990. It was an informal group of MPs from Quebec. These MPs left their original parties, the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals. They left around the time the Meech Lake Accord failed. The party was meant to be temporary. Its goal was to promote Quebec's independence at the federal level. The idea was that the party would break up after Quebec voted to separate from Canada.

The first leader of the Bloc was Lucien Bouchard. He had been a minister in the Progressive Conservative government. Bouchard left the government in May 1990. He disagreed with changes suggested for the Meech Lake Accord. He felt these changes weakened the agreement. Five other Conservative MPs and two Liberal MPs joined him. The first Bloc candidate elected was Gilles Duceppe. He won a special election in Montreal in August 1990. He ran as an independent because the Bloc was not yet an official party.

First Election and Official Opposition

The logo of the Bloc Québécois from the 1990s to 2000s.

In the 1993 federal election, the Bloc won 54 out of 75 seats in Quebec. They won almost all the seats in French-speaking areas. Because votes were split in the rest of Canada, the Bloc won the second-highest number of seats. This made them the official opposition in the House of Commons.

After Parliament started, Lucien Bouchard announced that Bloc MPs would only speak French. This rule is still in place today. Most of the Bloc's MPs could not speak English well enough for debates.

Being the official opposition gave the Bloc a lot of power. They could focus on issues about national unity. However, the ruling Liberal party saw the Reform Party as their main opposition on other issues.

1995 Quebec Referendum and Aftermath

In 1995, the Quebec government held a second vote on independence. This was called the 1995 Quebec referendum. The Bloc Québécois strongly supported the "Yes" side (for independence). The "Yes" campaign was struggling at first. So, Bloc leader Lucien Bouchard took over the leadership of the campaign. He was seen as more popular and moderate.

A plan for independence was written and signed by leaders of three Quebec parties. This plan suggested that if Quebec voted for independence, it would then negotiate an agreement with Canada. This idea came from Bouchard. However, 50.6% of voters rejected the independence plan. A large "No" vote in Montreal made the difference.

The day after the vote, Quebec's Premier, Jacques Parizeau, announced he would resign. Lucien Bouchard then left federal politics. He became the new Premier of Quebec in January 1996.

After Bouchard left Ottawa, Michel Gauthier became the Bloc leader. But he resigned after only one year. Gilles Duceppe then became the leader of the Bloc in 1997.

The Party Under Gilles Duceppe

Gilles Duceppe was the first Bloc MP in 1990. He led the party from 1997 to 2011.

In the 1997 federal election, the Bloc Québécois won 44 seats. They lost their official opposition status to the Reform Party. From 1997 to 2000, the Bloc fought against the Clarity Act. This was a law that tried to set rules for Quebec's separation.

In the 2000 election, the Bloc won 38 seats. This was fewer seats, even though they got a similar percentage of votes. One reason was the forced merger of several major Quebec cities. These mergers were unpopular and led to Liberal wins in those areas.

The Bloc's popularity dropped in 2003. But things changed in early 2004. A problem with federal money spending in Quebec was uncovered. This was called the "sponsorship scandal." It suggested illegal spending to support Canadian unity. This helped the Bloc regain support.

For the 2004 election, the Bloc used the slogan "A party of Quebec's own." They won 54 seats, matching their record from 1993. In the 2006 election, they used the slogan "Fortunately, the Bloc is here!" They won 51 seats. The new Conservative Party gained some seats in Quebec, causing the Bloc to lose a few.

The Conservative Party formed a minority government. There was talk that the Bloc might join other parties to take power from the Conservatives. But Duceppe said the Bloc would only work with other parties or the government when it helped Quebec. They would not join a federal government.

In May 2007, Gilles Duceppe considered running to lead the Parti Québécois. But he decided not to and supported Pauline Marois instead.

In the 2008 federal election, the Bloc won 49 seats. This was one more than before the election. Their share of votes in Quebec dropped to 38.1%. Duceppe said the Bloc had achieved its goals. He claimed that without the Bloc, the Conservatives would have formed a majority government.

In late 2008, the Bloc said they would support a motion to remove the Conservative government. They would also support a Liberal-NDP coalition government.

Coalition Attempt

In 2011, Bloc leader Duceppe said that Conservative leader Stephen Harper had tried to form a coalition government in 2004. This was with the Bloc and the NDP. Two months after the 2004 election, Harper met privately with Duceppe and NDP leader Jack Layton. They signed a letter to the Governor General. It said that the opposition parties, who had a majority of seats together, had been talking. They believed the Governor General should consider all options before calling an election.

At the time, Harper and the other leaders denied trying to form a coalition. Harper said it was "a co-operative effort." But a journalist later said it was possible to change prime ministers without an election. Layton then walked out of talks, accusing Harper and Duceppe of trying to replace the Prime Minister.

Losing Official Party Status

In the 2011 federal election, the New Democratic Party gained a lot of support. The Bloc received less than a quarter of the votes in Quebec. They lost 44 of their 47 seats. This included Duceppe's own seat. He then resigned as party leader. The Bloc also lost almost all its seats in Montreal.

By winning only four seats, the Bloc did not reach the 12 seats needed for "official party status." MPs without this status are treated like independent members. They have fewer chances to ask questions and cannot be voting members on committees.

