After losing his seat, Cote worked for the Liberals until he returned as MNA in Charlesbourg in a 1983 by-election.
Re-elected in 1985 when the Liberals and Bourassa returned to power, Cote was named Minister of Transports until his-reelection in 1989.
Côté resigned a few months before the 1994 elections but was still an active member for the Liberals as a campaign organizer until the sponsorship scandal when his membership was revoked when his name was circulating among those who were involved in money contributions for Liberal election campaigns via the defunct program.
He mentioned during the Gomery Commission that he accepted $120 000, from the general manager of the Quebec chapter of the party Michel Béliveau, for the Liberal campaign of 1997.
[1] He was expelled by former federal Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin after the Commission but Liberal leader successor Stéphane Dion considered to re-integrate Cote as well as former Jean Chrétien Cabinet Chief Jean Pelletier.