The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government has moved swiftly to distance itself from one of its own members following a serious incident. François Tremblay, the MNA for the Dubuc riding, has stepped aside from the party caucus after being arrested on suspicion of impaired driving. The decision was announced on Friday, January 9, 2026.
Mutual Agreement to Step Aside
In an official statement, the government's chief whip, François Jacques, revealed the development. He stated that following discussions with Tremblay, it was "mutually agreed" that the MNA would withdraw from the CAQ caucus "for the duration of the legal proceedings." The brief statement concluded by noting that no further comments would be made at this time.
Details of the Late-Night Incident
The arrest occurred in the early hours of Thursday, January 8, in the Saguenay region. According to police reports, officers were called to the borough of La Baie at approximately 1:25 a.m. after a man in his mid-50s allegedly crashed a vehicle into a fence.
The individual was taken to a police station for testing. A blood-alcohol analysis revealed a level nearly twice the legal limit of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Police confirmed that no injuries resulted from the single-vehicle incident. The man was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.
While police did not initially publicly name the individual, multiple Quebec media outlets identified him as François Tremblay, the CAQ MNA first elected to represent the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean riding in 2018.
Political Repercussions and Fallout
Prior to the announcement of Tremblay's caucus withdrawal, Chief Whip Jacques had described the situation as "very serious" and indicated that disciplinary measures were being considered. The party emphasized the need to first establish all the facts.
Beyond his role as a backbencher, Tremblay also served as the parliamentary assistant to Infrastructure Minister Benoit Charette. His temporary removal from the CAQ caucus reduces the party's seat count by one. However, it does not threaten the CAQ's commanding majority in the National Assembly of Quebec.
The case now moves to the judicial system, where the legal proceedings will determine the outcome. The CAQ's decisive action to sideline the MNA reflects the significant political and public relations challenges posed by such allegations against elected officials.
