Yves-François Blanchet

Yves-François Blanchet
MP
Blanchet in 2023
Leader of the Bloc Québécois
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 17, 2019
PresidentYves Perron
Preceded byMario Beaulieu (interim)
Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks of Quebec
In office
December 4, 2012 – April 23, 2014
PremierPauline Marois
Preceded byDaniel Breton
Succeeded byDavid Heurtel
Member of Parliament
for Beloeil—Chambly
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byMatthew Dubé
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Johnson
(Drummond; 2008–2012)
In office
December 8, 2008 – April 7, 2014
Preceded bySébastien Schneeberger
Succeeded byAndré Lamontagne
Personal details
Born (1965-04-16) April 16, 1965
Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
PartyBloc Québécois (federal)
Other political
affiliations
Parti Québécois (provincial) [1]
SpouseNancy Déziel
Alma materUniversité de Montréal (BA)

Yves-François Blanchet[a] (born April 16, 1965) is a Québécois politician who has served as the leader of the Bloc Québécois (BQ) and member of Parliament (MP) for Beloeil—Chambly since 2019.

Blanchet was born in Drummondville, Quebec, and graduated from the Université de Montréal. Prior to entering politics he ran an artist management firm and was the president of ADISQ from 2003 to 2006. Blanchet served as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for the Parti Québécois (PQ) from 2008 until his defeat in the 2014 election. He was Quebec's Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks from 2012 to 2014 under Premier Pauline Marois.

Blanchet was elected unopposed as leader of the Bloc Québécois in 2019, following Martine Ouellet's resignation the previous year. He was elected to parliament later that year, with the BQ increasing its number of seats from 10 in 2015 to 32 in 2019 and overtaking the New Democratic Party (NDP) to become the House of Commons' third-largest party. At the 2021 election, the BQ recorded a marginal increase in vote share and retained all its seats to remain as the third-largest party. In Blanchet's third election, in 2025, the BQ recorded a decrease in vote share and seats, while remaining the third-largest party in Parliament.

Early life and education

Blanchet was born April 16, 1965, in Drummondville, Quebec, to Pierrette Bédard, a nurse, and Raymond Blanchet, a technician and lineman.[2] He is a graduate from the Université de Montréal where he obtained a bachelor's degree in history and anthropology in 1987.

Career

Blanchet later worked as a teacher and was a founder of an artist, disc and concert management firm, YFB Inc. while being the president of the ADISQ from 2003 to 2006. He was named the local business personality of the year by the Drummondville Chamber of Commerce, while he and associated artists received 10 Félix Awards.

Blanchet was elected to represent the riding of Drummond in the National Assembly of Quebec in the 2008 provincial election. In the 2012 election, he was reelected, this time in Johnson electoral district. A member of the Parti Québécois (PQ), Blanchet was Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks from 2012 until 2014.[3] He was also a member of the Youth National Committee of the Parti Québécois in 1988 as well as a regional director of the PQ. He was defeated by Coalition Avenir Québec candidate André Lamontagne in the 2014 Quebec election.

Prior to becoming leader of the Bloc Québécois, he was a columnist with Le Nouvelliste,[4] and appeared on the program Les Ex, on ICI RDI.[5]

Leader of the Bloc Québécois (2018–present)

Blanchet at a press conference supporting Bill C-282 for supply management

On November 26, 2018, Blanchet announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Bloc Québécois. As no other candidate had entered the race by the time nominations closed on January 15, 2019, Blanchet was officially acclaimed leader on January 17, 2019.[6]

Ahead of the 2019 federal election, BQ polling numbers rose to alignment towards those of the popular François Legault-led Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) provincial government.[7] Blanchet won his seat of Beloeil—Chambly. Under Blanchet's leadership, the BQ increased its number of seats from 10 in 2015, to 32 seats in 2019, both overtaking the NDP to become the third-largest party in Canada and regaining official party status.[8]

In the 2021 snap federal election, the Bloc Québécois led by Blanchet won 32 seats, unchanged from the prior election.[9][10]

The Bloc Québécois held a leadership confidence vote in May 2023. Blanchet won 97 per cent of the vote.[11]

According to most opinion polls, Blanchet entered the 2025 federal election in a weaker position than in 2021. This was credited to rising Canadian nationalism among the electorate following the 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico.[12] At the election, Blanchet retained his seat, while the BQ lost seats and decreased in the popular vote. Much of its support went to the governing Liberals.

