After a difficult battle to regain his health, Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Moreau will return to work in a few weeks.
Moreau, the Châteauguay MNA who has served key positions in the Quebec Liberal Party was forced to take sick leave in February because of health issues.
The news of his departure came a month after a medical emergency forced Moreau to be rushed out of the National Assembly in an ambulance on the day he was named as the province’s education minister. Initial tests led Moreau’s doctors to believe he had a tumour, but he later discovered he had both encephalitis and meningitis.
The 58-year-old, once physically fit and active, lost 40 pounds.
Moreau said he has responded well to the treatment he has received in the last few months and is looking forward to getting back to work.
“I’m very happy to be back. It’s been a very difficult year, but the ending is so good, so bright, and I’m eager to resume my public duties,” he said. “It’s not very good weather today, but it’s a bright day to me because it’s such good news.”
For the past several months, Moreau has been serving as a junior finance minister, in somewhat of a symbolic cabinet seat.
His education dossier was split between Helene David and Sebastien Proulx in his absence.
Moreau’s office released a letter on his website over the weekend announcing his return.
In an interview with CTV Monday, he said he will make his first official public appearance in mid-December in his riding.
“I want to go back and see those wonderful people in my Chateauguay riding, because they were so wonderful to me, so helpful during that very sad and very dark period of my life. I would say it was the darkest period of my life – and I want to tell them that I’m proud to be their representative and that I love them,” he said.
Moreau will have some more time off before returning for the winter session at the National Assembly in Quebec City.
“The real work will start in January, so that gives me about two more months to recuperate to be sure the batteries are fully charged and that I’ll be as keen as I was before,” he said.
