Mulcair: Fréchette a breath of fresh air for the CAQ |
Christine Fréchette has been pitch perfect since winning the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec and has breathed new life into the party of François Legault which, until her arrival, appeared ready for the last rites.
In composing her cabinet, Fréchette sent a couple of low-key signals that she was ready to break with some of the most obnoxious aspects of the Legault era. The naming of Ian Lafrenière as deputy premier was a particularly inspired choice.
Lafrenière knows Montreal and has for years been identified with competent, clear communications on difficult policing issues, going back to his time as spokesperson for the Montreal police service. Law and order will be on the agenda for the next election, and he can provide serious help.
Lafrenière knowledge of, and openness to, cultural communities also set him apart from many in the Legault cabinet. He brings that openness to the game as Fréchette tries to pull off an implausible turnaround for the CAQ.
Another key appointment was François Bonnardel as immigration minister, which was remarkable on two counts:
One, Bonnardel had........