BECANCOUR, Que. - Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois defended her party's sovereignty goal Wednesday after a senior PQ member said the quest for an independent Quebec should be shelved until it has a better chance.

Francois Legault told reporters at a caucus meeting near Trois-Rivieres, Que., on Wednesday that widespread cynicism towards politicians has forced the party to rethink the sovereigntist option.

Legault, who represents a riding northeast of Montreal, says a "crisis of confidence" among voters has made ambitious projects like sovereignty unrealistic for the time being.

The former cabinet minister says the PQ should focus instead on coming up with ways to improve the economy and health-care system.

"People are saying, 'Wait, before embarking on a big change."

Legault said the quest for sovereignty will have to proceed in two stages.

"We must first rebuild confidence," he said, adding the next step would be to present the PQ as an alternative to the governing Liberals.

Legault insisted that Quebec "still needs to be become a country."

Marois warned members when she took over the party last year that she intended to shelve the issue of a sovereignty referendum.

But she said in a news conference Wednesday that the PQ caucus wants "to get sovereignty on the agenda as soon as possible."

She said that a committee has been set up to draft a manifesto for sovereignty that will be presented in October to mark the 40th anniversary of the party.

"People are looking for new challenges," Marois said, noting she does not share concerns about the stagnant support for sovereignty, which has stalled at 40 per cent in opinion polls.

She said that Quebecers remain concerned about sovereignty, especially when they see the province does not have all the tools it needs to act in its own interests.

She was echoed by Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who urged Pequistes to talk about sovereignty to keep it in the public mind.

"We must talk about it," he told the gathering. "It is when you do not speak of things that cynicism sets in."

The PQ finished third behind the Liberals and the Action democratique du Quebec in the last election.

Opposition Leader Mario Dumont scoffed at the division in the PQ ranks and said Legault had a better reading of the public mood than his colleagues.

"Mr. Legault has listened to a lot more Quebecers than his colleagues this summer," Dumont said.