MONTREAL -- Bloc Quebecois founder Lucien Bouchard says he is "very discouraged" by what he sees happening within the sovereigntist party.

Seven of the Bloc's 10 MPs quit the party late last month because of disagreements over Martine Ouellet's leadership style.

They accused her of putting her personal drive for independence ahead of the day-to-day interests of Quebecers.

Bouchard told The Canadian Press on Thursday he was discouraged by the turn of events.

"When you've been the founder of the Bloc and you know what the Bloc has managed to do, with its successes, and its failures, and you look at what is happening now, you get very discouraged," he said as he attended a news conference on another topic.

When he was asked if he was "discouraged" at the Bloc itself, at what is being said about the party, or at seeing what certain people have done to the Bloc, he replied, "Interpret (my remarks)."

Bouchard founded the Bloc in 1991 and was leader when the party formed the official Opposition after the 1993 election.