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Quebec Conservatives nab their only legislature seat with ex-CAQ member joining party

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • March 25, 2026

Quebec Conservative Leader Eric Duhaime shakes hand with independent MNA Maite Blanchette Vezina, left, after she decided to join the Quebec Conservative Party to sit at the legislature in Quebec City on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

QUEBEC -- The Quebec Conservatives now have an elected member in the national assembly after a former cabinet minister with the Coalition Avenir Quebec crossed the floor to join the party.

Maite Blanchette Vezina, who had quit the CAQ to sit as an Independent in September, joined the Conservatives on Tuesday and announced she will run for the party in the October general election.

Blanchette Vezina left the CAQ shortly after Premier Francois Legault shuffled her out of the natural resources portfolio.

Since then Conservative Leader Eric Duhaime had been courting Blanchette Vezina, who delivered a speech at the party's convention in January.

With his new member Duhaime will now have access to the legislature -- a similar situation to 2021 when he convinced former CAQ member Claire Samson to become his party's sole elected representative.

Duhaime's Conservatives collected nearly 13 per cent of the vote during the 2022 provincial campaign but failed to win any seats.

In contrast the Liberals received roughly 14 per cent of the popular vote and won 21 seats.

This report by was first published March 25, 2026.