QUEBEC CITY, (Feb. 18, 2005) — Quebec has a new transportation minister after Liberal Premier Jean Charest shuffled most of his cabinet today, including major changes at some of the most high-profile positions.

Former Labour Minister Michel Després is now Transportation Minister. He replaces Yvon Marcoux, who was given the Justice portfolio.

Charest also dropped Finance Minister Yves Séguin and Jacques Chagnon, minister of public security, from cabinet. They were replaced by Michel Audet and Jacques Dupuis, respectively. Dupuis will also act as deputy premier.

Després, 48, has been an elected Member for the Limoilou riding since 1985, except between 1994 and ’99 when he did not run for office. He was reelected in 1989 and has held the position of labour minister since 2003.

Before politics, Després was operations manger of Groupe gestion Sal Tan Inc., and Director general, Association québécoise de l’industrie de la pêche. He also acted as special adviser, Department of Canadian Heritage.

Most recently as labour minister, Després has been battling a Saguenay Wal-Mart store along with the Quebec Federation of Labour, which has been trying to get a collective agreement for a newly-established union. Wal-Mart Canada announced it will close the store on May 6 because it’s not profitable.

Earlier this week Despres ordered that the collective bargaining process continue despite the threatened closure. H said he would impose an arbitrator who will have the power to impose a contract if Wal-Mart and the union don’t agree on one by Feb. 19.