Former Liberal Justice Minister Kathleen Weil confirmed on Monday that she is leaving politics after 14 years. She will be replaced in the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, in Montreal, by a candidate from the philanthropic community, Désirée McGraw.
Ms. Weil, 67, confirmed that she will not run again in the next provincial election this fall, during a press conference at a community center in her riding.
So far 13 members of the Liberal caucus, or half, have announced their intention to leave politics. Among them are Liberal veterans Paul Arcand, Christine St-Pierre, Lise Thériault, Hélène David and Gaétan Barrette. Former Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said on Saturday he did not wish to run again.
Ms. Weil was a minister in the Charest and Couillard governments. She served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Immigration, among others. She also spearheaded the Quebec policy against homophobia.
Among the highlights of her political career, Ms. Weil recounted the consequences of the war in Syria in 2015, while she was Minister of Immigration in the Couillard government. The photo of the child Aylan Kurdi, stranded on a beach, had gone around the world. “The population embarked with all the generosity that we know of. I remember people from everywhere. We were called every day to sponsor refugees. Everyone wanted to contribute. »
She will be replaced by Désirée McGraw, from the philanthropic community. She has notably acted as a consultant for Philanthropic Foundations Canada and headed the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation.