Former Bloc Québécois MP Jean Dorion dead at 83

Former Bloc Québécois MP Jean Dorion died at 83 years old. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Former Bloc Québécois MP Jean Dorion, who was also president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal (SSJB) and Quebec’s delegate general in Tokyo, died at 83 years old.

The SSJB made the announcement on Friday morning. The family later confirmed the death in a Facebook post.

“He passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning, January 23, 2026, after a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s disease and prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife and five children, as well as his many friends,” the family wrote.

The SSJB recalls that the independence activist’s career was marked by “major achievements in the political, diplomatic, and civic spheres.”

“His track record (...) reflects an exceptional commitment to serving his country,” said the organization’s president, Marie-Anne Alepin, in a statement.

“Throughout his life, Jean Dorion remained deeply faithful to his commitment to Quebec. He often said that his presidency at the head of the SSJB was one of the greatest sources of pride in his life,” she added.

A sociologist by training, he was one of the founding members of the Parti Québécois.

Dorion held key positions in Quebec’s political administration, notably in the cabinet of Gérald Godin, then minister responsible for the application of the Charter of the French Language.

Dorion was also chair of the SSJB’s language committee at the time of the major demonstrations in defense of Bill 101.

He served his first term as president of the SSJB in Montreal from 1989 to 1994, during which time he revived the Quebec National Holiday parade in 1990 after a hiatus of more than 20 years.

Dorion returned to head the SSJB from 2003 to 2008, after serving as Quebec’s delegate general to Japan for six years until 2000.

During his years as a Bloc Québécois MP, from 2008 to 2011, Dorion maintained close relations with Japan, according to the SSJB.

In March 2020, he was awarded Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, a high distinction that honors individuals who have contributed to the advancement of that country.

The SSJB also notes that Dorion took part in debates surrounding secularism and Quebec identity. In 2013, he published the book “Inclure - Quelle laïcité pour le Québec?” (Include - What kind of secularism for Quebec?).

Details regarding his funeral, which is to be held at Maison Ludger-Duvernay, the headquarters of the SSJB in Montreal, will be announced at a later date.