THE 26 WOMEN AND MEN IN THE FIRST CAQ CABINET
Premier François Legault’s cabinet includes many political neophytes, several entrepreneurs, an Olympic medallist and a helicopter pilot. Andy Riga reports on who will be around the table.
François Legault
Premier
Responsible for youth issues and relations with anglophone Quebecers
Geneviève Guilbault Deputy-premier, public security Since the Oct. 1 election, Guilbault has been a spokesperson for the CAQ’s transition to government. New to politics, Guilbault, a former spokesperson for Quebec’s coroner’s office, worked for Jacques Dupuis, the former Liberal public security minister, in 2009.
Jean-François Roberge Education
A teacher, he was the CAQ’s critic on education and youth issues. An MNA since 2014, he will be tasked with fulfilling Legault’s plan to scrap school boards and replace them with “service centres” run by school directors, professionals and parents. Roberge is the author of Et si on réinventait l’école? (And if we reinvented schools?) about reorganizing the education system to focus on students.
Danielle McCann
Health and social services
A political neophyte, McCann administered health institutions before. She is the former head of the Montreal regional health agency, which had a $6-billion budget and co-ordinated 60 health-care institutions.
Éric Girard
Finance
New to politics, Girard is a former treasurer at the National Bank of Canada who has worked in the investment and financial markets for more than two decades.
Simon Jolin-Barrette Immigration, diversity and inclusion A lawyer who once worked in the city of Montreal’s legal department, Jolin-Barrette has a heavy load, shepherding controversial Legault plans to ban the wearing of religious symbols by some government workers, slash immigration by 20 per cent, and introduce French and “Quebec values” tests for new immigrants. As house leader, Jolin-Barrette will also be responsible for guiding the new CAQ government’s ambitious legislative agenda. He has been an MNA since 2014.
Sonia LeBel
Justice, intergovernmental affairs, status of women
A lawyer, LeBel became a household name as chief prosecutor at the Charbonneau Commission about collusion and corruption in Quebec’s construction industry. She worked for 20 years as the province’s Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions, specializing in drug-related offences and organized crime. She has never been elected before.
Pierre Fitzgibbon Economy and innovation
A political novice, Fitzgibbon is a business management expert who has worked in a variety of fields — from manufacturing to telecommunications to financial services.
Christian Dubé Treasury Board President
A two-time MNA, he quit in 2014 to become a senior vice-president at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Dubé returned to politics this year to replace CAQ president Stéphane Le Bouyonnec, who resigned over his role in a company that offered loans with exorbitant interest rates. As president of the Treasury Board, Dubé is responsible for keeping a tight rein on government purse strings.
MarieChantal Chassé Environment and the fight against climate change
An engineer and businesswoman, Chassé is new to politics. She was a surprise winner in the Oct. 1 election, unseating incumbent Liberal Pierre Moreau, a prominent minister in Philippe Couillard’s government.
Chantal Rouleau Associate transport minister and minister responsible for Montreal
Rouleau was mayor of Montreal’s Rivière-des-Prairies—Pointe-auxTrembles borough from 2010 to 2018. She was on former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre’s team and will have to navigate touchy issues with the woman who replaced Coderre, Valérie Plante. The issues include the CAQ’s plans on immigration and religious symbols, and Plante’s desire to build a multibillion-dollar métro line that Quebec would have to fund.
François Bonnardel Transport
An entrepreneur who has been an MNA since 2007, Bonnardel was the CAQ’s finance critic for the last four years.
Marguerite Blais Seniors
Blais, a four-term Liberal MNA who retired and then joined the CAQ, returns to the seniors’ portfolio she held under the Liberals from 2007 to 2012. She will work on Legault’s plan to revamp Quebec’s network of seniors’ homes.
Nathalie Roy
Culture, communications and the French language
Roy, a lawyer and former journalist, was first elected to the National Assembly in 2012. A prominent CAQ MNA, she was most recently the party’s critic for immigration, integrity and secularism.
Mathieu Lacombe Family
A former TV and radio journalist, Lacombe went on to become a spokesperson for the Outaouais public transit agency. A father of two, he had one son in his arms and another next to him as he was sworn in on Thursday.
Nadine Girault International relations and the francophonie
A business administrator who most recently worked at large financial institutions, Girault is of Haitian origin but was born in St. Louis. She is new to politics.
Andrée Laforest Municipal affairs and housing
Trained as a teacher, Laforest owns a daycare and kitchen supply store. A political novice, she won the Chicoutimi riding, a longtime Parti Québécois stronghold, in her first try at politics.
André Lamontagne Agriculture, fisheries and food
An entrepreneur and licensed helicopter pilot, Lamontagne was first elected in 2014 and was the CAQ’s economy, innovation and exports critic.
Jonatan Julien
Energy and natural resources
A first-time MNA, Julien was a city councillor in Quebec City for the last five years. He is an accountant and was secretary general of the provincial agency that manages provincial government real estate.
Pierre Dufour Forests, wildlife and parks
Owner of a travel agency and active in the tourism industry, Dufour is new to politics.
Jean Boulet
Labour, employment and social solidarity
New to politics, he is a lawyer who focused on labour law, collective agreement negotiations and workplace health and safety law.
Caroline Proulx Tourism
A former television broadcaster and commentator, she is the author of the book 100 jours pour le bonheur (100 days to happiness). She is a first-time MNA.
Sylvie D’Amours Native affairs
Owner of a vineyard, D’Amours has been an MNA since 2014 and was most recently the party’s agriculture critic.
Isabelle Charest Junior education minister
A three-time Olympic medallist in speedskating (one silver and two bronzes), Charest was Canada’s chef de mission at the 2018 Winter Olympics. She is new to politics.
Lionel Carmant
Junior health and services minister
A pediatric neurologist and lecturer at the Université de Montréal medical school, Carmant is director of neurology at the Ste-Justine children’s hospital. He is a political novice.
Marie-Eve Proulx
Junior economic development minister
The former mayor of a small town in Chaudière-Appalaches region, Proulx owns a consulting and management-coaching business. She is a first-time MNA.
Éric Caire
Junior minister for government digital transformation
First elected to the National Assembly in 2007, Caire is a prominent CAQ MNA. His reputation was affected by revelations during the election campaign that he had taken a $55,000 loan from a mayor in his riding. He repaid it after Quebec’s ethics watchdog told him there was a potential conflict of interest.