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With the dissenters saying the party brass is in denial about its leadership problems, the Bloc Québécois executive announced plans Thursday to hold a membership referendum on what the organization should be doing.

In what appears to be an attempt to isolate the seven Bloc MPs who quit last week saying they could not work with leader Martine Ouellet, the party’s national executive — which is faithful to Ouellet — called in the media to announce a three-pronged plan to break the impasse.

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And while a referendum on the vision and role of the Bloc is part of the plan, a confidence vote in Ouellet’s leadership is not.

“We can see the question of the Bloc’s role is at the core of this debate,” Ouellet said at a news conference in Montreal where she was flanked by the party’s executive members. “I believe the promotion and preparation for the Republic of Quebec cannot be disassociated with defending the interests of Quebec.