Després studied at the Université Laval and obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1982.
He would be re-elected in 1989 before temporarily halting his political career prior to the 1994 elections.
He would seek another election in 1998 reclaiming the riding of Limoilou before winning again in Jean-Lesage in 2003.
Despres would adopt Bill 31 which introduced subcontracting in the public sector.
The bill would be reinforced in mid-December 2003 as a special law which was voted in favor by the Liberal majority government.