Jacques Daoust steps down from transport, leaves politics

JacquesDaoustentered provincial politics as part of atriumvirate of economic stars that PhilippeCouillardhad recruited in the run-up to the 2014 election.

Along with the respected economistsMartinCoiteuxand CarlosLeitao, the former head ofInvestissementQubecwas supposed to help revive Quebec's economic fortunes.

But just two and a half years into his political career,Daoustannounced he was giving up his position as transport minister and leaving politics altogether.

His position inCouillard'sgovernment became untenable when a series ofemailssurfacedbetween his then chief of staff,PierreOuellet, and an executive withInvestissementQubec.

• JacquesDaoust'schief of staff gave OK toRonasale

Theemailsappeared to contradictDaoust'slongstanding claim that he didn't give his approval forthe sale ofsharesin Quebec hardware chainRonato U.S.-based Lowe's while he was economy minister.

Those emails, copies of which were obtained by Radio-Canada, revealed that Ouellet indicated to Investissement Qubec that Daoust backed the transaction.

ThePartiQubcoisheld a news conference Friday morning callingDaousta "liar" and demandinghis resignation.

Even in stepping down, though,Daoustdenied he ever misled the public about his role in theRona-Lowe'sdeal.

"Even though I have donenothing wrongand always told the full truth, the issue aboutRona'sshares has become a distraction that is casting a shadow over the plans of our government,"Daoustsaid in a statement released late Friday afternoon.

"I therefore contacted the premier to announce that I'm stepping downas deputy for Verdun and as minister oftransport, sustainable mobility and transport electrification."

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An unnecessaryscandal

To close observers of Quebec politics, it was an unnecessary scandal thatclaimed what had once been a promising career.

As minister of the economy,Daoustwas responsible forInvestissementQubec.But theRonadealdidn't even require ministerial approval.

Opposition parties simply wanted the development agency to use its stake inRonato protect a Quebec company from a foreign takeover.

"To me,he should have just said if he knew or didn't know, because he couldn't have stopped it anyway," said Yolande James, CBC Montreal's political analyst and former cabinet minister under Jean Charest.

Rona'sshareholders, moreover,overwhelmingly backed the deal in a vote in March. A hostile takeover this was not.

• Rona takeover by Lowe's gets OK from Ottawa and Competition Bureau

• Rona sale should be halted by Quebec government: PQ

Couillarddemanded answers

"I think the government, Mr.Couillard,didn't want him to go," James said. "They didn't want to have to face a minister leaving."

Couillardhad stood byDaoustthrough a number of scandals, including evidence his office dragged its heels responding to a report exposing irregularities within the transport ministry.

He had also drawn ire within his own party for tabling reforms to Quebec's taxi industry that were seen as out-of-touch with the popularity of ride-hailing services.

But Couillard's support appeared to evaporate after the emails between Ouellet and an Investissement Qubec executive went public.

Earlier today,Couillardsaid theemailsraised "serious questions" that "demanded serious answers."

• Quebec premier stands by transport minister despite 'extremely serious' revelations

Big hole to fill

Transport is considered an important, if volatile, file, andDaoust'sdeparture leaves a big hole forCouillardto fill. The premier is scheduled to announce a cabinet shuffle at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Daoust'ssuccessor will take over a ministry that is in disarray.Transport ministry insiders have described a workplace culture beset by intimidation and allegations of collusion.

• Quebec's Transport Ministry bosses ruled with iron fist, union says

And then there's also thethankless task of managing the frustrations of Montreal commuters.Daousthad just warned Montrealers that traffic in the city will reach new lows thanks to a spate of road projects.

Perhaps because of that turmoil, Transports Quebec has eaten through several ministers in recent years.Daoustwas the fifth since 2010.

The association of Quebec'sbitumen producers released a statement Friday evening, decrying the "lack of stability and continuity at Transports Quebec."