Quebec Liberal Pierre Arcand latest MNA to leave politics – Montreal
The previous interim chief of the Quebec Liberal Get together (PLQ), Pierre Arcand, is leaving politics.
The member of the nationwide meeting (MNA) will formally announce on Monday that he won’t search re-election.
A spokesman for the Liberal Get together confirmed the information to French newspaper La Presse on Sunday. The official announcement in addition to the identify of the get together’s subsequent candidate within the driving of Mont-Royal–Outremont in Montreal can be introduced on Monday.
Arcand is retiring after a 15-year political profession on the provincial scene. He was elected as a Liberal for the primary time in 2007 in that very same driving.
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He’s the eleventh Liberal out of a caucus of 27 MNAs to announce their departure. Former ministers Lise Thériault, Christine St-Pierre and Hélène David are among the many different departures.
Earlier than coming into politics in 2007, Arcand had a profession in radio. He was a journalist, station proprietor and president of Corus Québec.
In politics, he held a number of positions within the Charest and Couillard governments. He was President of the Treasury Board, Minister of the Atmosphere, Minister of Power and Pure Assets and Minister of Worldwide Relations.
For a yr and a half he held the function of interim Liberal Get together chief, between the departure of Philippe Couillard and the appointment of Dominique Anglade.
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The politician spearheaded the settlement between Quebec and France on the mutual recognition {of professional} {qualifications} in 2009. He additionally adopted Invoice 89 in 2011, which amended the Atmosphere High quality Act to introduce a brand new system of monetary penalties.
In December 2020, Arcand apologized after taking a controversial journey to Barbados, regardless of the COVID-19 well being disaster.
In one other latest controversy in April, Arcand mentioned he was shaken by a comment Premier François Legault was caught saying on a closed microphone, asking “isn’t he useless?” when speaking about Arcand.
In his interview with La Presse, he mentioned he’s leaving politics to have extra freedom and extra time together with his household.
