Separatist Yves-Francois Blanchet’s balancing act: campaigning for seats amid surge of Canadian pride

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Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is leading his party into this campaign having to perform a delicate balancing act. As the leader of a separatist party in Quebec, he’ll be trying to pick up seats across the province at a time when there’s a country-wide surge in national pride.

According to recent polling from Nanos Research, while the Liberals and Conservatives are neck-and-neck nationwide, Quebec could come down to a two-way contest between the Liberals and the Bloc.

But whereas the Bloc enjoyed a healthy double-digit lead in public opinion tracking in Quebec last spring, the Conservatives and the Liberals started to catch up over the summer. The Liberals have now slightly surpassed the Bloc, while the Conservatives have taken a dive, dropping to a distant third, according to data from Nanos Research.

Plus, the race is kicking off just months after Blanchet vowed to start negotiations with the other opposition parties to help topple former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government, one of the longest-running minority governments in Canadian history.

After the Liberals’ longstanding supply-and-confidence agreement with the NDP ended last September, destabilizing the dynamics in the House, the Conservatives used several of their opposition days to table non-confidence motions. Blanchet, meanwhile, insisted he’d always act in the best interest of Quebecers, and leveraged his position to issue an ultimatum to the Liberals.

The Bloc leader’s line in the sand was to see both Bills C-319 and C-282 — intended to boost Old Age Security (OAS) and protect supply management in future trade talks, respectively — become law by Oct. 29, or his party would pull its support and vote non-confidence in the government.

The NDP, however, stayed onside with the Liberals, and didn’t confirm they’d pull their support until late December, at which point the House had already gone on break for the holidays.

Blanchet said late last year that he’s more focused on getting as many MPs elected as possible than he is worrying about the party breakdowns in the House.

Now, he’ll be campaigning on his argument that more seats for the Bloc will force whoever forms government to prioritize Quebec issues.

“A very strong Bloc Québécois delegation forces a government, any government, to respect what Quebec wants,” he told the Canadian Press in December.

“And the proof is in front of us: Justin Trudeau’s government didn’t respect Quebec and it’s possible they’ll find themselves with a historically low number of seats in Quebec in the next election.” Quebec, he said, “is making them pay the price.”

From provincial politics to Bloc revival

Blanchet was born in Drummondville, Que., in 1965, and went on to study history and anthropology at the Université de Montreal. He later worked as a teacher and in the music industry before running for political office, though his interest and involvement in politics began when he was in his early 20s.

He founded the concert-management firm YFB Inc. and served as president of a non-profit aimed at supporting Quebec’s independent artists and promoting the development of the province’s music industry. For two years, he was also the president of Quebec’s Earth Day.

Blanchet was first elected to the Quebec National Assembly in 2008, as a member of the Parti Quebecois (PQ), though the incumbent Liberals under former premier Jean Charest won a majority government.

In 2012, the PQ briefly won back the National Assembly with a minority government under Pauline Marois, while Blanchet narrowly won back his seat by just 200 votes. He beat out the candidate for the newly formed Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ).

Blanchet served as government whip, and was named minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks, before he lost to the CAQ candidate in the 2014 Quebec election.

Between his provincial and federal political stints, Blanchet worked as a commentator and columnist for various Quebec media outlets.

Meanwhile at the national level, the Bloc Quebecois was experiencing significant turmoil, first by losing official party status during the 2011 federal election, and then during a series of leadership challenges, culminating in the ouster of embattled former leader Martine Ouellet in 2018.

Blanchet ran unopposed for the leadership and took over the party in January 2019.

During the general election later that year, Blanchet and the Bloc won 32 of a possible 75 seats in Quebec. In the process, they regained official party status and replaced the NDP as the third party in the House of Commons.

The party went on to help the Liberals pass several bills through the House — keeping them afloat as a minority — including the controversial online content regulations legislation Bill C-10, and measures designed to support Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, including an extension of the federal wage subsidy.

In an interview with CTV News during the 2021 campaign, Blanchet said he believed his party’s success in 2019 led to the other parties taking notice, which benefitted the province.

“The Bloc Quebecois’ comeback has forced the Canadian parties and Parliament to reposition themselves more favourably in Quebec,” he said at the time. “Their sudden love for French or the recognition of the Quebec nation, better border management and the protection of aluminum are eloquent signs of this.”

“These gestures have the merit of being explained by the presence of a Bloc which makes clear, valid proposals, and always in the direction of what is good for Quebec,” he also said.

Blanchet has won his riding with more than 50 per cent of the votes in the last two consecutive elections.

Blanchet has four children and two grandchildren. He was previously married to Nancy Déziel, a city councillor in Shawinigan, Que. And is now engaged to Karine Rodrigue, political advisor to the leader’s cabinet.

Five questions with Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet

What has inspired you this year?

When forest fires caused by climate change were raging in California, and Quebec deployed CL-415s and their crews. Seeing our pilots braving the flames to help a neighbor in need was inspiring. It made me proud.

What was the last book you’ve read?

“Le Duel culturel des nations,” by Emmanuel Lapierre.

What is your drink of choice?

Café latté with a strange but precise blend of a touch of maple, chocolate and cinnamon.

What’s your favorite product that’s made in Canada?

Once every two weeks or so, a small glass of Côte-des-Saints whiskey from Ste-Scholastique, Quebec, a real gem that compares with the best in the world.

Who do you call first with good news?

My fiancée, Karine.