It's official now — François Legault is now premier of Quebec.
He took the oath of office in the National Assembly's ornate Red Room on Thursday, at which moment he officially took over from Philippe Couillard as premier.
Legault received a long standing ovation from guests after he was sworn in by Lt.-Gov. J. Michel Doyon.
The 61-year-old Air Transat co-founder fulfilled a promise to form a gender-balanced cabinet with 13 men and 13 women. He named women to important portfolios such as health (Danielle McCann) and justice (former Charbonneau Commission prosecutor Sonia LeBel).
Legault's cabinet includes a mix of newcomers and veterans representing Quebec's different regions.
Former coroner's office spokeswoman Genevieve Guilbault was named deputy premier and public security minister, while lawyer Simon Jolin-Barrette was given the task of implementing Legault's controversial promise to reduce immigration and institute a French and values test for new arrivals.
Other high-profile assignments include Éric Girard in finance, Jean-François Roberge in education, and Nathalie Roy, who's now in charge of culture, communications, and enforcing Bill 101.
One of the CAQ's two Montreal MNAs, Chantal Rouleau, was named minister in charge of the Montreal region, and was the only one of Legault's ministers to repeat her oath of office in English. Several of Couillard's ministers did so during their swearings-in.
Meanwhile, rookie Ste. Rose MNA Christopher Skeete, an occasional guest during CJAD 800's issues debates during the campaign, will likely become a familiar voice to CJAD 800 listeners.
He's officially not a cabinet minister, but Legault has put him in charge of the anglo secretariat started by Couillard and Kathleen Weil, and will essentially become the government's point man on anglo affairs.
Legault made that announcement during his customary post-swearing-in speech, during which he outlined many of his government's priorities. He says he has a clear mandate from Quebecers to move on banning religious symbols for government employees in positions of authority, and within the coming year, he says he'll move to change the voting system in the province — something all parties but the Liberals pledged to do during the election campaign.
For now, it isn't clear exactly how the new government plans to go about doing that.
François Legault: premier.
Geneviève Guilbault: deputy premier, public security.
Éric Girard: finance.
Christian Dubé: Treasury Board president.
Pierre Fitzgibbon: Economy and innovation.
Marie-Ève Proulx: junior minister for regional economic development.
Danielle McCann: health and social services.
Lionel Carmant: junior health and social services.
Jean-François Roberge: education and higher education.
Isabelle Charest: junior education.
Sonia LeBel: justice, intergovernmental affairs, Status of Women.
François Bonnardel: Transport.
Chantal Rouleau: junior transport and minister responsible for the Montreal region.
Simon Jolin-Barrette: Immigration, inclusion and diversity.
Marguerite Blais: seniors
Nadine Girault: international relations and the Francophonie
Nathalie Roy: culture, comminications and the French language
MarieChantal Chassé: environment and the fight against climate change
Jonathan Julien: energy and natural resources
Mathieu Lacombe: family
Jean Boulet: labor, employment and social solidarity
Andrée Laforest: municipal affairs, housing
André Lamontagne: agriculture, fisheries and food
Caroline Proulx: tourism
Éric Caire: junior minister in charge of the government's digital transformation
Sylvie D’Amours: Indigenous affairs
Pierre Dufour: forestry, wildlife and parks.
-With files from the Canadian Press