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Pierre Karl Péladeau is putting in place a sweeping new plan to crank up the sovereignty machine and it includes a school to train rookies in the finer points of defending the option.

At the same time, the Parti Québécois leader is reaching out to other sovereignist parties to expand the party’s tent. The difference from past convergence efforts is that the PQ is not asking them to surrender their identity and assimilate into the ranks, just work with them on the common goal of creating a country.

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“We share a common objective, that of freedom, that of creating a country, that of independence,” Péladeau told reporters this week as he started outlining the road ahead for the moribund party he inherited from Pauline Marois.

Péladeau won the party leadership May 15.

“The PQ does not hold the monopoly in this matter.”

It’s a nuance that might escape some observers, but other political parties that believe in the sovereignty option like Québec solidaire and Option nationale have been able to gather enough voter support by being that much more left and that more green to damage the PQ brand in close elections.