Article content

QUEBEC — On a busy Day 2 of the campaign, Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard said he will take away the health minister role from his unpopular lieutenant Gaétan Barrette and would give him the Treasury Board presidency instead, promised families up to $300 per child per year, and suggested François Legault’s proposal to raise the age for buying weed would send Quebec youth into the arms of the Hells Angels.

After months of speculation, Couillard announced Friday afternoon in Quebec City he would remove Barrette from his post but would give him the high-profile position of Treasury Board president if elected.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Quebec election: Couillard will bump Barrette, promises up to $300 per child Back to video

In Barrette’s place, Couillard said he would appoint Gertrude Bourdon, who until Thursday was director of the Quebec City health centre that employs 15,000 people and includes five health institutions. Bourdon is a former nurse who moved up through the ranks and became an Order of Canada recipient. It emerged that she had talks with the Parti Québécois and Coalition Avenir Québec about joining one of those parties, but she said Friday she settled on the Liberals because their health care plans best reflected her values.