Pascal Brub named interim Parti Qubcois leader

Pascal Brub, a former Parti Qubcois tourism minister, has been named as the party'sinterim leader.

First elected in 2007, the MNAfor Matane-Matapdiawas most recently thePQ'shouse leader and its critic for identity issues.

Brub will head the party's parliamentary wing until it chooses a replacement for Jean-FranoisLise, who stepped down as leader after the PQ suffered devastating losses in the Oct. 1provincial election.

The party founded by RenLvesque50 years agosecured just 17.1 per cent of the popular vote, a historic low, and won only nine seats.(Recounts are underway in two ridings.)

So poor was the party's election performance that it'sbeenstripped ofits official party status in the National Assembly.

Sovereignty toremain key plank

Speaking Tuesday at the National Assembly,Brubsaid he willlead a review into what went wrong for the party in the election.

But he also rejected outrightsuggestions the party abandon its support for Quebec sovereignty in order to ensure its survival.

"According to some, we should bring an end to our movement, as though we have outlived our usefulness,"Brubsaid.

"No. The story continues. We will continue on in the spirit of the pioneers of this great political movement."

He said party officials will meet in the coming weeks to decide how they will select their next leader.

The Quebec Liberals also lost their leader, Philippe Couillard, in the wake of their ownelectoral defeat. Pierre Arcand, a former cabinet minister, will serve as its interim leader pending a leadership contest.