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Parti Québécois MNA Martine Ouellet announced Sunday morning she is running for the Bloc Québécois leadership.

The Vachon MNA had failed twice in her bid for the PQ leadership before throwing her hat into the federal ring as leader of the Bloc.

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Surrounded by BQ militants at a press conference Sunday, Ouellet said she would withdraw from the PQ caucus during the race. If elected Bloc leader, she would sit as an independent in the National Assembly while also heading the BQ.

“Independent, sovereignist and a friend to the PQ,” she said.

Ouellet said she is determined to advance economic, social and environmental issues dear to the sovereignist cause. For example, only through independence will Quebec be able to reject the Energy East pipeline project, she said, “a dangerous project.”

“Each year Quebec sends Ottawa $50 billion,” Ouellet said. “We need to look after our own affairs.”

But until that money can be handled at source “without an intermediary, sovereignists need to be everywhere where decisions are being made,” she said.

The BQ is expected to choose its next leader on April 22 in Boucherville.