Dominique Savoie promoted to Secretary General of the Executive Council

(Québec) Formerly criticized by the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), Deputy Minister Dominique Savoie has acceded to the prestigious post of Secretary General and Clerk of the Executive Council.

Her appointment was endorsed by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, making her the first woman to head the senior public service in Quebec.

M^me Savoie had been since 2020 the right arm of the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé. The latter has often praised the leadership qualities of his deputy minister.

However, the CAQ has not always showered the senior official with praise.

In 2016, then in opposition, the party of François Legault had accused M^me Savoie for having established a “genuine climate of terror and intimidation” in the Ministry of Transport.

The spokesperson for the CAQ for the Treasury Board, Éric Caire, then demanded his dismissal. Two years later, the CAQ still qualified M^me Savoie as a “bad administrator”.

In a spectacular turnaround, the Caquiste government had gone to get her in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, to appoint her Deputy Minister of Health.

She supported Mr. Dubé in the development of his Health Plan, tabled in the spring of 2022.

Dominique Savoie is now promoted to Secretary General of the Executive Council. She succeeds Yves Ouellet, who becomes President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers.

It should be remembered that the secretary general is the first civil servant of the State and, as such, he is the hierarchical superior of all the deputy ministers of the government.

On its website, the National School of Public Administration also devotes a page to Mr.^me Savoie, noting that she is counted among “the 25 most influential women in the City of Quebec”.

“An outstanding communicator, Ms.^me Savoie demonstrates frankness, authenticity and has an excellent sense of humor ”, can we read.

“While defending her convictions, she demonstrates listening in her professional relationships in addition to having an ability to recognize the value of her collaborators, regardless of their position. »