Saint-françois MNA ready for new challenges
Coalition Avenir Québec’s Geneviève Hébert dove into provincial politics for the first time last fall and was elected the MNA for Saint-françois on October 1. Four months later, the Deputy Government Whip is growing more and more comfortable in her new position at the National Assembly.
“So far, my mandate has been going very well. It’s a big learning curve,” explained Hébert from her new office on King Est Street in Sherbrooke. “I was sworn in on October 16, and from then it’s been a lot of preparation. We had to move, and we opened our offices in Sherbrooke and Coaticook. Then we had our first intensive two-week session in Quebec City. We are preparing for the budget, looking into all our dossiers, and I’ve met with many citizens who did not receive a follow-up on their dossiers.”
Hébert and many of her fellow CAQ MNAS were faced with former deputies destroying the riding’s files and records and the end of their mandates, which has made settling in more complicated. “The adjustment period isn’t over yet but we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re excited to get things done.”
As Deputy Government Whip along with Lise Lavallée, Hébert is part of what she describes as the “discipline” team. “For parliamentary committees or in the National Assembly Chamber, we take care of everything that involves team spirit, solidarity, morale and moral support. We really focus on the human aspect of the government. MNAS face big tasks and many challenges, so our responsibility is to offer them support at the National Assembly and in their constituencies. One of my greatest strengths is working with team spirit so it’s a position I appreciate,” she said.
Her political journey did not start with the provincial elections, as she became involved in municipal politics working alongside Louisda Brochu, municipal councillor in Sherbrooke and Fleurimont for over 20 years. “Working on his campaign made me realize that the proximity I gained from going door-to-door was a way for me to serve my community and instigate change,” she stated.
She ran with Renouveau Sherbrookois in 2017 against Rémi Demers, a councillor she admitted was very well-liked. “I knew it would be incredibly difficult to beat him. It was a great learning experience; I knew I now had new knowledge that would help me if I were to run again.”
During the municipal campaign, she was noticed by members of the CAQ who then approached her as they were looking for a female candidate in Saint-françois. “I went for it because I liked that it was a new party: it gave us a chance to start with a blank slate. It had no ties, no background that followed it, so it allowed us to build something completely new and to make a change,” remarked Hébert. “65 members out of the 125 were women and I liked the idea of parity, of gender equality.”
“There is a need for improvement in the health sector in Saint-françois,” she mentioned. “For example, several doctors in the Coaticook MRC will be retiring soon, which will result in many people without family doctors, known as orphan patients. In emergency rooms, we would also like the waiting time to be reduced to a maximum of 90 minutes. Of course, it’s a project that will be realized in the longer term, but it is still a priority for me.”
The Saint-françois MNA also addressed the educational variety in the constituency. “The Université de Sherbrooke’s medical school, Bishop’s University, both cegeps, and a multitude of elementary and high schools fall into the Saint-françois district,” stated Hébert. “A big reality in our region is that most of our institutions are difficult to place into an adequate category for size and financing. Our post-secondary institutions are often under-financed. They are the pride of our region and they have accomplished miracles out of practically nothing, so it is time for us to acknowledge their contributions to the community and fund them accordingly.”
The topic of school boards has worried many since the CAQ’S election, but Hébert wants to reassure her constituents. “Our goal is to not abolish them entirely but to transform them into service centers. We will be eliminating school elections with commissioners, but the school board dynamics will remain. It won’t affect the students’ education or the school budgets, but money saved from ending elections will be reinvested in the schools and service centers,” she explained. She added that such centers would give schools more autonomy: “They know their school’s and their student body’s reality and they will be better able to meet their needs.”
One of her campaign promises was the expansion of Compton’s primary school, École Louis-saint-laurent. “I’m meeting the Minister of Education next Tuesday. I want to show the dynamics of this school’s community, how they have been fighting to keep their kids locally. Our project to have children start kindergarten at the age of four would help account for this issue because most schools, including this one, would need to be expanded,” she mentioned. “I want to help the parent committee, because I find it unfortunate that parents need to raise $7,000 themselves in order to keep their kids in their community. The CAQ has committed to keeping communities together. The school already has the spaces needed to keep the kids. It would be much less expensive than installing trailers or portables during renovations.”
The mother of two has had lengthy experience as a businesswoman, as she founded and ran Mère Poule, a business that made baby food, for 14 years. She believes that she was able to use her experience in her new role as MNA. “Entrepreneurs make decisions with the focus of getting concrete results. We incorporate customer service methods into our approach with citizens: they will be listened to, their needs will be met, and they will be at the heart of our concerns,” she noted. “We have the desire to meet expectations and needs, to innovate and to improve. Looking for solutions and being proactive is part of our daily lives. Many of us are entrepreneurs at the Coalition, which I think helps make a difference.”
Hébert was also the spokesperson for "Rue Principales: Revitalisation rue King Est" for five years. “That’s why I set up my office on King Est. The project was my baby, so to speak. I want my constituents to know that I’m at the heart of the action. That’s also why I set up my satellite office on the main street in Coaticook,” she explained. “I’m lucky because the Saint-françois constituency has many main streets, such as Queen Street in Lennoxville, King Est in Sherbrooke, and the Main Streets in Coaticook and in Brompton. We have room for four revitalization projects: I want to help revitalize those areas and encourage them. Communities rely on their main streets and frequent them often. We have to take care of our local businessowners and lend them an ear.”
The satellite office in Coaticook has been a great success so far, according to Hébert. “The residents are very happy, they come by the office to say hi and thank us for being there. It has been a long time since many of them have seen an MNA in their MRC. I’m there once a week, but if I’m in Quebec City I also have an employee who is in every Tuesday. We have an active presence. It was not exactly justified to have two offices in Saint-françois because it’s a category-two constituency, but I fought to have it because I felt it was crucial that our rural constituents have a closer access,” she stated.
One of the particularities in Saint-françois is the large and diverse territory. “I like to say that it is like the province of Quebec on a smaller scale. We have urban areas, industrial areas, agricultural and aquaculture industries, forestry, research centers and higher-education institutions,” noted Hébert. “I have to wear many hats, but I have an excellent team that we’ve divided to best tackle each aspect. There’s a lot of learning in this process and we want to respond properly to our dossiers. Our constituents are very cooperative, and I think we have what it takes to succeed on all aspects of our territory.”
“Ultimately, I want the people of Saint-françois to know that I will be present,” stated Hébert, pointing out that her logo includes her motto, which is “To know, to love, to serve.” “Being in the field is crucial. I try to attend most of the invitations I receive, and my assistant makes sure I stay busy. If I get to know my constituents, we can learn to appreciate each other, and I will be better equipped to serve them, to know their needs, their concerns.”
Hébert also likes to promote positive actions in the Saint-françois constituency on her Facebook page. “I like to highlight the good deeds happening in our community. Once a week, I share the work of an inspiring person or organization in our area. It’s important to showcase the great things happening in our community, especially if it can inspire others. I aim to put heart into everything I do as an MNA,” she concluded.