Couillard loses another trusted hand as Martin Coiteux announces he won't run again

Martin Coiteux, who led the Liberal government's response to last year's flooding and passed a series of major municipalreforms, announced Friday he won't run in October's provincial election.

Coiteuxis among the most trusted figures in Premier Philippe Couillard's cabinet. He iscurrently bothminister of public security and municipal affairs, as well as the minister responsible for the Montreal region.

Before that he served as president of the Treasury Board an influential,if thankless,position in which he wasresponsible for many of the cost-cutting measures that characterized the first years of Couillard'sterm in office.

Coiteuxis the third member of Couillard'scabinet to announce his departure in the lead-up to theelection. At least nine other Liberal MNAshave also said they won't be running.

Though the Liberals arebeing edged out by the Coalition Avenir Qubecin most opinion polls,Coiteuxinsisted his party's uncertain fortunes had no role to play in his decision.

"It's a question of the kind of life I want to live personally, andthe kind of life I want to impose, or not, on my family," Coiteux, 56, said a news conference in Montreal, hiswife,Monica Navarro, at his side.

A trusted hand in crisis

Earlier on Friday, Couillardacknowledged that Coiteuxplayed a central role in his government.

"His role in the return to a balanced budget was important,"Couillard said. "But I think what will go down in history is the profound transformation that he brought about in the relationship between the Quebec government and municipalities."

Last year, Coiteuxpassed separate pieces of legislation that granted more power to Montreal andQuebec City, as well to local governments across the province.

ButCoiteux'svalue to Couillardwas equally in his ability to handle crises in a serene manner.

He was among those called to account for the province's inability to clear Highway 13 during a freak snowstorm in March 2017.Hundreds were trapped in their cars overnight because of a communication breakdown between authorities.

Coiteuxmoved swiftly to bring about changes including a24-hour road surveillance office which he said would prevent a similar incident from recurring.

As public security minister, Coiteux was called to deal with scandals involving the province's anti-corruption unit and the Montreal police service.

He took the unprecedented move in December of suspendingthen-SPVM chiefPhilippe Pichet,following a damning report into the force's internal affairs division.

When flooding forced thousands of people from their homes in western Quebec last year,Coiteuxdonnedrubber boots and waded into the waters to meet with affected residents.

His ministry, though, has been roundlycriticizedfor delays in getting aid to victims, some of whom remain in temporary shelter one year later.

"It was a major crisis. It was a crisis that mobilized me as a minister for more than a year," Coiteux said Friday.

Since the flooding, he said, the government has increased its financial help for victims and updated its emergency protocols.

What's next?

Coiteux, who holds a PhD in international economics,wasfirst elected in the Nelligan ridingin the West Islandin 2014.

He was part of a trio of economic experts, along with JacquesDaoustand CarlosLeito, brought in by Couillard to boost the party's chances in that election.

Before entering politics,Coiteuxtaught economics and international business atHECMontralfor 20 years. He also worked briefly for the Bank of Canada.

"My game plan is to do something else other than politics, but I don't know what that is yet," he said Friday.