Quebec election talk ramps up at PQ caucus in Shawinigan

The premier and her Parti Qubcois caucus have been meeting in Shawinigan, Que., since Wednesday, fuelling rumours of a coming provincial election.

Premier Pauline Marois said Wednesday night to an audience of 300 party supporters, that she could not assume which direction Quebecers will choose. However, to her, the mission is clear.

To retake, in our way, the steps taken by Ren Lvesque, all the population will be invited to speak up, Marois said, referring to the next election, whenever it should happen.

She said Quebecers needed to choose between prosperity and austerity, referring to her economic plan and thoseof the opposition Coalition Avenir Quebec and the Liberals.

Marois said she would create a new consultation processthat would weigh heavily on the sovereignty option, with the end goal of creating a list of PQ-sanctioned propositions.

She also promised a white paper on the future of Quebec if re-elected, which could ultimately lead to a referendum on Quebec sovereignty.

This would be the first consultation of its kind since the commission on the future of Quebec held before the 1995 referendum.

Marois reiterated that a referendum needed to be held at the appropriate moment and promised not to cause turbulence for the province.

However, she said Wednesday night that she was ready to take the sovereignty cause all the way to the finish line and that it would start tonight in the heart of Quebec.