The member for Vaudreuil, Marie-Claude Nichols, was excluded Thursday from the caucus of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), after having refused files within the new shadow cabinet of leader Dominique Anglade.
It is a decision of caucus officers, namely Speaker Enrico Ciccone, House Leader Marc Tanguay and Chief Opposition Whip Filomena Rotiroti. After the ejection of Marie-Claude Nichols from the caucus, the PLQ now has 20 elected members in Quebec.
Ms. Nichols wanted to be third vice-president in the National Assembly, but Dominique Anglade instead gave her support to Frantz Benjamin. But for the MP who has represented the citizens of Vaudreuil since 2014, “it was the third vice-presidency or nothing,” said a Liberal source.
The same day, Dominique Anglade unveiled the composition of his shadow cabinet, in which the newly elected Fred Beauchemin inherits the position of Liberal finance critic.
Mr. Beauchemin, former head of capital markets at Scotiabank, will also be the critic for files relating to the Treasury Board and the government administration. Another recruit, Désirée McGraw, will become the Liberal critic for the environment and the fight against climate change.
Marc Tanguay, who succeeds André Fortin as parliamentary leader, obtains the transport and sustainable mobility file. Mr. Fortin will be the critic for the economy, innovation and energy.
The seasoned MP and Chief Official Opposition Whip, Filomena Rotiroti, has been entrusted with the Immigration, Francization and Integration files.
Monsef Derraji, re-elected in Nelligan, retains his title of health critic. The new Liberal MP for D’Arcy-McGee, Elisabeth Prass, will be in charge of mental health and social services. The former president of the PLQ, Linda Caron, will take care of the section for seniors, caregivers and home care.
For her part, Marwah Rizqy will once again take up the education file in the official opposition. Not surprisingly, the former federal prosecutor André A. Morin is entrusted with the justice file. He was elected for the first time in Acadie on October 3.
The Liberal rookie in Robert-Baldwin, Brigitte Garceau, will be responsible for following up on the report Rebuilding Trust, produced by the committee of experts on court support for victims of domestic violence.
Ms. Garceau, an expert in family law, will make her debut in politics by measuring herself against the new Minister of the Family, Suzanne Roy. The latter also entered the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers, after having been president of the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ).
Madwa-Nika Cadet, new MP for Bourassa-Sauvé, will be the employment and labor critic. The 32-year-old woman will also act as Liberal youth spokesperson. The former municipal councilor in Laval, Virginie Dufour, inherits municipal affairs and housing.
Gregory Kelley, re-elected MP in Jacques-Cartier, will face the Minister of Social Solidarity and Community Action Chantal Rouleau.
Enrico Ciccone, will be Liberal critic for sports, recreation and the outdoors. Regarding tourism, the new MP for Chomedey, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, will be responsible for the file. Elected for a second term, MP Jennifer Maccarone will be the public security critic, a portfolio held by Minister François Bonnardel.
More details will follow.