MONTREAL - A tough week for Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois ended with some chiding by a predecessor -- hardline separatist Jacques Parizeau.
The party's former top boss and premier took a few subtle jabs at Marois on Saturday for not doing enough to promote separatism.
During a speech in Montreal, he repeated his long-standing belief that the Parti Quebecois must be more clear about its ultimate goal: sovereignty.
Parizeau, who led Quebec to within a few votes of independence in 1995, continues to hold considerable sway within party ranks.
Marois hasn't committed to a timeline for holding a referendum if the Parti Quebecois win the next election.
The PQ leader was hit with a political bombshell this week when four members of her caucus resigned in protest.
Parizeau's wife Lisette Lapointe, a prominent party member in her own right, was among those who stepped down.
The departing members cited a variety of reasons for their decision, but said the final straw was the party's support of the Quebec City arena project without pausing to reflect on it.
Parizeau, meanwhile, had to fend off some criticism directed his way.
A group of young sovereigntists published an op-ed in the Montreal daily Le Devoir on Saturday calling on Parizeau to "make way" for the next generation.
Parizeau told reporters following the speech he has the right to offer his opinion and found the argument "strange."
