Founder of Quebec independence party moves to England

MONTREAL – The founder of Quebec’s newest pro-independence party is moving to England.

Jean-Martin Aussant, who recently resigned as leader of the upstart Option Nationale, is returning to London to resume his career in international finance.

In a blog post, he says will rejoin Morgan Stanley Capital International where he was a vice-president before entering politics.

Aussant was elected as a member of the Parti Quebecois and was considered one of its rising stars. However, lamenting the PQ’s timid approach to achieving independence, he resigned to create Option Nationale.

Option Nationale didn’t win any seats in last year’s election and Aussant lost his own riding. But the new party attracted a young energetic base, had a big online presence, and won support from sovereigntist stalwart Jacques Parizeau.

Now Aussant says the job offers he’s been getting are in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and London — but nothing in Montreal or Quebec City.

He says he doesn’t know whether that’s because the market is soft in Quebec — or whether he’s being shunned by the province’s business class because of his sovereigntist ties.

Aussant revealed the details of his move in a post on the Urbania news site.

He is encouraging his party to continue working for electoral success in his absence, and Option Nationale has been organizing a leadership race.