10 years at the Blue Salon for Sylvain Roy


The Gaspésien was one of the elected officials honored Wednesday evening at the National Assembly during a ceremony dedicated to those who have passed the milestone of 10 years of service.

Sylvain Roy sits at his desk in the National Assembly of Quebec.

The MNA for Bonaventure, Sylvain Roy, in his office at the National Assembly.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Mr. Roy points out that he has indeed exceeded the threshold of life expectancy of an MP in office, established at 6.8 years. He says, however, that he has not seen the last few years pass.

Every time I walk into parliament, I just can’t believe I have a chair there and be an MP. I never expected this in my careersays the college teacher.

Sylvain Roy, PQ candidate and incumbent in Bonaventure

Sylvain Roy, during the 2018 election campaign (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada / Pierre Cotton

He laughingly admits having literally done, since his first election in 2012, around the garden what is the Blue Room.

I experienced a lot of emotions. I was in government, in the first opposition, in the second opposition, in the third opposition and now I am independent. »

A quote from Sylvain Roy, MP for Bonaventure

esteeming good playerthe 57-year-old man also says that since leaving the Parti Québécois he has kept good relationsincluding with his former PQ compatriots, who have everything [son] respect.

I have no animosity over what happened. I don’t have time to waste on this. »

A quote from Sylvain Roy, MP for Bonaventure

For him, sitting independently is an extremely interesting experience. It allows me to get out on the issues that I consider important. I do not have to negotiate and claim from a party the ability to defend a population categoryhe cites as an example.

Sylvain Roy, photographed in 2016 alongside his PQ colleagues Sylvain Gaudreault (Jonquière), Martin Ouellet (René‑Lévesque) and Sylvain Pagé (Labelle).

Sylvain Roy, photographed in 2016 alongside his PQ colleagues Sylvain Gaudreault (Jonquière), Martin Ouellet (René‑Lévesque) and Sylvain Pagé (Labelle).

Photo: Radio-Canada

However, the road to travel to get to the National Assembly remains, in his opinion, the most problematic element in the career of a regional deputy.

He nevertheless considers himself privileged in this regard. Among other things, Mr. Roy had the chance to have his wife Joanne by his side in this adventure. She accompanied me, she comes with me every week for several yearshe rejoices.

Lose… then win

Sylvain Roy was elected for the first time under the banner of the QP in the 2012 election, with a 3,144-vote lead over his closest rival, Liberal Damien Arsenault.

However, this was not his first attempt. The candidate had tried in vain the previous year to wrest Bonaventure from the Liberals after the resignation of Nathalie Normandeau.

PQ leader Pauline Marois with Sylvain Roy, candidate for the by-election in Bonaventure

Sylvain Roy and PQ leader Pauline Marois during the 2011 election campaign (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada

The member is far from having regretted this attempt, even if it turned out to be unsuccessful. He considers this setback as formative. I learned to lose, so I learned the gist of politicshe says, recalling that some elected officials can hardly take a defeat after having known only victories.

His 2018 campaign will remain a landmark, since the candidate will have won on two fronts at that time. In addition to keeping his seat, the chosen one, who then goes through treatments in Quebec, is fighting against throat cancer.

Adrenaline and chemotherapy furnish this period. It was a rather special adventureagrees the one who wins his fight and announces his recovery at the beginning of 2019.

MNA for Bonaventure, Sylvain Roy

Bonaventure MP Sylvain Roy was treated for throat cancer (archives).

Picture: Facebook page

I campaigned, but I was ready to lose. I used to joke to my spouse that if I didn’t come back to the county, I was going to come home, that it didn’t matterremembers the one who will soon be a grandpa for the fourth time.

Asked to comment on his greatest achievement as an MNA, Mr. Roy listed several issues he was able to advance. It’s a set of elements in certain sectors that allowed me to advance the interests of Quebecers.

In recent years, Sylvain Roy has been very active in the fields of forestry, agriculture and health. In particular, he compiled a voluminous file on the management of the Integrated Health and Social Services Center which gave rise to an audit and then to a report by the Auditor General of Québec.

First and foremost a teacher

A sociology professor at college before heading to Quebec City, Sylvain Roy believes that he has, in a way, continued to do pedagogy by helping to make people understand various issues. The sociologist does not rule out a return to the field of education after his career in politics.

Medium shot of Mr. Roy in the middle of a debate.

Sylvain Roy, in June 2019, at the National Assembly (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada / Ivanoh Demers

However, the member for Bonaventure has not yet announced whether he intends to seek a new mandate in the October 3 elections. The principal concerned says that he has not finished his reflection, and above all, his work as a deputy.

If I announce that I am leaving, I lose my balance of power. If I announce that I [reste], I get shot at like a political target. I will announce it at the right timehe concludes.



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

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