Dionne-Marsolais

Que. culture min.

Montreal: Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau has named Rita Dionne-Marsolais minister of culture and communications, responsible for Quebec’s French-language charter, following the Nov. 25 resignation of Marie Malavoy.

Dionne-Marsolais is the former tourism minister in the Parti Quebecois government.

Malavoy, a former academic from Sherbrooke, Que. who was not known in Quebec’s culture and communications circles, tendered her resignation after admitting she illegally voted in provincial and federal elections prior to becoming a Canadian citizen.

At the press conference announcing her resignation, a teary-eyed Malavoy said, ‘When I did these things, I acted with conviction for the country I hoped Quebec would become.’

Malavoy, 46, was born in Germany. She arrived in Canada 43 years ago, but obtained her Canadian citizenship only last year. She has admitted to voting in ‘several Canadian and Quebec elections.’

She is now the subject of an investigation by Quebec’s chief electoral officer.

Just before resigning, Malavoy attended her first industry event, an international TV5 conference attended by ministers from member countries.

The apftq, the Quebec producers association, had ‘no comment’ on either Malavoy’s resignation, or Dionne-Marsolais’ appointment.