Laval MNAs Vincent Auclair, Guy Ouellette named parliamentary assistants

Vimont's Vincent Auclair will be assisting Nathalie Normandeau, deputy-premier and minister of municipal and regional affairs. Mr. Auclair returns to a role he's been fulfilling with the Bonaventure riding representative since 2005.

New Chomedey MNA and former Sûreté du Québec investigator Guy Ouellette moves into functions that should be familiar territory for him, as parliamentary assistant to Jacques Dupuis, minister of public security and justice.

Laval-des-Rapides MNA Alain Paquet, rumoured to be in line for parliamentary assistant for finance, was passed over for Hull MNA Roch Cholette who takes on these responsibilities with Monique Jérôme-Forget, the Treasury Board President and finance minister with whom he had worked between 2003 and 2005.

Mr. Auclair also described the work of parliamentary assistants as establishing links with other MNAs to advance the files for which they are responsible. "Mrs. Normandeau works on consensus, so there will be communication, exchange, and give-and-take with opposition critics. Our objective is to promote measures for the good of the population," says the second-term MNA.

In view of the minority status of the government, does he expect more lively and fired-up debating of the issues? "Question period should not become a spectacle," he deplores, fully aware that the government will have to put greater effort into giving more direct answers.

(Photo: Martin Alarie)

With English representation in cabinet reduced to one minister, Yolande James in Immigration and cultural communities, MNAs representing pre-dominantly English-speaking ridings fared no better when premier Jean Charest named his government's parliamentary assistants.

Of the several possibilities open to the premier, he opted for 'English' representatives in only two ministries, naming Pierre Marsan of Robert-Baldwin to assist Yolande James in Immigration and cultural communities, and Russell Copeman of N.D.G. to Health and Social Services, where he'll work with minister Philippe Couillard.

In Chomedey, whose voters are better than 53% anglophone/allophone, although Laval island loses a minister with the departure of Thomas Mulcair, there is some continuity of representation as Guy Ouellette takes on the duties of parliamentary assistant to Jacques Dupuis, Minister of public security and justice.

Fabre MNA Michelle Courchesne, representing Laval island in cabinet as Minister of Education, recreation and sport, has been assigned Gatineau MNA Stéphanie Vallée as her parliamentary assistant. (J.F.)