Gatan Barrette aims for health minister job with Liberals

Dr. Gatan Barrette is gunning for the position of health minister with the Liberal Party of Quebec, having announced his candidacy this morning alongside party leader Philippe Couillard.

This morning, Barrette resigned as president of the Fdration des mdecins spcialistes du Qubec in order to run for election in the riding of La Pinire.

The riding was formerly held by Fatima Houda-Pepin.

Many of you are probably surprised, Barrette said to members of the media Monday morning.

Its true thatin early February, about one month ago, I said I would not run, he continued.

The radiologist said that he was compelled as a Quebec citizen to enter the race so that he could make the provincial health care system work more efficiently.

He said theres been nothing but deterioration in the health care system since the Parti Qubcois came to power in late 2012.

Ive never seen, in my entire career which is coming up on 30 years Ive never seen as many cuts to the health care system as with the Parti Qubcois, Barrette said in French.

He said the PQs numbers did not add up and that he was joining the Liberal ranks because it was the only competent party to take on Pauline Marois.

Barrette ran for election in 2012 under the Coalition Avenir Qubec banner. His announcement today incited the criticism of CAQ leader Franois Legault:

A provincial election is expected to be called this week.

Candidates announced so far

Radio-Canada has compiled a list of candidates running so far in the expected election:

Parti Qubcois (PQ)

• Dominique Payette (Charlesbourg)

• Sophie Stank (Laporte)

• Jean Poirier (Vimont)

• Vronique Fournier (Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne)

• Lorraine Pintal (Verdun)

• Isabelle Hall (Mgantic)

• Sylvie Legault (Mercier)

• Pierre Cr (Laurier-Dorion)

• Alexis Deschnes (Trois-Rivires)

• Linda Goupil (Bellechasse)

Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ)

• Franois Blais (Charlesbourg)

• Marie-Claude Collin (Blainville)

• Hlne David (Outremont)

• Pascal Proulx (Granby)

• Luc Blanchette (Rouyn-Noranda-Tmiscamingue)

• Serge Bastien (Abitibi-Ouest)

• Gatan Barrette (La Pinire)

• Carlos Leitao(Robert Baldwin)

• Martin Coiteux (Nelligan)

• Jacques Daoust (Verdun)

Coalition Avenir Qubec (CAQ)

• Benoit Charette (Deux-Montagnes)

• Lise Lavalle (Repentigny)

• Stphanie Lachance (Bellechasse)

• Noah Sidel (Notre-Dame-de-Grce)

• milie Foster (Jean-Lesage)

• Hugues Beaulieu (Jean-Talon)

• Domenico Cavaliere (Sainte-Rose)

• Mario Gagnier (Soulanges)

• Claire Isabelle (Huntingdon)

• Ian Latrmouille (Charlevoix - Cte-de-Beaupr)

• Sylvain Medza (Bourget)

• Stphane Robichaud (Vachon)

• Jean Bosco Citegetse (Hull)

• Andr Paradis (Gatineau)

• Mario Laframboise (Blainville)

• Bernard Flbus (Rouyn-Noranda-Tmiscamingue)

• Sylvain Martel (Abitibi-Est)

• Nadia Racine (Abitibi-Ouest)

• Michael Cameron (Ungava)

• Carlie Dejoie (Chomedey)

• Mireille Caron (Cte-du-Sud)

• Paul Franche (Gouin)

• Sylvain Loranger (Mille-les)

• Jamilla Leboeuf (Mont-Royal)

• Marc-Alexandre Bourget (Orford)

• Ren Langelier (Papineau)

• Claude Charette (Rousseau)

• Joseph Dydzak (Vimont)

Qubec Solidaire

• Manon Mass (Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques)

• Guy Leclerc (Rouyn-Noranda-Tmiscamingue)

• Sbastien Robert (Vachon)