The new Institut de Recherche sur l'Autodetermination des Peuples et les Independances Nationales (IRAI) was launched Thursday evening.
The pro-independence think-tank, founded by former Parti Quebecois leader Piere-Karl Peladeau, hopes to provide new research to help the province's sovereignist politicians breathe fresh life into the independence movement.
The IRAI has the support of key pro-separation politicians of every stripe, from Amir Khadir of Quebec Solidaire to Sol Zanetti of Option Nationale.
"We have to find ways to show those who are not convinced that the independence of Quebec can be done with everyone, not just French-speaking Quebecers.", says Khadir.
PQ leadership hopeful Martine Ouellet has similar hopes for the project. She told CJAD that she hopes the institute's research can help capture what's been making independence so popular in Spain and Catalonia.
But questions remain, especially among the non-PQ politicians present at the launch, about how ideologically independent the new institute will be from its chief financial backer, who remains an ardent supporter of the Parti Quebecois.
Peladeau himself did not do much to dispel those concerns: though he was present for the launch event, he did not address the crowd gathered at the event, and spoke to few of the journalists present.