Gilles Duceppe is caught between a political rock and a hard place, just four days into the campaign. It's all because of a supposed ally.

A prominent sovereigntist ex-politician wrote an open letter in La Presse, denouncing the Bloc for having morphed into what he calls "an NDP clone" centred on a left-wing agenda, alienating more conservative-thinking Quebecers, all to the detriment of the independence movement.

Duceppe shifted into full damage control mode, insisting in a series of speeches and media appearances that the Bloc Quebecois in fact has no political leanings (other than to be pro-sovereignty), and simply reflects in Ottawa the general consensus of political will at the National Assembly. He cited the Bloc's support for the Kyoto accord, which he says some Quebec parties back for environmental reasons, others for economic ones.

He insists there is a broad chasm between the Bloc and the NDP, emphasizing their differences on the issues of federal spending power, centralization, and multiculturalism.

However, speaking to local media in Sherbrooke, a small city where the job base in manufacturing has been hit hard by the economic slowdown, Duceppe outlined his party's firm desire Ottawa offer more generous EI benefits and other labour measures to help protect jobs in industries such as textiles.

— Tim Duboyce