Personal life

Blanchet married and is now separated from Nancy Déziel.[13] At the time of the 2025 Canadian federal election, he lived in Pointe-des-Cascades.[14]

Electoral record

Federal results

2025 Canadian federal election: Beloeil—Chambly
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
Bloc QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet32,84448.26−5.27$48,548.98
LiberalNicholas Malouin23,13634.00+10.57$16,250.88
ConservativeSylvain Goulet9,19913.52+5.13$5,887.39
New DemocraticMarie-Josée Béliveau2,3913.51−5.01$0.00
People'sNicholas Manes4820.71−1.31$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 68,52498.74–$136,720.49
Total rejected ballots 8731.26
Turnout 69,39776.07
Eligible voters 91,233
Bloc Québécois notional hold Swing −7.92
Source: Elections Canada[15][16]
Note: number of eligible voters does not include voting day registrations.
2021 Canadian federal election: Beloeil—Chambly
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
Bloc QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet34,67853.1+2.5$44,405.09
LiberalMarie-Chantal Hamel15,46023.7−0.1$20,410.86
ConservativeStéphane Robichaud5,6228.6+2.8$1,228.76
New DemocraticMarie-Josée Béliveau5,5258.5−6.5$1,187.30
People'sDanila Ejov1,3442.1+1.5$5.00
GreenFabrice Gélinas Larrain1,2942.0−2.7$1,848.81
FreeMario Grimard8451.3—$1,113.55
MarijuanaBenjamin Vachon1910.3—$0.00
RhinocerosThomas Thibault-Vincent1850.3—$0.00
Indépendance du QuébecMichel Blondin1630.2—$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,32498.3—$124,082.82
Total rejected ballots 1,1091.7
Turnout 66,43368.7
Eligible voters 96,633
Bloc Québécois hold Swing +1.3
Source: Elections Canada[17]
2019 Canadian federal election: Beloeil—Chambly
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
Bloc QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet35,06850.5+22.82$36,540.34
LiberalMarie-Chantal Hamel16,05923.1−6.24$62,823.63
New DemocraticMatthew Dubé10,08614.5−16.57$20,636.78
ConservativeVéronique Laprise4,3056.2−3.09$0.00
GreenPierre Carrier3,2554.7+2.45$18,235.50
People'sChloé Bernard5120.7—$5,931.38
Indépendance du QuébecMichel Blondin2050.3—$768.82
Total valid votes/expense limit 69,490100.0
Total rejected ballots 1,064
Turnout 70,55473.7
Eligible voters 95,723
Bloc Québécois gain from New Democratic Swing +19.79
Source: Elections Canada[18][19]

Provincial results

2014 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes%
Coalition Avenir QuébecAndré Lamontagne13,62136.06
Parti QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet11,76831.16
LiberalBrigitte Mercier8,94623.69
Québec solidaireFrançois Desrochers2,3656.26
Parti nulSébastien Gauthier5021.33
Option nationaleMagali Doucet3040.80
ConservativeBenoit Lussier2620.69
Total valid votes 37,76898.04
Total rejected ballots 7551.96
Turnout 38,52367.44
Electors on the lists 57,123–
2012 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet15,00736.16+1.34
Coalition Avenir QuébecStéphane Legault14,80435.67+5.16
LiberalNancy Boyce8,43420.32-9.55
Québec solidaireJulie Dionne1,8874.55+1.57
Option nationaleSteve Lemay8892.14
ConservativeBenoit Lussier4791.15
2008 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Parti QuébécoisYves-François Blanchet11,48034.40
  Liberal Jacques Sigouin 10,860 32.54
Action démocratiqueSébastien Schneeberger9,75729.23
Québec solidaireLuce Daneau1,2793.83

Notes

  1. ↑ French: [iv fʁɑ̃swa blɑ̃ʃɛ]

References

  1. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Yves-François Blanchet – National Assembly of Québec". www.assnat.qc.ca. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ "The Minister- Biography". Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Shame! Shame! Shame!". Le Nouvelliste (in French). November 9, 2018. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Le grand vent se fait attendre". Le Nouvelliste (in French). December 23, 2017. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Yves-François Blanchet becomes Bloc Québécois leader". CBC News. January 17, 2019. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Surge in Bloc Quebecois popularity 'a little bit surprising,' says Maxime Bernier". Global News. Archived from the original on December 25, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  8. ↑ Montpetit, Jonathan (October 22, 2019). "Big gains for the Bloc Québécois, but what did it sacrifice in the process? Social Sharing". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  9. ↑ Connolly, Amanda (September 20, 2021). "Liberals projected to form minority government". Global News. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  10. ↑ Tasker, John Paul (September 20, 2021). "Canadians have re-elected a Liberal minority government". CBC. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ Morris, Erika (May 20, 2023). "Blanchet maintains 97% support of Bloc Québécois members in vote of confidence". CBC News. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bloc Quebecois struggling to win voters amid Trump trade war". April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet tests positive for COVID-19". CBC News. September 18, 2020. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  14. ↑ "forty-fifth general election 2025".
  15. ↑ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  17. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates — September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  18. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Election night results". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2019.

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