André Boisclair stepped down as leader of the Parti Quebecois today.

“I gave the best of myself in this position but the current conditions don’t allow me to do this anymore,” Boisclair told a news conference.

“I’m 41. I am still young and I still have a lot of things to accomplish in my life.”

“I would have loved to be the leader of the party,” Boisclair, fighting back tears, said Tuesday in Quebec City.  “It’s not possible for me.  Somebody else will have to do it.”

“As I became the leader of the Parti Quebecois in November 2005, I was very happy, but I have also been tested quite a few times. There have been occasions to grow and I think that I’ve given the best of myself.”

He had been leader of the party for 18 months, the party did not do well in the March provincial elections, winning only 36 of the 125 seats. The final straw was public remarks he made on Radio Canada about Bloc leader Gille Duceppe over the weekend.

“It is said Mr. Duceppe goes to bed at night dressed up as the PQ Leader. What are the consequences for the sovereignty movement?” Mr. Boisclair asked rhetorically during the interview.

“This means the Bloc Québécois will find itself in an extremely difficult situation and that a single individual [Mr. Duceppe] will be responsible for the future of the sovereignty movement in National Assembly as well as in the House of Commons,” Mr. Boisclair said, hinting that by leaving the Bloc and vying for the PQ leadership, Mr. Duceppe would weaken both parties.

Boisclair, who represents  the riding of Pointe-Aux-Trembles will stay on as a member of the legislature.

CTV
Andre Boiscliar - wiki