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Yves-François Blanchet
Yves-François Blanchet Entrevue no smile 2023 (cropped).png
Blanchet in 2023
Leader of the Bloc Québécois
Assumed office
January 17, 2019
President Yves Perron
Preceded by Mario Beaulieu (interim)
Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks of Quebec
In office
December 4, 2012 – April 23, 2014
Premier Pauline Marois
Preceded by Daniel Breton
Succeeded by David Heurtel
Member of Parliament
for Beloeil—Chambly
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded by Matthew Dubé
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Johnson
(Drummond; 2008–2012)
In office
December 8, 2008 – April 7, 2014
Preceded by Sébastien Schneeberger
Succeeded by André Lamontagne
Personal details
Born (1965-04-16) April 16, 1965 (age 59)
Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
Political party Bloc Québécois (federal)
Other political
affiliations
Parti Québécois (provincial)
Spouse Nancy Déziel
Residences Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater Université de Montréal (BA)

Yves-François Blanchet MP (French: [iv fʁɑ̃swa blɑ̃ʃɛt]; born April 16, 1965) is a Canadian politician and the leader of the Bloc Québécois (BQ) since 2019. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Beloeil—Chambly since the 2019 election.

Before federal politics, Blanchet was in provincial politics, serving 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 December 2012 to April 2014 under Premier Pauline Marois. Prior to his political career, Blanchet ran an artist management firm and was the president of ADISQ from 2003 to 2006.

Life and career

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 where he obtained a bachelor's degree in history and anthropology in 1987. He 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.

Yves-François Blanchet (2009-10-16) (cropped)
Blanchet in 2009

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. 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 (BQ), he was a columnist with Le Nouvelliste and the program Les Ex, on ICI RDI.

Bloc Québécois (2019–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.

In the 2019 federal election, the Bloc polling number rose to his alignment towards the popular Francois Legault's CAQ government. He 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.

In the 2021 Canadian 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% of the vote.

Personal life

Blanchet married and is now separated from Nancy Déziel.

In September 2020, Blanchet tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after his wife had tested positive earlier in the month, requiring him to self-isolate at his residence in Shawinigan during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec.

Electoral record

Federal results

Canadian federal election, 2021: Beloeil—Chambly
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Bloc Québécois Yves-François Blanchet 34,678 53.1 +2.5 $44,405.09
Liberal Marie-Chantal Hamel 15,460 23.7 -0.1 $20,410.86
Conservative Stéphane Robichaud 5,622 8.6 +2.8 $1,228.76
New Democratic Marie-Josée Béliveau 5,525 8.5 -6.5 $1,187.30
PPC Danila Ejov 1,344 2.1 +1.5 $5.00
Green Fabrice Gélinas Larrain 1,294 2.0 -2.7 $1,848.81
FPC Mario Grimard 845 1.3 $1,113.55
Marijuana Benjamin Vachon 191 0.3 $0.00
Rhinoceros Thomas Thibault-Vincent 185 0.3 $0.00
Indépendance du Québec Michel Blondin 163 0.2 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,324 98.3 $124,082.82
Total rejected ballots 1,109 1.7
Turnout 66,433 68.7
Eligible voters 96,633
Bloc Québécois hold Swing +1.3
Source: Elections Canada
Canadian federal election, 2019: Beloeil—Chambly
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Bloc Québécois Yves-François Blanchet 35,068 50.5 +22.82 $36,540.34
Liberal Marie-Chantal Hamel 16,059 23.1 -6.24 $62,823.63
New Democratic Matthew Dubé 10,086 14.5 -16.57 $20,636.78
Conservative Véronique Laprise 4,305 6.2 -3.09 $0.00
Green Pierre Carrier 3,255 4.7 +2.45 $18,235.50
PPC Chloé Bernard 512 0.7 $5,931.38
Indépendence du Québec Michel Blondin 205 0.3 $768.82
Total valid votes/expense limit 69,490 100.0
Total rejected ballots 1,064
Turnout 70,554 73.7
Eligible voters 95,723
Bloc Québécois gain from New Democratic Swing +19.79
Source: Elections Canada

Provincial results

Quebec general election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Coalition Avenir Québec André Lamontagne 13,621 36.06
Parti Québécois Yves-François Blanchet 11,768 31.16
Liberal Brigitte Mercier 8,946 23.69
Québec solidaire François Desrochers 2,365 6.26
Parti nul Sébastien Gauthier 502 1.33
Option nationale Magali Doucet 304 0.80
Conservative Benoit Lussier 262 0.69
Total valid votes 37,768 98.04
Total rejected ballots 755 1.96
Turnout 38,523 67.44
Electors on the lists 57,123
Quebec general election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Parti Québécois Yves-François Blanchet 15,007 36.16 +1.34
Coalition Avenir Québec Stéphane Legault 14,804 35.67 +5.16
Liberal Nancy Boyce 8,434 20.32 -9.55
Québec solidaire Julie Dionne 1,887 4.55 +1.57
Option nationale Steve Lemay 889 2.14
Conservative Benoit Lussier 479 1.15
2008 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Parti Québécois Yves-François Blanchet 11,480 34.40
  Liberal Jacques Sigouin 10,860 32.54
Action démocratique Sébastien Schneeberger 9,757 29.23
Québec solidaire Luce Daneau 1,279 3.83

See also

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