Quebec City - Mr Lucien Bouchard and his separatist Parti Quebecois were re-elected on Monday by a smaller margin than expected. He said yesterday the vote would force him to put the issue of secession from Canada on the back burner. Mr Bouchard said he had no choice but to shelve the idea of another referendum on separation until later in his five-year mandate.
"Back burner? Yes. I think Quebecers told us the time is not right for a referendum immediately," he said, adding that the vote only gave him a mandate to run a good government.
Although his party won a majority with 75 seats in the 125-seat National Assembly, the Liberals won the popular vote by one percentage point but garnered only 48 seats. The Liberals won 48 and the smaller Action Democratique du Quebec picked up just one.