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Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe says he would shop around and offer his support to a minority government based on the proposals for the Speech from the Throne.

Preparing for a role as kingmaker, he said his party could prop up either the Liberals or the Conservatives in a minority situation regardless of their standings in the House.

He said constitutional rules do not automatically call on the party with the most seats to form that government, which gives the Bloc leeway in choosing a partner.

"I'm not a big fan of blank cheques. We will see what's in the speech and then we will act," he said on his way to Fête Nationale celebrations across Montreal.

Mr. Duceppe, buoyed by strong polls in Quebec, seems to revel in the possibility of holding the balance of power in the event of a tight national race.

The Bloc has taken shots at both the Liberals and the Conservatives during the campaign, but has said it would be open to discussions immediately after the vote.

Mr. Duceppe said he would take calls from any party leader, including Liberal Paul Martin, who could technically try to form a government even if his party comes in second.

Mr. Martin has said that whichever party wins the most seats should get the first crack at governing, but Mr. Duceppe said he would be open to any proposal.

"We will see if [Mr. Martin] tries. We will see what he says. We will see what he would propose. We have to take the time to do things right and with rigour," Mr. Duceppe said.

Mr. Duceppe has argued during the campaign for a more flexible voting system in the House, with fewer confidence votes. He said that a government should not necessarily fall if it loses a vote, for example, on Canada's participation in the U.S.-based anti-missile shield.

At the start of the campaign, many observers felt the most logical partner for the Bloc in a minority would be the Conservatives. Several Bloc MPs are openly hoping for a Liberal defeat and a Conservative minority.

Mr. Duceppe shot back that Mr. Harper is not even coming to Quebec on the province's national holiday.

"Mr. Harper could make history by coming here. ..... We'll welcome him with open arms. We'd be happy to hear him say, 'There is a Quebec nation, and today is the National Day of all Quebeckers.' Then he would make history," Mr. Duceppe said.

Throughout the campaign, Mr. Duceppe has said the Conservatives are "disconnected" from Quebec.

"Quebeckers are able to decide by themselves what they want. They know their history a lot better than Mr. Harper, and they will write their own history," Mr. Duceppe said.

The Bloc is hoping that yesterday's celebrations in Quebec will help to mobilize its voters and fire up the nationalistic fervour. The sovereigntist movement made a major effort to show openness to people of all origins this year.

Half the performers at last night's big concert in Montreal were of Haitian or African descent, and Mr. Duceppe said the celebration is for everyone who lives in Quebec, regardless of origin.

Gabriel Rios, a Peruvian immigrant, said that he will vote for the Bloc because of the party's left-leaning positions and its stand on sovereignty.

"The Bloc is always on the side of the Quebec people, which has the right to develop as a nation," said Mr. Rios, an immigration consultant.

Mr. Duceppe said he is still hoping to obtain the support of federalists angry over the sponsorship scandal, saying the vote has nothing to do with the constitutional future of Quebec.

"I'm telling all Quebeckers that they need honest representatives to defend the interests of Quebeckers with pride. That's the issue on the 28th. We're not about to decide the issue of sovereignty on the 28th. Those who say that will look stupid the day after," Mr. Duceppe said.