Retired from the political scene for more than 40 years, the former MP for Saguenay and Minister of Transport in the first government of René Lévesque Lucien Lessard died on February 28, discreetly, in the shadow of Brian Mulroney. However, Quebecers should remember him, because he left his mark on our cars, a merit that it is time to recognize him.
In a tribute to Lise Payette in 2018, the magazine Featured Echoes quoted the testimony that her daughter had published on her Facebook page: “She leaves us a precious motto: I remember. » This testimony suggested that Mme Payette would have been at the origin of the inscription of this motto on Quebec license plates, which is not accurate, even if it has been said over and over again for several years.
Elected in November 1976, Lise Payette was immediately named Minister of Consumers, Cooperatives and Financial Institutions, with the mandate to create a “no-fault” automobile insurance plan (no fault), a mission which she carried out brilliantly, despite the storm it aroused, mainly among lawyers. “It didn’t happen by accident. There was opposition to this movement,” recalled Prime Minister Philippe Couillard in his tribute, without dwelling on the fierce fight that his party had waged against this reform.
The Automobile Insurance Act was adopted in 1977 and implemented on 1er March 1978 with the creation of the Régie de l’assurance automobile du Québec (RAAQ), which subsequently became the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ). At that time, and until 1980, issuing driving licenses and registration plates was the responsibility of the Motor Vehicle Bureau, which was under the responsibility of Lucien Lessard, MP for Saguenay and Minister of Transport, and not of Mr.me Payette.
In a press release published on December 15, 1976 and cited by at least four daily newspapers the next day, Minister Lessard announced two decisions: the 1977 plates would be “beige in color with brown letters and numbers” — since it was too late to change this. that his predecessor had decided -, but those of 1978 would present an important modification, the motto I rememberreplacing the slogan The beautiful province.
As Denis Vaugeois recalled, this change began during one of the first caucuses of PQ elected officials where he expressed his annoyance at seeing his paycheck bearing the words “government of the province of Quebec”. And since we are there, he added, we should also remove the advertising slogan The beautiful province written on the license plates and replace it with the currency of Quebec.
His colleagues were not all convinced, but Lucien Lessard, minister responsible for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, took the plunge and decided, barely a month after the Parti Québécois came to power, that the motto would be on the plates as soon as possible, which will happen in the spring of 1978. To these two former deputies — Denis Vaugeois, who made the suggestion, and Lucien Lessard, who carried it out — let us say again I remember .