Bonnardel ‘extremely disappointed’ after being left out of next cabinet

Political analyst Victor Henriquez speaks about Francois Bonnardel's exit from the CAQ cabinet and what's next for Francois Legault's government.

Quebec Public Safety Minister François Bonnardel says he is “extremely disappointed with the turn of events,” after finding out that he will not be part of the next Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) cabinet.

Quebec Premier François Legault is expected to proceed with his highly anticipated cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, during which the Granby MNA is set to lose his seat at the decision-making table.

“In recent days, the premier has indicated to me his desire to rejuvenate his team. Obviously, I am extremely disappointed with the turn of events,” Bonnardel wrote on social media Tuesday morning after several media outlets reported his exclusion from the next cabinet.

“I was ready to continue serving Quebecers in cabinet and had clearly indicated my intention to run again in 2026,” he continued.

Bonnardel stressed that he has “the firm intention to continue representing the residents of Granby until the end of the term,” but did not specify whether or not he still has plans to run in the next election.

First elected to the National Assembly in 2007, Bonnardel has long been considered a loyal ally of Legault, as a former Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) member who then joined the CAQ.

During the CAQ’s first term, from 2018 to 2022, he served as minister of transport, which recently put him in the spotlight following the SAAQclic fiasco.

• READ MORE: SAAQclic inquiry: former top civil servant denies being told of cost overrun

During his appearance before the Gallant Commission, which is investigating the failed Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) digital shift, Bonnardel insisted that he had received incomplete and inaccurate information about the project’s costs.

Bonnardel has served as minister of public security since 2022.

He has also been the minister responsible for the Estrie region since the CAQ came to power.

New blood

Bonnardel’s is the fourth position to become vacant in the cabinet ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s reshuffle.

Last week, Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest announced her resignation to run for mayor of Saguenay.

On Monday, Family Minister Suzanne Roy confirmed that she will not be running in the 2026 provincial election.

Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne has also reportedly indicated that he will not be running again next year.

• READ MORE: Two CAQ ministers not running for re-election

Legault has said he wants to shake up his cabinet and bring in new blood to breathe life into his government.

“This will be an opportunity to give new momentum to the team and make room for new ideas to advance the government’s priorities,” the premier’s office said last week about the reshuffle.

The changes come a little over a year before the next provincial election, and at a time when the Legault government has become increasingly unpopular with Quebecers.

In a new Pallas Data/L’Actualité/Qc125 poll, the results of which were released on Monday, the CAQ garnered 11 per cent of voting intentions, placing it in fourth place.

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 9, 2025.