Quebec election: Is Pierre Karl Peladeau the PQ's white knight?

With his high profile and access to financialresources, Pierre KarlPladeau would certainly have an advantage to take over the reins of the bruisedPartiQubcois.

But the media magnatemay not be whats needed for a party recovering from a devastating loss and searching for an identity, some observers say.

"I think ifPKPwants to run as leader of the opposition, he'll be adifficult man to stop, saidJean-FranoisGodbout, a University of Montreal political science professor and a visiting professor at Princeton University. HoweverthePQis in shambles what'sgoingon withtheprogressivewing,theunion wingwill theyaccept thePQbeing run by someone likePladeau?

The PartiQubcois suffered a crushing defeat on Monday, losing 24seats and its leader Pauline Marois, who, following the results, announced her plans to step down.

Immediately, names of possible contenders for the leadership role emergedBernard Drainville, theformerminister responsible for the secular charter; Jean-FranoisLise, former international relations minister and media mogul Pierre KarlPladeau.

But some believePladeau, while winninghis seat in the riding of Saint-Jrme, could be damaged goods.

Although brought in as a star candidate,Pladeau's presence may have served to alienate segments of the left and right of the political spectrum. Some partially blamePladeaufor the partys misfortunes at the polls Monday night, saying his independence rhetoric during the announcement of his candidacy made sovereignty an issue thePQdid not want at the forefront of the campaign.

And with his reputation as a union-busting executive, many believed his candidacy was a signal that sovereignty was now theraisondtreof a party that was perceived to be leaningto the left.

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Alain-G.Gagnon, political science professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal, saidPaulineMaroishad hopedtheparty would reap benefits fromPladeau'sbusiness credentials.

But Pladeau, as president and CEO of Qubecor Inc., Groupe TVA and QubecorMdia,had ahistory of locking out workers during labour disputes. Upon the announcement of his candidacy, some of Quebecs labour unions, a traditional ally of the thePQ, sent out warningsthatsome of its members would not be voting for the party.

"The words thatcame out were how tough this guy hasbeen with workers, and workers tend to be with the PQ. And it sort of backfired on them," Gagnonsaid.

And these issues would continue to hauntPladeau as leader of theparty, Gagnon said.

AnneTrpanier, a professorwithCarletonsSchool of Canadian Studies,blamed both thePQsroll out of its controversial charter of values andPladeau's polarizing candidacy for the partys loss.

He, with his right-wing economic leadership, he killed the idea that thePQis a coalition. It's now very hard to see where the left is in this coalition,Trpaniersaid.

Many of those progressives have already left the party to join the sovereigntistQubecSolidaire, which picked up its third seat Monday night.

Of all the upcoming [potential] leaders, he's thestronger one but it doesntmake thePQstronger. I'm suspecting the party will be more right-leaning especially because theQShas won athirdseat and it really shows thesovereigntistleft exists and it'snow withQS."

GagnonbelievestheQuebec electorate has moved to the right over the past decade.Pladeau would follow suit with the PQbutwould find itchallengingcompetingfor the same voters as the Liberals andCoalitionAvenirQubec, Gagnon said.

"Were he to become the [leader], the statement that thePQwould be making is they are simply to be theclone of the CAQ except [the PQ] wants out [of Canada] instead of in,Gagnon said.

And leaning to the right of the political spectrum, they will thoroughly alienate another segment of the electorate that trusts thePQas long as they are progressive.