Joëlle Boutin, CAQ MNA for Jean-Talon, resigns

Coalition Avenir Québec MNA Joëlle Boutin is stepping down, leaving the Quebec City riding of Jean-Talon up for grabs.

Boutin made the announcement Wednesday afternoon, saying she made the difficult decision to leave because she found being a politician requires too many sacrifices for her family.

"In recent years, I have chosen to spend too little time with my children in order to serve my fellow citizens," she said, adding, however, that she had no regrets about running for office.

Boutin said she shares custody of her children, seeing them one week out of two, and she was often too busy to spend time with them when they were with her.

She downplayed rumours that she was leaving because she'd been left out of cabinet or because the government had abandoned plans to build the third link — a highway tunnel connecting Quebec City to Lévis.

"I'm not quitting because I'm disappointed in not being a cabinet minister," she said.

Boutin said she has accepted a position in the private sector that will start in August.

She also thanked Premier François Legault, whom she met with yesterday, and praised his leadership, especially during the pandemic.

Although Boutin was not a cabinet minister, she was parliamentary assistant to Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon.

Boutin's departure means the CAQ is down to 89 MNAs, still an overwhelming majority.

But it also means that Jean-Talon riding, a traditionally Liberal stronghold, is no longer secure.

Boutin won a 2019 byelection there with 43 per cent of the votes after former Liberal minister Sébastien Proulx resigned.

She was re-elected in 2022 with Québec Solidaire's Olivier Bolduc coming in second.

Legault must call a byelection within six months.