Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to remind the House that Jean Charest officially became the Premier of Quebec yesterday, during a ceremony in the National Assembly's Red Room. The new premier then proceeded to introduce and administer the oath of office to the 25 members of his cabinet.
In the speech he made at the ceremony, he expressed his view that the red wave that swept across Quebec on April 14 signifies a new kind of government for Quebeckers.
In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see that eight, or one third, of the new cabinet's members were women. This is the highest percentage in Quebec's history. It is not perfect, but it is a good start.
I want to single out Françoise Gauthier, the member for Jonquière, who is the first women in the history of Quebec to be named Minister of Agriculture.
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Charest and his new government and wishing them good luck.