The birth of my fourth child a few weeks ago serves to heighten my instinct to protect that which I hold dear and casts my commitment to the RCCAQ in a whole new light.

In the view of the Board members and myself, the provincial government should not go ahead with the proposed amendments to the Act respecting the sale and distribution of financial products and services (Bill 188). If they were to do so, growing numbers of families and small business owners in Quebec would be left to fend for themselves. Even worse, they could end up receiving advice from people whose competence is not recognized by the AMF. Unfortunately, obtaining the appropriate insurance coverage is not as easy as some might have you believe. In the event of losses or accidents, many people who mistakenly believed themselves to be fully covered end up facing a heavy financial burden, thus undermining their ability to meet their monthly mortgage payments or jeopardizing an otherwise well-planned retirement.

To address those problems, we decided at our recent convention to continue promoting our recommendations for positive change. Initiatives have already been launched involving members in all regions. Over the next 12 months, the RCCAQ’s General Manager (Guy Parent) and I will be traveling around Quebec as we pursue these efforts.

As I begin my new mandate, I would like to pay tribute to the remarkable lobbying efforts of my predecessor, Vincent Gaudreau. I would also like to thank the Board members for placing their trust in me.

In closing, my commitment to the RCCAQ would not be possible without the support of my family, most importantly my wife Annie Ménard, together with that of my business partners.

Rest assured that I will carry out my duties to the best of my ability and will spare no effort to do so.