ADQ merger with CAQ imminent: reports
Quebec's newest political party appears ready to take another step toward becoming a major force in the province.
The Canadian Press has learned that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) could merge with the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) as soon as this week.
Montreal French-language daily, La Presse, is also reporting the merger is imminent.
The fusion is expected to be a boost for the new right-of-centre party that has promised to shelve the debate on sovereignty for a decade.
The ADQ entered into formal talks with CAQ's leader, François Legault, as soon as his party was officially launched in November. Legault has caused a stir in Quebec and was leading in opinion polls before his party even existed.
The ADQ nearly won an election in 2007, but its fortunes have been falling steadily. Its fate was sealed when it was barely able to capture two per cent of the popular vote in a byelection in Bonaventure this month.
It appears as though the ADQ will be swallowed up by Legault's party, and that Legault refused to compromise with ADQ leader Gérard Deltell on the content of the party's platform.
The CAQ wants to have his new parliamentary caucus ready by Feb. 14, the start of the next session at the national assembly, and it would reportedly include:
- Gérard Deltell, ADQ
- François Bonnardel, ADQ
- Sylvie Roy, ADQ
- Janvier Grondin, ADQ
- Éric Caire, former ADQ member who now sits as an Independent
- Marc Picard, former ADQ member who now sits as an Independent
- Benoît Charrette, former Parti Québécois MNA who now sits as an Independent
- Daniel Ratthé, former Parti Québécois MNA who now sits as an Independent
Deltell will remain the leader of the caucus until Legault is able to run for a seat in the national assembly.