Philippe Couillard unveils new Liberal cabinet
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard unveiled his cabinet of 26 ministers Wednesday afternoon, naming Carlos Leitao to the key post of finance, Gaétan Barrette to Health and Social Services and Lise Thériault to Public Security.
The cabinet was announced at a swearing-in ceremony presided over by Quebec's Lt.-Gov. Pierre Duchesne at the National Assembly in Quebec City.
Couillard was the first take the oath of office, which confirmed him as the 31st premier of Quebec.
Here are the new ministers and their portfolios:
Carlos Leitao : Minister of Finance
Lise Thériault: Deputy-Premier and Minister for Public Security
Jean-Marc Fournier : Minister of Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister for Canadian Francophonie, and Minister for Reform of Democratic Institutions and Access to Information
Pierre Moreau: Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister Responsible for the Montérégie
Martin Coiteux: Treasury Board President and Minister for Government Administration
Jacques Daoust: Minister for Economic Development, Innovation and Exports
Sam Hamad: Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for the Quebec City region
Pierre Paradis: Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Minister responsible for the Eastern Townships
Francine Charbonneau: Minister responsible for Seniors and the Family, Minister responsible for the fight against bullying, and Minister responsible for Laval.
Stéphane Billette: Government whip
Nicole Ménard: President of the Liberal caucus
Hélène David: Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister responsible for the promotion and protection of the French language
Stéphanie Vallée: Minister of Justice, Minister for the Status of Women and Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region
Christine St-Pierre: Minister of International Affairs and Francophonie
Yves Bolduc: Minister of Education, Leisure and Sports, Minister of Post-Secondary Studies, Research and Science, and Minister responsible for the North Shore
Kathleen Weil: Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion
Gaétan Barrette: Minister of Health and Social Services
David Heurtel: Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the fight against Climate Change
Dominique Vien: Minister of Tourism and Minister Responsible for Chaudière-Appalaches
Robert Poeti: Minister of Transport and Minister Responsible for Montreal
Pierre Arcand: Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister for the Plan Nord and Minister responsible for the Lanaudiere and Laurentians
Francois Blais: Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity
Laurent Lessard: Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, and the Minister responsible for Central Quebec
Geoffrey Kelley: Minister of Aboriginal Affairs
Jean D'Amour: Minister of Transport and Maritime Strategy Implementation, and Minister responsible for the Lower St. Lawrence, Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Lucie Charlebois: Minister responsible for the rehabilitation and protection of youth, and Minister of Public Health
Luc Blanchette: Minister of Mines and Minister responsible for Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Northern Quebec
Jean-Denis Girard: Minister of Small and Medium-sized Businesses and Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Mauricie
Cabinet ministers were chosen from among the 69 Liberals who were elected alongside Couillard on April 7 and sworn-in as MNAs last week.
At 26 members, Couillard's cabinet will be larger than the 23-member cabinet of the outgoing Parti Québécois. Former Liberal premier Jean Charest named 17 ministers after his election in 2007.
A cabinet minister receives a total remuneration of $157,413 a year.
During the election campaign, Couillard said his cabinet would reflect what he said was the standard “parity zone” of between 40 to 60 per cent women.
With only 18 women among the 70 Liberals elected on April 7, meeting this promise was not possible.