He was born in Sacré-Coeur, Quebec and studied at the Université du Québec à Rimouski.

Maltais was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate in the 1981 Quebec election, but won a by-election on June 20, 1983.

He was a member of the Quebec National Assembly representing Saguenay from 1983 until 1994, when he did not run for re-election.

Prior to being appointed to the Senate by Stephen Harper, Maltais was a political organizer for the Conservative Party of Canada.

This article about a Quebec Member of the Canadian Senate is a stub.