After all, “Let’s Continue” wasn’t just a slogan. Half of the ministers in the first Legault government were reappointed.
Posted at 5:00 am
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The caquistes feel they have been stripped of part of their mandate because of the pandemic, and several ministers still had major reforms in the works.
In terms of health, Christian Dubé had just presented his ambitious plan when the meeting ended. In social services, Lionel Carmant has not yet fully implemented the recommendations of the Laurent Commission on Children’s Rights. In agriculture, André Lamontagne is particularly appreciated. For First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière was just beginning to build community relationships. And Simon Jolin-Barrette is far from done with his robust family law reform. Business trio Eric Girard, Sonia LeBel and Pierre Fitzgibbon looked difficult to replace.
That’s quite a change from 2018, when the Council of Ministers had only recruits, with the exception of François Legault and Marguerite Blais.
Mr. Fitzgibbon is an expected source of tension at Hydro-Québec and adds the energy file to his duties. He wants to turn the energy transition into an economic development project. But will he also think about sobriety and efficiency? To calm things down, Mr. Legault will chair a new committee on these issues, which will include the CEO of the state-owned company.
In the environment, continuity cannot be the only goal. Minister Benoit Charette is promoting his plan, but it only achieves half of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
Genevieve Guilbault inherits Transports. As a member of the Capitale-Nationale, she will vehemently defend the third rank. But she never gave the impression of caring about the environment. She has the opportunity to demonstrate the opposite with the tram file and the new version of the REM de l’Est if she is interested.
Only two ministers were expelled: Pierre Dufour, who was notable for his contempt for environmentalists, and Lucie Lecours, who unfortunately did not have time to prove herself. The other seats were vacated by the political resignation of four ministers.
If there’s one place where the slogan “Let’s Continue” is less clear, it’s in education. Mr Legault said this has always been his priority but it is difficult to predict which direction Bernard Drainville will take. I’ll talk about that soon.
At least he’ll be relieved of higher education, which goes to Pascale Déry, a former journalist who ran communications for the Montreal Economic Institute, a right-wing think tank, then for Air Canada, where she defended Michael Rousseau.
Among the other recruits, some choices seem logical. When it comes to immigration, Christine Fréchette, former executive director of the East Montreal Chamber of Commerce and former adviser to Jean-François Lisée, will put her rigor and sobriety to good use.
Nor was anyone surprised when Sonia Bélanger, former nurse and former executive director of CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, inherited the Elders file.
Former journalist Martine Biron will be in charge of International Relations, allowing her to tame her new job with some detachment from the cameras. It remains to be seen whether this ministry will be run purely as a trade office.
A priori we have not seen Suzanne Roy with the family. But for daycare, you no longer have to write a program. It’s time for action. The CAQ believes that this former mayor of Sainte-Julie and former president of the association of communes has the experience to cut bureaucracy and create the places promised. Outgoing minister Mathieu Lacombe was not unworthy, but his interpersonal skills will help the culture where, despite its budget increases, the CAQ has failed to develop close ties with the artistic community.
We may be surprised that Jean Boulet is still Minister for Labor after his false and inflammatory statement about immigrants not working. Before that hideous slide, it had been solid. And as a former Liberal Party of Canada activist, he is indeed one of the least nationalist in the caucus. He is given one last chance.
Jean-François Roberge will also be able to recover. After an arduous mandate in education, his sometimes harsh tone could come in handy in intergovernmental affairs. We hope this ex-PQ will be more demanding than Sonia LeBel.
He is also in charge of defending French and has to work closely with his colleague, the minister for immigration and Francis, who plays a crucial role.
Access to information has been added to Mr. Roberge’s files. By overloading it in this way, we risk drowning out the subject. Which can’t be a coincidence…
In another reorganization, the Habitation left the Department of Municipal Affairs to report to a newcomer, France-Élaine Duranceau. She will have to untie the usual knots with the federal government and be sensitive to the plight of the poor.
Hardly anyone saw Maïté Blanchette Vézina, former mayor of Sainte-Luce, as head of the natural resources department. Even if this department is no longer responsible for Hydro-Québec, the bite for the 37-year-old recruit remains great. She embodies the next generation and also the CAQ’s desire to dethrone the PQ in Bas-Saint-Laurent.
Finally, there is Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the first-ever indigenous woman to be elected to Parliament and appointed Minister. It’s a beautiful catch and a beautiful symbol. Not to be the Head of Aboriginal Affairs was to be expected – the expectations would have been unmanageable. As Labor Minister, she will work differently for the emancipation of the first peoples.
For this new Council of Ministers, the hardest part is yet to come. Because with a team this big, it’s harder than ever to justify keeping an incompetent. For there will be many who dream of taking their place.