Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Friday he sees an opening to begin the next federal election campaign on Aug. 16 if the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. That timeline would ensure the federal vote doesn’t interfere with municipal elections that are to be held across Quebec in November, Blanchet told a virtual meeting with an association representing Quebec cities and towns. “It would seem to me to be highly disrespectful for a federal election to interfere with municipal elections,” Blanchet, whose party holds 32 seats in the minority Parliament, told the gathering in French. “It opens a window that opens quite squarely on Aug. 16. I’m not saying that’s when it’s going to happen, but we can’t rule it out.” The Bloc leader’s suggestion comes a day after his party tabled a motion in the House of Commons demanding Prime Minister Trudeau not call an election during the pandemic. …