Pierre Karl Pladeau will run for Parti Qubcois leadership

Pierre Karl Pladeau, the member of the National Assembly for St-Jrme, Que., announced this afternoonhe will run for the Parti Qubcoisleadership.

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He made the announcement while delivering a speech to students at the University of Montreal.

Pladeau'srun for the PQ leadership has been the subject of muchspeculation since the nomination period began Oct. 14.

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The five other candidates are sitting MNAsAlexandre Cloutier, Bernard Drainville,Jean-Franois Lise andMartine Ouellet, and labour rights activist Pierre Cr.

Pladeau said he would not grant interviews until the official launch of his leadership campaign, on Sunday at 4 p.m. in his riding ofSt-Jrme.

Anglos welcome to sovereignty movement

He did, however, briefly speak to reporters following his announcement at the university.

He made a jab at the Liberals and its austerity budget, and said he would be a leader who wouldunite Quebecers.

When asked by CBCs Justin Hayward about a recent tweet in which he said he would welcome anglophones to the sovereignty movement, Pladeau said times have changed since 1980 and 1995.

Today we are in 2014 and Ithink that everyone would consider that having a [richer Quebec] would be a good thing for all the citizens who live in Quebec. So its not a matter of, youre an anglophone or youre a francophone, or you are from another community, Pladeau said.

Pladeau has been a PQ MNA since spring 2014. He is also the majority shareholder of media company Qubecor.