The Canadian Scene

New President of the National Assembly

Montarville MNA Nathalie Roy was acclaimed as the new President of the National Assembly on November 30, 2022. Replacing outgoing President François Paradis, Ms. Roy becomes only the second woman to serve in the position in nearly 230 years of parliamentarianism.

Ms. Roy attended Université de Sherbrooke, where she obtained a multidisciplinary certificate in 1984 and a bachelor’s degree in law in 1988. She was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1990 and practiced as a lawyer in the Lamarre, Laporte et Darveau firm.

After more than two decades working in radio and television as a host, journalist, anchor, news editor, editor-in-chief and producer, Ms. Roy returned to private practice of law for two years, from 2010 to 2012, as a lawyer specializing in penal and criminal law, before entering politics on the advice of her colleague, Jean Lapierre.

Following her election in 2012 as an MNA under the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) banner, Ms. Roy served in several shadow Cabinet and parliamentary committee roles. When the CAQ formed the government in 2018, she was appointed Minister of Culture and Communications and Minister Responsible for the French Language.

Addressing MNAs for the first time as President, she said, “I will be the defender of your rights and privileges, and I will exercise this function with all the passion that you know me for. I will also be the protector of the institution . . . with its traditions, its laws and its jurisprudence.