Quebec's two main opposition parties unveiled their shadow cabinets Friday.
Media magnate Pierre Karl Peladeau will play a major role in opposition, as the newly-elected PQ MNA was appointed spokesman on economics, entrepreneurship, small-and-medium business and exports.
Outgoing finance minister Nicolas Marceau becomes Finance critic, where he will be expected to challenge newly-elected Finance Minister Carlos Leitao.
PQ MNA Agnes Maltais becomes House Leader and takes over the secularism file from former Bill 60 sponsor Bernard Drainville.
Drainville in turn, becomes opposition critic for Natural Resources and Northern Development.
PQ rookie MNA Diane Lamarre, who was the former president of the College of Pharmacists of Quebec, will shadow Health Minister Dr. Gaétan Barrette.
Two PQ MNAs will take on the duties of education critic: Nicole Léger for primary and secondary education and Véronique Hivon for higher education. Hivon, who also oversaw the non-partisan bill on care at end of life, remains critic for that dossier as well.
François Gendron, who is the longest-serving MNA, will likely be elected Vice-President of the National Assembly.
Maka Kotto will watch over Immigration and Bill 101, Diane Lamarre health care accessibility, Harold Lebel social economy and the fight against poverty, Jean-Francois Lisee social services, youth protection, home health care and cities; Lorraine Richard seniors, Sylvain Roy forests, Alain Therrien labour and pensions, Mathieu Traversy families and anti-bullying, Elaine Zakaib treasury board and information technology. A complete list of the PQ shadow cabinet can be seen here.
Stéphane Bédard will serve, of course, as PQ interim leader and Leader of the Opposition.
CAQ
The CAQ shadow cabinet includes François Bonnardel, who serves as House Leader and critic for Transport and Maritime Strategy.
His predecessor as CAQ house leader, Gérard Deltell, was appointed CAQ spokesman for Energy and Natural Resources.
Eric Caire becomes the CAQ health critic, a role he held twice in the past for party forerunner ADQ.
Christian Dubé will serve as critic for public finances, watching over Liberal Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux.
The three CAQ candidates who beat PQ cabinet ministers also get shadow roles. André Lamontagne, who beat Yves-François Blanchet in Johnson, becomes CAQ spokesman for Economy, Innovation and Exports.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, who defeated PQ MNA Pierre Duchesne in Borduas, becomes the CAQ immigration critic.
And Jean- François Roberge, who bested PQ Bertrand Saint -Arnaud in Chambly, becomes critic for education, higher education, science and research.
A complete list of the CAQ shadow cabinet can be seen here.
The first session of the new assembly will be held May 20 and the first Leitao budget is expected in June.
-with files from The Canadian Press
