Laurent Lessard gets the transport hot seat

Premier Philippe Couillard has turned to a political veteran to take charge of the volatile transport portfolio.

LaurentLessard, who had been serving asministerof forests, wildlife and parks, will become the third transport minister since the Liberals were elected in 2014.

• JacquesDaouststeps down from transport, leaves politics

The move became necessary followingJacques Daoust'ssudden decision on Friday to leave politics after questions were raised about his role in the sale of Quebec hardware chainRona to U.S.-based Lowe's.

This is Couillard's third cabinet shuffle in less than a year. The premier stressed continuity in the government's agenda when making the announcement in Quebec City.

"What is important in terms of stability is that our government's plan remains the same and is being put into action," Couillard said in English.

"What did we say? We told Quebecers we would balance our accounts. We did so."

• Top bureaucrat, chief of staff lose jobs at Transports Qubec amid corruption allegations

Lessard brings experience

Lessardoccupied a number of cabinet position under former premier Jean Charest, most notably as minister of labour from 2005 to2007, as minister of agriculture from 2007 to 2011 and as minister of municipal affairs from 2009 to 2012.

But since the Liberals returned to power in 2014under Couillard, Lessard had been relegated to parks and wildlife, a comparatively minor portfolio.

LucBlanchettewill take overLessard'sformer portfolio.The current minister of natural resources, Pierre Arcand, will add mines to his responsibilities. That position was formerly held by Blanchette.

"Mr. Lessard brings a lot of experience as a parliamentarian and as minister," Couillard said. "He's now holding his fifth cabinet position. He's very much in touch with the population of Quebec."

Questions remain about Ronadeal

Even with Daoust now gone, it is unlikely the Liberal government will be able to avoid further questions about what it knew about the Ronatransaction.

A series ofemailssurfaced in recent days that underminedDaoust'slong-standing claim that he wasn't consulted about the transaction whileminister of the economy, where heserved before taking over thetransport file.

• Daoust's chief of staff gave OK to Rona sale

Theemailsindicate, though, that hischief ofstaffat thetime toldInvestissementQubecthe provincialdevelopment agencythat Daoustapproved the sale of their 11.1 millionRona shares to Lowe's.

Couillardwas asked on Saturday whether he himselfwas consulted about the sale.

"No," he said. "All the elements are known."

Quebec'sopposition parties werenot satisfied with Couillard's answer. They want to know why a minister's chief of staff was able to offerapproval for the sale of the Rona shares.

"There is a problem in the chain of command,"said Coalition Avenir Qubec MNAFranois Bonnardel.

Both the CAQ and thePartiQubecois had called on the Liberal government to use InvestissementQubec's stake in Rona to block its sale to an American corporation.Ronashareholders ultimately approved the takeover in vote held this spring.

"At the end of the line, the real responsibility for the sale of the Ronashares was with Mr. Couillard," said theinterim PQ leader,SylvainGaudreault.

The next provincial election isn't scheduled until 2018, but Couillardis likely to hold a number of byelectionsin the coming months.

WithDaoust's departure, there are now four vacant seats in the National Assembly.

Along with Daoust's Verdun riding, new MNAsare needed for former Parti QubcoisleaderPierre Karl Pladeau'sold riding of Saint-Jrme, Marie-Victorin (once held by thePQ'sBernard Drainville, who left politics in June)andArthabaska, held by the independent Sylvie Roy until her death last month.

• ANALYSIS:For Quebec Liberals, a summer to recover from self-inflicted wounds