With his 90 MPs elected in the October 3 vote, Mr Legault was spoiled for choice.
I’ve had to stay up late nights to change the list, the prime minister said with a smile on Thursday morning.
According to the leaked information, several of his previous government’s tenors will keep their jobs, starting with Christian Dubé in health and social services, where he has embarked on sweeping reform. For his part, Lionel Carmant will remain Minister Delegate of this Ministry.
In what passes for an economic trio, Eric Girard seems to stay in finance and Pierre Fitzgibbon in economics. But rumor has it the latter is inheriting Energy with that big chunk being Hydro-Quebec and responsibility for the greater Montreal area.
The fate of Sonia LeBel, the third member of the business trio in the previous mandate, is more uncertain. There is talk of her retaining Treasury President, but some would rather see her take the helm of education.
Everything indicates that Benoît Charette will be back in charge of the Environment Ministry, at a time when François Legault has expressed his desire to become the first minister for the energy transition.
Among those who might be entrusted with various duties, Jonatan Julien would reap the responsibilities of the Capitale-Nationale. And this, instead of Geneviève Guilbault, took over the transport, an important role for Quebec, where the CAQ wants to carry out its third connection project, but also for the metropolitan area with the repair of the Pont tunnel Louis-Hippolyte fountain.
Public security, a significant act given the increase in firearms incidents, would be entrusted to François Bonnardel, previously employed in transport.
Finally, Jean Boulet, who was in charge of immigration, employment and labor, seems to have to settle for Labor this time.
Among the newcomers, former journalist Martine Biron could end up in the Council of Ministers, but for what functions? International relations maybe.
For his first mandate at the CAQ, Bernard Drainville, ex-journalist and veteran of politics, is approached as successor to Jean-François Roberge for education.
Like Bernard Drainville, Christine Fréchette has worn the colors of the Parti Québécois in the past; this CAQ recruit could become Minister for Immigration.
Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the first indigenous woman to be elected to the National Assembly, is likely to have ministerial duties as well, perhaps professionally.
Suzanne Roy, former mayor of Sainte-Julie and former president of the Union of Quebec Municipalities, was also scheduled to join the Council of Ministers.
Finally, Sonia Bélanger, who managed the Integrated University Center of the Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, could succeed Marguerite Blais in the Ministry of Senior Citizens.
With information from Hugo Lavallée, Véronique Prince and Sébastien Bovet