▁Canada . ▁He ▁supported ▁the ▁so vere ig nt ist ▁option ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Quebec ▁refer endum ▁on ▁so vere ig nt y ▁and ▁signed ▁a ▁joint ▁statement ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁Quebec ▁independence ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Bre ton ▁left ▁the ▁Green ▁Party ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Canadian ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( ND P ). ▁In ▁joining ▁the ▁N DP , ▁he ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying , ▁" what ▁is ▁at ▁st ake ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁so vere ig nt y ▁of ▁Quebec ▁but ▁the ▁so vere ig nt y ▁of ▁Canada . ▁We ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁losing ▁control ▁over ▁our ▁natural ▁resources , ▁over ▁our ▁economy , ▁of ▁our ▁big ▁business es ▁and ▁our ▁political ▁so vere ig nt y ." ▁He ▁ran ▁as ▁a ▁star ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁federal ▁election ▁and ▁finished ▁third ▁in ▁Jean ne - Le ▁Ber . ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁federal ▁election , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁N DP ▁made ▁a ▁historic ▁break through ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁dominant ▁federal ▁party ▁in ▁Quebec . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Bre ton ▁joined ▁the ▁Parti ▁Qu éb é co is ▁and ▁ran ▁successfully ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁election , ▁retain ing ▁the ▁r iding ▁of ▁Sainte - Marie – Saint - Jac ques