Career
He was re-elected in the 1972 and 1974 elections. Matte ran for the leadership again in 1978 but abruptly resigned from the party to sit as an independent when its national executive decided to hold the leadership convention in Winnipeg. Interim leader Charles-Arthur Gauthier stated that Matte was expelled after refusing to follow party discipline for 18 months.
He ran as an independent candidate in the 1979 federal election and was defeated by Liberal candidate Michel Veillette.
Matte ran again in 1980 as a New Democratic Party candidate, but finished second.