Legault must balance gender, skills, regions in cabinet
Premier-designate must strike complex balance as he makes his selections
QUEBEC Many were elected. Few will be chosen.
When premier-designate François Legault announces next week who he has picked to be in his first cabinet, some are bound to be disappointed.
That’s the problem when you have 73 freshly elected MNAs to pick from. Add into the mix the need to have regional representation and an even balance of men and women and the job gets even more complicated.
Legault will want to make use of the handful of veterans he has, while also showcasing the new talent that washed in with the election tide Oct. 1.
Who’s in and who’s not? All will be known next Thursday, Oct. 18, the date Legault has picked to announce the cabinet. They are expected to get down to work immediately.
It’s early yet, but here is a quick look at some of his options and possibles. The rumour is Legault would like a cabinet of about 20 people.
The big job of finance minister will probably go to new recruit Éric Girard. Perfectly bilingual and able to think on his feet, Girard is the former treasurer of the Banque nationale.
Among his veterans is Christian Dubé, a former vice-president of the Caisse de dépôt et placement. A former CAQ MNA who left politics for a while, Legault wooed him back to be a key part of his economic team.
He is being touted for the job of Treasury Board president, which means he will be in charge of government spending and the public sector.
There appear to be two potential candidates for the justice portfolio, one a veteran, the other new. Simon Jolin-Barrette, the cool-headed MNA for Borduas, has proven himself as the CAQ justice critic these last years and might get the call.
Or it could go to Sonia LeBel, the former prosecutor at the Charbonneau Commission into corruption and collusion. Elected in the Mauricie riding of Champlain, LeBel has been working as an adviser to Legault while waiting for the election. Whoever of the two not chosen could land in the public security job.
Another veteran of the CAQ and Mario Dumont’s old Action démocratique du Québec (the party the CAQ swallowed) is Granby MNA François Bonnardel. He has been acting as the CAQ house leader and finance critic and is expected to be promoted.
The same goes for Jean-François Roberge, another CAQ veteran who in his previous life was a teacher. Some see him as the education minister.
During the election campaign, it was pretty clear Legault would name former health-care boss Danielle McCann health minister. He will also find a place, possibly in charge of youth, for his old friend Dr. Lionel Carmant, a well-known neurologist who was elected in Taillon.
Another who could be on his way into cabinet is former Montreal police spokesperson Ian Lafrenière. It is usually considered a bad idea to put a former police officer in charge of police, so Lafrenière will land somewhere else.
Legault will probably call on Marguerite Blais, the former Liberal cabinet minister turned CAQ who was elected in Prévost. Legault has promised her the job of minister responsible for seniors.
Legault also has to make his choices for regional representation. With only two CAQ MNAs elected on the island of Montreal, former borough mayor Chantal Rouleau, elected in Pointe-auxTrembles, will certainly get responsibility for the city.
For Quebec City, Legault might call on Louis-Hébert MNA Geneviève Guilbault who could also get the title of deputy premier.
But there are many mysteries left. For example, will Legault follow the leads of the PQ and later the Liberals and name a minister responsible for the English-speaking community?
And who will he put in charge of the environment and the bill he wants to present barring authority figures such as judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols? Legault has said he wants that bill passed in the first year of his mandate.
On Wednesday, CAQ officials reported that Legault had his first face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a plane on their way to the francophonie summit in Armenia. The chat lasted 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, the complicated business of swearing in all 125 MNAs is getting started.
The Liberals’ 29 MNAs will take the oath Monday, the CAQ’s 74 winners Tuesday, Québec solidaire’s 10 Wednesday and the Parti Québécois’ 10 Friday.
Interim Liberal Leader Pierre Arcand also made his first moves Wednesday, He named Jean-Talon MNA Sébastien Proulx Liberal house leader and decided JeanneMance—Viger MNA Filomena Rotiroti will remain chairperson of the Liberal caucus, while Laporte MNA Nicole Ménard stays party whip.