On the eve of the start of the 43e legislature, The duty invited outgoing MEPs to give some advice to recruits to help them avoid getting lost in the maze of the political world. First handover between Lise Thériault and Frédéric Beauchemin.
As soon as she is seated, Lise Thériault takes a notebook out of her bag. The former dean of the Liberal caucus slips it on the table of the café Léo towards the newly elected deputy in Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Frédéric Beauchemin. “Throughout your political career, you will take a lot of notes,” she says.
“I offer you the first […] of a long series,” adds the former Deputy Prime Minister, who “strangely [n’a pas accumulé] lots of notebooks” over the past 20 years, during which she represented the citizens of Anjou–Louis-Riel in the National Assembly, in addition to assuming ministerial responsibilities in the Charest governments (2003-2007 and 2008- 2012) and Couillard (2014-2018). “I hate to write,” she blurts out while also specifying that she has an extraordinary memory.
” Him [M. Beauchemin], It starts. It mustn’t be missed,” she told the To have to, before turning to the new member of the Liberal Party of Quebec. “The advice I’m going to give you today is the first thing you’ll find in your notebook. So that, if ever you feel lost or you ask yourself the question “what should I do?”, you will be able to refer to it. »
At the end of the large white table in the downtown Montreal cafe — which is also occupied by UQAM students — the pair get down to business. “I’m going to get my glasses out,” breathes Mr. Beauchemin, before realizing that he doesn’t have a pen handy. “What do you mean, you don’t have a pencil?” An ex-banker who doesn’t have a pencil… What is this business? » joke Mme Thériault, before unearthing a fountain pen in her Michael Kors-branded handbag.
“The mistake not to make”
Even if he was elected with a majority of 6,000 votes, Frédéric Beauchemin cannot “neglect his riding”, says the former MP for Anjou–Louis-Riel. It’s a “rookie mistake not to make”, according to her. “Your first loyalty is your citizens […] I never took anything for granted [et] I already had nearly 9000 majority, “said Mme Theriault. “If you are not present, the world does not remember you. »
Coming from the world of finance, Mr. Beauchemin sees several points in common between the political world and his first love. “When you get into personnel management, when you have a product to deliver, […] you make sure that your people are well equipped, well motivated, he analyzes. There are a lot of places of connection that when you come into county office management, it’s very similar to the business world. »
Once the elected novice has found his place on the benches of the official opposition this fall, the time will be for cordiality, maintains Mme Theriault. “MPs from other political parties are not enemies. It is not forbidden to make friends with other MPs. This is [même] good,” she says.
“Even during the local campaign in Marguerite-Bourgeoys, all the candidates who were there, we can easily meet for a beer and chat about the history of the campaign,” adds Mr. Beauchemin.
“Me, I was taught to hate the PQ, who were my opponents, relates Mme Theriault. When I arrived at Parliament and then saw that everyone was kissing, then shaking hands, then eating together, I said to myself: “Come on, I have to unlearn my three months of campaign. Do I have to like them?” »
Say no “
“To find the balance”, Mme Thériault encourages the new Liberal MP to “learn to say no”. “Me, I learned to say no…”, she begins, before being interrupted by Frédéric Beauchemin: “in 1995? “, he jokes, triggering hilarity in the ex-minister.
“In my first ministerial agenda, I had activities on Friday, Saturday, then Sunday,” she continues. You have a life at home, then if you say yes too often, well, that means you say no to your children, to your wife, to your grandchildren…”
If he hasn’t unearthed a pen, Mr. Beauchemin will eventually “find[r] his style”, emphasizes Mr.me Theriault. But he must at all costs “speak the truth”, like her who “never lied to journalists”, “always told the truth”. “People who speak with their guts, […] I’m convinced that their message will get through,” she says, before setting off in the rain in her windbreaker bearing the logo of the National Assembly — not before patting the top of the hand of “Fred “.
With Marco Bélair-Cirino and Florence Morin-Martel