Louis Plamondon became the Bloc's interim parliamentary leader. Vivian Barbot served as interim party leader. In December 2011, Daniel Paillé was elected as the new party leader.

In February 2013, Claude Patry left the New Democratic Party and joined the Bloc. This brought the Bloc's total seats to five. But in September 2013, Maria Mourani was expelled from the party. She had criticized a proposed Quebec law. This reduced the Bloc to four MPs.

Daniel Paillé stepped down as leader in December 2013 due to health reasons. A new leadership election was held in June 2014.

Mario Beaulieu was elected party leader. He had never been an MP. He ran on a platform of making Quebec independence the top priority. He defeated André Bellavance, who wanted to broaden the party's focus.

In August 2014, the Bloc lost another MP, Jean-François Fortin. He left to sit as an independent. He said the Bloc he joined no longer existed. In August 2014, André Bellavance also resigned. This left the Bloc with only two MPs. One of them, Claude Patry, had already said he would not run again.

Duceppe's Return and Departure

With only two seats and low poll numbers, Gilles Duceppe returned to lead the party in June 2015. Beaulieu stepped down as leader but remained party president.

Results of the 2015 Canadian federal election showing support for Bloc Québécois candidates by riding

In the 2015 federal election, the Bloc hoped to gain seats. But many Quebec voters chose the Liberals and Conservatives instead. The Bloc won 10 seats, which was more than before. But it was not enough for official party status. Their share of votes in Quebec fell to its lowest point. Like in 2011, Duceppe did not win his own seat. He resigned again as party leader.

The Party Under Martine Ouellet

Rhéal Fortin led the party temporarily. In March 2017, Martine Ouellet became the new leader. She was a member of Quebec's provincial assembly. She was not an MP in the federal Parliament.

In February 2018, seven of the Bloc's ten MPs left the party. They formed a new group. They said they had conflicts with Ouellet's leadership style. They also disagreed with her focus on independence over other Quebec interests. Only three MPs remained in the Bloc's group.

Many former Bloc MPs, including Gilles Duceppe, asked Ouellet to resign. The party's executive supported Ouellet. But they said the seven MPs could keep their Bloc memberships. A poll showed the Bloc's support at a very low level. This raised questions about the party's future.

A vote was held on Ouellet's leadership in June 2018. Members rejected her leadership by 67%. A proposal to prioritize Quebec independence daily also passed. Ouellet then announced she would resign.

After Ouellet's resignation, some MPs who had left rejoined the party. Mario Beaulieu was named interim leader. In August 2018, Beaulieu gave up the party presidency to Yves Perron. In September 2018, the remaining MPs who had left the Bloc rejoined the party.

The Party Under Yves-François Blanchet

Yves-François Blanchet became the leader of the Bloc Québécois in 2019.

Yves-François Blanchet became the leader in January 2019. He was the only person running for the position. Since Blanchet became leader, the Bloc's support has grown in Quebec. In the 2019 federal election, the Bloc increased its seats from 10 to 32. They became the third largest party in Canada. They also regained their official party status.

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the Bloc led by Blanchet won 32 seats again. This was the same number as in 2019. In May 2023, Blanchet won a vote of confidence from the party members. He received 97% of the votes.

Connection with the Parti Québécois

The Parti Québécois (PQ) is a provincial party in Quebec. It has close ties to the Bloc Québécois. Both parties share the main goal of Quebec's independence. They often support each other during election campaigns. Important members from each party often attend and speak at the other's events. Most members of both parties are also members of the other. However, the two parties are separate organizations. The Bloc is not the federal part of the Parti Québécois.

Lucien Bouchard has been the leader of both parties. Other leaders, like Michel Gauthier and Daniel Paillé, were also members of both parties.

In June 2014, Mario Beaulieu became the Bloc leader. He had been a PQ member before. He has criticized both the Bloc and PQ for not being strong enough on independence.

Martine Ouellet was a PQ member in Quebec's assembly. She ran for the PQ leadership twice. She continued to be an independent member in the Quebec assembly after becoming Bloc leader.

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, Parti Québécois leader Pierre Karl Péladeau officially supported the Bloc. Several other PQ members also supported the Bloc and campaigned for them.

Party Leaders

Election Results

Popular vote in Canada

Election	Leader	Votes	% of vote	Total seats
					Position	Seats	Status
1993	Lucien Bouchard	1,846,024	13.5	54 / 295	2nd	44	Official Opposition
1997	Gilles Duceppe	1,385,821	10.7	44 / 301	3rd	10	Third party
2000		1,377,727	10.7	38 / 301	3rd	6	Third party
2004		1,680,109	12.4	54 / 308	3rd	16	Third party
2006		1,553,201	10.5	51 / 308	3rd	3	Third party
2008		1,379,629	10.0	49 / 308	3rd	2	Third party
2011		889,788	6.0	4 / 308	4th	45	No status
2015		818,652	4.7	10 / 338	4th	6	No status
2019	Yves-François Blanchet	1,387,030	7.6	32 / 338	3rd	22	Third party
2021		1,301,598	7.6	32 / 338	3rd		Third party

Images for kids

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  Lucien Bouchard

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  Gilles Duceppe

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  Michel Gauthier

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  Vivian Barbot

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  Daniel Paillé

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  Mario Beaulieu

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  Rhéal Fortin

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  Martine Ouellet