The Public Service Alliance of Canada is endorsing Bloc candidates in the ridings of Gatineau, Hull-Aylmer, Pontiac, and Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel.
"We're recommending individuals in each riding. It just happens they're all from the same party — it's the Bloc," said Daniel Charron, the president of the Outaouais regional chapter of PSAC.
Ed Cashman, vice-president for the national region chapter, commended the choices.
"Obviously, not all PSAC members will vote for the Bloc Québécois," said Cashman in a press release. "However, in the Outaouais, Bloc candidates are better prepared and more willing to co-operate with PSAC in furthering our causes."
The national president of PSAC, Nycole Turmel, also approved the local chapter's decision.
But John Scarlett, one of 15,000 members across the Outaouais, says it doesn't make sense for the union to back a sovereigntist party.
"If they're looking to take Quebec out of Canada, we're going to have a lot fewer public servants in this region."
The union says Bloc candidates in those ridings best understand and support the needs of public service workers.
"This is not a referendum," said Charron. "This is about electing representatives in the Commons that are going to have a say in our working conditions. And we want to put the players in the Commons who are going to best represent us."
The decision to support the Bloc is based on meetings held with 18 of the 20 candidates in the region and a debate held Jan. 11.
But Liberal incumbent Marcel Proulx, says residents of his Hull-Aylmer riding and others in the Outaouais are not interested in supporting a separatist government. In Hull-Aylmer, the federal government is the largest employer.
"They know the Bloc will never be in power, will never be able to give them what they're asking for. And yet, they're asking their membership to vote for the Bloc. I don't think it will work."
