dipity

The Bloc Quebecois — behind the Conservative Party of Canada — is one of the newer political parties vying for Canadian voters on May 2.

Created by chrisjai on May 2, 2011

Last updated: 05/02/11 at 07:55 PM

• Tory wins minority; Bloc stays steady
  2006

  In an election won by a Tory minority, the Bloc stays steady with 51 seats. The party loses two standing at 49 seats by the end of the 2008 election.

• Bloc regains popularity
  2004

  The Bloc regains popularity and more seats — 54 — in a federal election the Liberals win again.

• Liberal's dominate in 2000 election
  2000

  The Bloc's free fall continues and the party loses 6 seats in a federal election leaving them with 38 seats, the party's worst showing. The Liberals' majority government continues.

• Bloc loses to Reform as official opposition
  1997

  The Liberals wins the federal election, forming a majority government. The Bloc slips to 44 seats, losing Official Opposition status to the Reform Party.

• Bouchard steps down; Duceppe takes over
  1996

  Lucien Bouchard leaves the Bloc to become PQ leader and Quebec premier. Michel Gauthier serves as leader, but only for a year as he struggles with reuniting his divided caucus. Gilles Duceppe takes over by 1997.

• Close referendum favours federalism
  1995

  In a province's second referendum on independence, called by the Parti Quebecois, the Bloc campaigned for the "Yes" side, promoting sovereignty. In a close race, those campaigning for independence lost as 50.6 per cent of residents voted in favour of federalism. Parti Quebecois leader and premier of Quebec Jacques Parizeau resigns following the failed referendum.

• Bloc becomes official opposition under Chretien regime
  1993

  The Liberal Party led by Jean Chretien wins the federal election with 177 seats while the Bloc is the Official Opposition, garnering 54 seats.

• Tory and Liberal MPs form Bloc Quebecois
  1990

  The Bloc Quebecois is formed by a coalition of Progressive Conservative and Liberal MPs from Quebec and led by Lucien Bouchard who was Environment Minister at the time under the Mulroney government. The handful of MPs resigned from their parties after the Meech Lake Accord on constitutional reform died. In a federal byelection, Gilles Duceppe is the first BQ MP to be elected in Laurier—Sainte-Marie in Montreal.