Former Liberal cabinet minister Jacques Daoust dies

Former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister Jacques Daousthas died, his family confirmed Thursday.

Daoust, 69, suffered a severe stroke late last month. He died around 1:40 a.m. Thursday morning,surrounded by loved ones,Daoust's son,Sbastien, told Radio-Canada.

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"We had just seen the first encouraging cognitive signs, and then three hours later the situation completely deteriorated," Sbastien Daoust said.

Daousthad a successful career in banking and finance before entering politics in 2014.

He headed InvestissementQubec, the investment arm of the provincial government, between 2006 and 2013. Before that, he held senior executive positions atLaurentian Bank and National Bank.

Premier Philippe Couillard recruited Daoustin 2014 as part of an effort to burnish the Liberal Party's economic credentials.

Daoustran for the Liberals in the riding of Verdun and won handily with more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Part of economic power trio

Named minister of the economy, innovation and exports,Daoust, along with Martin Coiteuxat the Treasury Board and Carlos Leitaoas minister of finance, wastasked withhelping kickstartQuebec's economy.

"During his time as economy minister, he did work to help Bombardier and to help improve programs, notably for people running small businesses,'' Couillard saidThursdayin Hebertville-Station, Que.

"I think we have to be grateful to him for his public service. Politics is never easy and he experienced it from every angle. But today, let's think of the man, let's think of his family.''

It was on Daoust's watch that Quebec inked a controversial $1.3-billion bailout of Bombardier's troubled CSeriesjet, which at the time was two years behind schedule.

Transport troubles

He was later shuffled to transport minister, just in time for a heated showdown between the province's taxi drivers and the ride-hailing service,Uber.

Daoustalso inheritedan internal corruption inquiry at the Transport Ministrythat had been launched by his predecessor, Robert Poti.

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He finally resignedlast August amid questions regarding his role in the Investissement Qubec-approved sale of the Quebec hardware chainRonato the American giant Lowe's.

He hadclaimed he knew nothing about the contentious sale, but emails surfaced that suggested he gave his approval.

'Disappointment' and 'disillusionment' with time in office

SbastienDaoustsaid his father's brief time in politics marked him.

"He talked to me about it every day. He talked to my brother about it every day. He talked to my mother about it every day, " he said, adding that his fatherhad been disappointed by the experience.

"It's much more disappointment than bitterness, perhaps. Disillusionment with the level of sincerity that he put into it, by the perception that people had ofhis contribution in politics."

That contribution was remembered by his former Cabinet colleagues Thursday.

"He was a very competent man, but what I remember is his sense of humor. I loved working with Jacques Daoust, "said Lucie Charlebois, Quebec's Minister for Public Health.

Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil called her former colleague "a really brilliant man who was able to find innovative solutions.''

"We will miss him,'' she said.