Quebec Liberals Say They'll Yank Dion's Membership If He Doesn't Resign

MONTREAL -- Federal Liberals from Quebec will move to show Stephane Dion the door if he doesn't give up leadership of the party on his own, Sun Media has learned.

Former Liberal candidate Pierre-Luc Bellerose, who ran for the party in Joliette, northeast of Montreal, said dissatisfied members will begin the process to revoke Dion's party membership if he doesn't quit as Liberal leader.

He said his strategy is supported by a number of influential members of the party, along with a dozen riding association presidents and a few elected MPs from across Quebec.

Bellerose said he is convinced Dion has lost control over the party in Quebec and the organization is no longer following its leader.

The results of the March 17 byelections did nothing to appease discontent with Dion, he added.

"The pressure for him to resign is getting increasingly stronger," Bellerose explained. "The means we see to this end are drastic, but we hope that he'll get the message and leave of his own accord."

Should Dion fail to heed this warning, Bellerose has threatened to invoke Article 3.7.1 of the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal party's statutes and regulations to force him to resign...