Minister Gagnon-Tremblay in Italy and the Vatican On mission to Italy until October 19, Minister of International Relations and Minister responsible for La Francophonie Monique Gagnon-Tremblay will travel to L’Aquila, Rome and Milan where she will hold a series of meetings to strengthen institutional and economic ties between Québec and Italy. She will also go to the Vatican to represent the Québec government at the canonization ceremony of Brother André.

UNESCO Chair of Marine Sciences at UQAR A UNESCO Chair of Marine Sciences was inaugurated on October 1 at the University of Québec at Rimouski (UQAR. Focusing on the integrated analysis of marine systems, the Chair will draw on specialists in the areas of oceanography and marine resource management.

New Minister of International Relations appointed As part of the recent cabinet shuffle unveiled today in the National Assembly, Québec Premier Jean Charest appointed Monique Gagnon-Tremblay, MNA for Saint-François, as Minister of International Relations and Minister Responsible for La Francophonie. Ms. Gagnon-Tremblay will also retain her duties as Minister Responsible for the Eastern Townships region.

Québec adopts policy to fight homophobia Québec’s first-ever policy against homophobia was released in December 2009 by Kathleen Weil, Minister of Justice, Attorney General and minister responsible for the fight against homophobia. In her words, “The policy released shows, once again, that Québec society is a leader in the field of sexual minority rights.”