Roberge taking over immigration as Fréchette becomes new economy minister

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RIMOUSKI — Jean-François Roberge, whom minority communities have come to know because he is the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s minister responsible for language, will soon also be in charge of immigration.

And current immigration minister Christine Fréchette will shift roles to become Quebec’s new minister of the economy, innovation and energy, replacing Pierre Fitzgibbon, who resigned Tuesday.

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Premier François Legault is to announce the changes to his cabinet Thursday afternoon in the wake of Fitzgibbon’s surprise resignation, which has overshadowed the CAQ’s two-day party caucus in Rimouski.

The moves, which senior party officials refer to as “adjustments,” will be made official later Thursday when the ministers in question are sworn in by Quebec’s lieutenant-governor, Manon Jeannotte, in Quebec City.

But sources confirmed early in the day that Fréchette is on her way up and Roberge is getting a heavier workload.

“I would be honoured if it was the wish of the premier,” Fréchette told reporters as she arrived for the caucus, weighing her words carefully because the nomination was not yet official. “My goal is work on the development of Quebec, regardless of the function that I occupy.

“It is the prerogative of the premier, so I invite you to follow developments today.”

Roberge was even more discreet, refusing to stop as he walked down the hall.

“We will maybe see each other later,” he said. “Responsibility for the French language is important.”

Fréchette’s work on the key issue of immigration since she arrived in politics in 2022 caught the eye of the premier, and she is considered a rising star in the cabinet. She has been leading Quebec’s quest for more powers from Ottawa and for a reduction in the number of temporary immigrants and asylum seekers.

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She inherits Bill 69, the legislation Fitzgibbon tabled overhauling Quebec’s energy goals. She will now be the minister responsible for ushering it into law.

The MNA for the Montérégie riding of Sanguinet, Fréchette is the former director general of the Chambre de commerce de l’Est de Montréal. She holds a BA in public administration from the HEC and a master’s in international relations from Université Laval.

She will also become the minister responsible for Montreal, another of Fitzgibbon’s former roles.

Roberge, who is the former education minister, has been at the heart of the government’s efforts to apply the language reform law, Bill 96. That includes the recent controversial directive covering language in the health care system.

He is considered a good fit for immigration because he already holds the Canadian relations portfolio and will be able to continue Quebec’s campaign to convince Ottawa to surrender powers.

He is also the minister responsible for relations with the Canadian Francophonie, democratic institutions and laicity.

The shifts mean the total number of ministers will drop from 30 to 29.

The CAQ’s caucus wraps up Thursday with a noontime news conference by Legault.

pauthier@postmedia.com

x.com/philipauthier

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