Quebec City is bracing for political upheaval as Geneviève Guilbault, the province’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced Sunday she will step down at the end of her current term. The decision, delivered alongside her two young children, centers on a desire to prioritize family life—a sentiment that’s already sparking debate about the demands of high office.
Guilbault’s departure adds another layer of complexity to Quebec’s political landscape following Premier François Legault’s recent resignation.
- Geneviève Guilbault will leave provincial politics, citing a desire to spend more time with her family.
- Her announcement follows Premier François Legault’s recent resignation, fueling speculation about the future of the CAQ party.
- Guilbault’s tenure was marked by both significant roles and controversy, including the troubled SAAQclic project.
- Political analysts suggest her decision may also be linked to the CAQ’s prospects in the next election.
Q: Why is Geneviève Guilbault leaving politics? A: Guilbault stated her decision stems from a desire to avoid regretting missed time with her children as her political career progresses, prioritizing family over another four-year term.
Guilbault, who was pregnant with her oldest child when first elected in a 2017 byelection with the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), gave birth to her second child while serving as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA). Speaking Sunday in her riding of Louis-Hébert near Quebec City, she confessed a fear of regret outweighed many other anxieties.
“It’s evident that if I continue in politics for another four years, I expose myself to regretting having missed, in some ways, my kids’ childhood because I would’ve had my head elsewhere during all those precious years,” she said.
While Guilbault insisted the decision was made “a long time ago” and unrelated to current political circumstances, it comes on the heels of Premier Legault’s resignation earlier this week. Following Legault’s announcement, several CAQ MNAs reportedly expressed interest in seeing Guilbault lead the party.
Guilbault, however, emphasized she isn’t ruling out a future return to politics, but is currently choosing to focus on her family. She served as deputy premier and transport minister from October 2022 until last fall, when she transitioned to the municipal affairs portfolio during a cabinet shuffle.
In a post on X Sunday, Legault thanked Guilbault for her dedication and trust, stating he understood her motivations.
Leadership Questions Loom for the CAQ
Former Quebec Liberal MNA and political analyst Christine St-Pierre questioned the timing of Guilbault’s announcement, suggesting it may be influenced by the CAQ’s current position despite the minister’s claims.
“Geneviève Guilbault is an outstanding politician. She’s very clever, a good communicator, but I think she was realizing … that it wasn’t possible for the CAQ to win the next election,” said St-Pierre.
St-Pierre also pointed to the upcoming CAQ leadership race as a potential factor, arguing Guilbault lacked sufficient support from her colleagues. She noted the relatively small number of CAQ MNAs present at Sunday’s announcement as evidence of this.
Among those in attendance were CAQ MNAs Donald Martel, Shirley Dorismond, Samuel Poulin, Jean-François Simard, Isabelle Lecours, Sébastien Schneeberger, and Sylvain Lévesque, who previously announced he would not seek re-election at the end of 2025.
The Shadow of SAAQclic
St-Pierre suggested Guilbault’s association with the SAAQclic scandal may have also damaged her prospects within the CAQ. As Transport Minister, Guilbault inherited the province’s automobile insurance board during a problematic digital transition. She oversaw the launch of the SAAQclic platform in February 2023, a rollout widely considered disastrous.
The provincial government established the Gallant commission in early 2025 to investigate the cost overruns associated with the SAAQ’s project, as detailed in a scathing report from the auditor general that winter. Radio-Canada reported earlier this week that the commission issued “notices of misconduct” to some members of Guilbault’s cabinet who testified at the public inquiry.
Guilbault previously stated she only learned of the SAAQ’s financial issues through the auditor general’s report, but inquiry documents revealed she was informed of the project’s escalating costs as early as June 2023.
The Gallant commission’s final report is pending, but St-Pierre believes Guilbault is likely to bear the brunt of the blame. “It is impossible after that to be leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec,” she stated.
In April 2023, Guilbault also announced the government would reverse course on its plan to include cars in the proposed third link connecting Quebec City to Lévis. Quebec Conservative leader Éric Duhaime suggested this decision marked the moment the premier and his team decided to “sacrifice” Guilbault.
Duhaime, describing Guilbault as “an exceptional communicator,” wished her well and thanked her for her public service. Following a byelection loss in Quebec City shortly after Guilbault’s April 2023 announcement, the CAQ revived the plan for a vehicle-based third link.
Guilbault concluded her news conference Sunday by expressing gratitude to Quebecers, particularly the women who have supported her throughout her political career. Despite facing media scrutiny, insults, and criticism, she affirmed she would do it all again.
“Because it’s too important and it’s also important that women continue to run in politics and that we continue to be proud, collectively, of each woman who braves the very difficult context of politics these days.”
