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JAMES
NAMED TO CABINET POSITION IN CHAREST GOVERNMENT
(EXCERPT
FROM A MONTREAL GAZETTE ARTICLE OF APRIL 2007)
CHAREST TURNS TO WOMEN
Cabinet 50-50. James
makes history, Jerome-Forget takes on dual role
KEVIN
DOUGHERTY, The Gazette / Published: Thursday, April 19, 2007
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In keeping
with his leaner minority government caucus, Premier Jean Charest
introduced a slimmed-down cabinet yesterday that is notable
for its half male, half female makeup and the presence of Quebec's
first black cabinet minister.
Yolande James, 29,
MNA for the West Island riding of Nelligan and Quebec's first
female black MNA, becomes minister of immigration and cultural
communities.
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Charest stressed
the equal numbers of men and women in his 18-member cabinet, although
the premier also sits at the table, bringing the total to 19.
The previous
Charest cabinet had 26 ministers, including the premier.
Monique Jerome-Forget,
who was Treasury Board president, takes on a double portfolio, still
controlling the province's purse strings but adding the key finance
portfolio as well.
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Jerome-Forget will
present a new budget, which will include the $700-million tax
cut that was announced by the premier in the final week of the
election campaign.
Opposition leader
Mario Dumont has already said he would vote against the budget
that was presented in February, kicking off the election campaign.
That budget was never passed.
Jerome-Forget said
she wants to sit down with the opposition parties to discuss
her new budget. "When you are a minority government, you
have to meet the opposition, you have to discuss with them and
you have to work as partners," she said.
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Prime minister Jean Charest hugs Yolande James, his new immigration
and cultural communities at the Red room of the National assembly
in Quebec City April 18, 2007. James is the first member of
a visible minority to be named minister in Quebec. Photograph
by : Francis Vachon, The Gazette. |
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