New sovereignist group calls for united front

Le Nouveau Mouvement pour le Québec, a new sovereignist group, is pushing to renew the fight for independence.

While the sovereigntist Parti Québécois holds power as a minority government, support for independence is splintered between other parties like the Option National and Québec Solidaire.

The group is inviting citizens and opposing political parties to fight together for a consensus on Quebec independence.

"Sovereignists must meet, regroup, consult and act together," said Jocelyn Desjardins, spokeswoman for Le Nouveau Mouvement pour le Québec.

The group has announced a three-day conference will be held in the spring, with the goal of uniting sovereignists from across Quebec.

Le Nouveau Mouvement is expected to meet with the PQ government this week. It's hoping get leaders from all sovereigntist parties including Option Nationale, Québec Solidaire and the Bloc Québécois on board with its cause.

Former PQ leader and Quebec premier Bernard Landry said the current climate is more favourable to independence than at any other time.

"When a nation can be free and has the means to be free that nation must be free," he said.

The latest Léger Marketing poll on sovereignty showed support for independence hovering at about 40 per cent within the province. The poll was commissioned by Le Devoir and the Gazette and published in November.

The president of the Conseil de la Souveraineté du Québec, Gilbert Paquette, said now is the time to push for independence.

He said his organization has identified 92 points where Quebec aspirations are blocked by the Harper government.

"What the federal government does is it invests in petroleum industry while we'd like to invest in new energy," he said.

The conference will be held in Montreal on May 10, 11 and 12.