Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay confirms switch to Parti Québécois

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, centre, hugs Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet as Bloc MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay looks on during a press conference to announce Savard-Tremblay will leave federal politics to run for the PQ in the fall provincial election, in St-Hyacinthe, Que., on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

SAINT-HYACINTHE — Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay has confirmed he’ll resign his seat in the House of Commons to run for the Parti Québécois in the fall provincial election.

Savard-Tremblay says he’ll sit as an Independent for the rest of the federal parliamentary session before resigning at the start of the summer break.

He made the announcement in St-Hyacinthe, Que., east of Montreal, alongside the leaders of both the Parti Québécois and the Bloc.

Savard-Tremblay has represented the St-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton riding since 2019 and plans to seek the nomination in the same area at the provincial level.

He says his experience in Ottawa showed him that Quebec’s interests are often sidelined despite the effort of Bloc MPs.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet and PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon hugged each other in front of reporters to signal the two sovereigntist parties were coming together.

There had been tensions between the two leaders in recent months, including over Blanchet’s willingness to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney as a partner during trade negotiations with the U.S.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2026.

Pierre Saint-Arnaud, The Canadian Press