Legislative reports: Quebec.

The year 2001 began with important changes on the Quebec political scene. First, the Premier of Quebec, Lucien Bouchard, decided to return to private life. His resignation became official on March 8, 2001. Two other members of his cabinet, Jacques Leonard, Minister responsible for Administration and the Public Service and Chairman of Treasury Board, and Jean-Pierre Jolivet, Minister of Regions, also retired on the same date.

Bernard Landry, formerly Minister of State for the Economy and Finance, became president of the Parti Quebecois on March 3 and acceded to the position of Premier on March 8. That same day he announced the makeup of his cabinet, which, including the Premier, comprises 24 members, one of whom, Richard Legendre, has yet to be elected. He also innovated by creating four secretaries of state, whose role is to support certain ministers having responsibility for strategic sectors of government activity.

Finally, on April 9 a by-election was held in the electoral district of Mercier in order to fill a vacancy created there by the resignation of the Minister of Relations with the Citizens and Immigration, Robert Perreault, in October 2000. Nathalie Rochefort, the candidate for the Liberal Party of Quebec, was declared elected. She officially took her seat in the National Assembly on April 24.

Opening of the Second Session of the Thirty-Sixth Legislature

On Thursday, March 22, Lise Thibault, Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, opened the Second Session of the Thirty-Sixth Legislature with an address, which was followed by the new Premier's opening speech. The Premier stressed efforts to reduce and eliminate poverty and to achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth among the regions of Quebec and the various strata of Quebec society. He also declared his intention to develop new policies regarding, in particular, water management and the clarification of the apportionment of responsibility within the health system. He concluded his speech by emphasizing the importance of Quebec sovereignty and of a new partnership with Canada in order to take up the many challenges that Quebec now faces within the context of globalization.

It should be noted that because the parliamentary agenda is unusually heavy, the debate on the opening speech has not yet been concluded. According to our rules of procedure, when the main estimates are before the standing committees for their consideration, the Assembly takes only the routine proceedings. The...