Bernard Drainville named new PQ House Leader

QUEBEC CITY – Bernard Drainville has been named House Leader of the Official Opposition at the National Assembly, the Parti Québécois announced Sunday night during the unveiling of its shadow cabinet.

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Rumours were circulating Friday that PQ leader Pierre Karl Péladeau was looking for someone to replace house leader Stéphane Bédard, who had served as interim party leader during the 2014 leadership race.

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After assigning the role to Drainville, Péladeau announced Bédard would now be the party’s spokesperson on justice.

Nicole Léger, MNA for Pointe-aux-Trembles, was named president of the party caucus.

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Agnès Maltais is now deputy leader and Harold LeBel, MNA for Rimouski, was named party whip.

Alexandre Cloutier, who once vied for the party’s leadership position, is now the education critic.

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Drainville backed out of the leadership race in 2014 to support Péladeau.

*with files from The Canadian Press