Premier-designate Christine Fréchette will assign “important” responsibilities to her rival Bernard Drainville and will make room in her cabinet for pro-Drainville figures such as Sonia Bélanger and Simon Jolin-Barrette.
She made the comments in an interview Tuesday morning with Patrick Lagacé on 98.5 FM. During a press conference the day before, she had left uncertainty about the roles she intended to give, particularly to Jolin-Barrette.
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Will the prominent nationalist retain a ministerial position? “Certainly,” Fréchette replied. “Simon is a man of impressive ability. He has a lot of talent, and it’s clear we will need to make use of him.”
She explained that his proposed Quebec constitution will continue to move forward in the National Assembly. However, if it does not receive support from at least one opposition party, it will not be adopted. “There is a need for a certain level of support.”
Fréchette also said she “greatly appreciates” the work of Sonia Bélanger in the health sector. “She took it on very quickly. So I will definitely be counting on her in the cabinet,” she said.
At a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday, Fréchette said forming a cabinet is a “high-wire act.” She noted that she wants a gender-balanced but smaller cabinet, with fewer than 26 ministers.
Asked Tuesday about the possibility of appointing a non-elected individual to cabinet, the premier-designate said it is something she is considering.
“It’s not essential, but it’s a possibility. It could happen, depending on what proves feasible. But as I said, we are working on that right now. It’s a very complex exercise. (…) I’m not closing the door,” she said.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
