Between former Tory MP André Bachand's departure from politics in June 2004 and January 2006, Nolin surreptitiously became the "Quebec strongman" in the new Conservative Party's parliamentary caucus. Nolin is largely seen as an influential Red Tory, which is in line with most of the Conservatives who have come from Quebec in recent decades. In January 2005, Nolin announced that the Quebec wing of the CPC would be introducing several "moderate" principles to the March 2005 CPC Policy Convention in Montreal, including a motion to support the rights of married same-sex couples to equal status in the courts of law. Many of the new Tory party's Quebec-wing motions passed, but with amendments. In the 2006 Canadian federal election, the new Tories managed to elect 10 MPs from Quebec, that party's best showing since 1988.