(Quebec) Méganne Perry Mélançon, a former Parti Québécois MP for Gaspé who was defeated in her riding by the Coalition avenir Québec in the last election, was appointed spokeswoman for the Parti Québécois (PQ) on Monday.
Posted at 11:45am
This is a first for the party founded by René Lévesque, it is said from memory at the PQ caucus in Quebec. In a press release, the political formation specified that Ms Mélançon’s role will be to represent the PQ in civil society and occasionally in the media, in a context where there are only three MPs – including leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon – who sit in Parliament.
“I have the feeling that I still have a contribution to make politically. Despite other offers coming my way over the past few weeks, I didn’t see how I could pass up an engagement like this,” she told La Presse.
Méganne Perry Mélançon, 32, was chosen riding Gaspé in Gaspésie in 2018. During her tenure in Quebec, she served as spokesperson for the Third Opposition Group on issues including regional economic development, SMEs, tourism and housing. His new roles will see him working primarily out of Montreal, where PQ’s headquarters are located.
“I think it is important that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon seeks maximum visibility for the party. By creating this position for myself from scratch, part of her vision is to do things differently,” said Ms. Perry Mélançon, specifying that she wants to be a strong voice for the regions within the party.
The creation of a paid spokesperson position and the addition of resources to the PQ office to support the parliamentary research and communications team are the result of years of tight budget control in the party, it was pointed out on Monday. To date, the Parti Québécois has no more debt, it said, in 2022 13,486 people had donated to the PQ troops.
MEPs from the Parti Québécois will meet in Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday as part of a caucus ahead of Parliament’s session. Work in the National Assembly begins on January 31st.