Yves-François Blanchet
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Yves-François Blanchet (; born April 16, 1965) is a Canadian 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 The Université de Montréal (; UdeM; ) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce on M ...
. Prior to entering politics he ran an artist management firm and was the president of
ADISQ ADISQ (; ) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the independent record labels, independent music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978. Since 1979, it has also organized an annual awards ceremony for musicians and singer ...
from 2003 to 2006. Blanchet served as a
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of the
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(MNA) for the
Parti Québécois The Parti Québécois (PQ; , ) is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. The PQ advocates national sovereignty for Quebec involving independence of the province of Quebec from Canada and establishi ...
(PQ) from
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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 Pauline Marois (; born March 29, 1949) is a retired Canadian politician, who served as the 30th premier of Quebec from 2012 to 2014. Marois had been a Member of the National Assembly (Quebec), member of the National Assembly in various ridings ...
. 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 The New Democratic Party (NDP; , ) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Editors of ''Encyclopædia Britann ...
(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 So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
, 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. He is a graduate from the
Université de Montréal The Université de Montréal (; UdeM; ) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce on M ...
where he obtained a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
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 ADISQ (; ) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the independent record labels, independent music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978. Since 1979, it has also organized an annual awards ceremony for musicians and singer ...
from 2003 to 2006. He was named the local business personality of the year by the
Drummondville Drummondville () is a city in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec, located east of Montreal on the Saint-François River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 79,258. The mayor of Drummondville is Stéphanie Lacoste. 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 The National Assembly of Quebec (, ) is the Legislature, legislative body of the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs (Members of the National Assembly; ). The lieutenant governor of Que ...
in the 2008 provincial election. In the 2012 election, he was reelected, this time in
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electoral district. A member of the
Parti Québécois The Parti Québécois (PQ; , ) is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. The PQ advocates national sovereignty for Quebec involving independence of the province of Quebec from Canada and establishi ...
(PQ), Blanchet was Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks from 2012 until 2014. 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 The Coalition Avenir Québec (, , CAQ) is a Quebec nationalism, Quebec nationalist, Autonomism in Quebec, autonomist and conservatism, conservative
candidate André Lamontagne in the 2014 Quebec election. Prior to becoming leader of the Bloc Québécois, he was a columnist with '' Le Nouvelliste'', and appeared on the program ''Les Ex'', on
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.


Leader of the Bloc Québécois (2018–present)

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. Ahead of the 2019 federal election, BQ polling numbers rose to alignment towards those of the popular
François Legault François Legault (; born May 26, 1957) is a Canadian politician serving as the 32nd premier of Quebec since 2018. A founding member of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), he has led the party since it began in 2011. Legault sits as a Nationa ...
-led
Coalition Avenir Québec The Coalition Avenir Québec (, , CAQ) is a Quebec nationalism, Quebec nationalist, Autonomism in Quebec, autonomist and conservatism, conservative
(CAQ) provincial government. 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 Official party status refers to the Westminster system, Westminster practice which is used in the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures of recognizing Parliamentary group, parliamentary caucuses of political parties. In parliamentar ...
. In the 2021 snap federal election, the Bloc Québécois led by Blanchet won 32 seats, unchanged from the prior election. The Bloc Québécois held a leadership confidence vote in May 2023. Blanchet won 97 per cent of the vote. 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. 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.


Electoral record


Federal results


Provincial results

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References


External links

*
Parti Quebecois biopage
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blanchet, Yves-Francois 1965 births Bloc Québécois MPs Bloc Québécois leaders Living people Parti Québécois MNAs People from Drummondville People from Shawinigan Politicians from Mauricie Université de Montréal alumni Members of the Executive Council of Quebec Critics of multiculturalism 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada 21st-century members of the National Assembly of Quebec Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec