He represents the electoral district of Nicolet-Bécancour as a member of the Coalition Avenir Québec.
He was selected as both secretary-treasurer and director general of the Nicolet-Yamaska Regional County Municipality (MRC) in 1994, and continues to hold the first position as of 2009.
He has also been the responsable administratif for the Centre local de développement (CLD) in Nicolet-Yamaska since 1998.
[4] Martel ran as a Parti Québécois candidate in Nicolet-Yamaska in the 2007 election, finishing second with 7,455 votes (28.32%) against Action démocratique du Québec candidate Éric Dorion.
He resigned as president of the local Parti Québécois association in April 2008, arguing that his civic duties were inconsistent with partisan political activity.