Hours after announcing his resignation from his post and his seat in the province’s assembly, Claude Bechard, Quebec’s minister of agriculture, food and fisheries, died Tuesday in Quebec City at age 41.
Bechard, the MNA for Kamouraska-Temiscouata in Quebec’s Bas-St-Laurent region, had been undergoing treatments for pancreatic cancer since 2008.
According to a statement from the provincial government, Bechard’s family will not comment at this time and will announce details for his funeral at a later date.
Bechard was hospitalized in January this year with a pancreatic tumour obstructing his small intestine, had surgery in February to remove a related blockage, and returned to work in June.
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Bechard’s statement Tuesday didn’t give any new details about his condition, other than that he planned to keep to the close company of his spouse and children and would not give any interviews.
A report Tuesday from the Canadian Press news agency said Bechard had received last rites in hospital Friday.
Before Bechard’s passing was announced Tuesday, Premier Jean Charest had said he was saddened to see Bechard exit political life, noting his admiration for Bechard’s determination, ardour and heart and describing him as a “precious friend and marvellous travelling companion.
Christian Lacasse, president of the province’s Union des producteurs agricoles, said in a separate statement early Tuesday that members of the farmers’ organization had all witnessed Bechard’s “determination” in recent months and their thoughts were with him and his family.
“As the agriculture minister, Claude Bechard carried out a mandate close to his heart, for which he spared no effort,” Jean-Pierre Blackburn, the federal minister of state for agriculture, said in a statement late Tuesday.
“Mr. Bechard had a fierce commitment to and involvement with Quebec’s agricultural community in recent years and his loss will be greatly felt.”
“Mr. Bechard devoted a significant part of his life to active politics. For the last 13 years, he had been an effective member for Kamouraska–Temiscouata and devoted himself to his constituents while holding important positions in the Quebec government,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a separate statement Tuesday.
“Struck by illness, he never gave up and was an example of courage and determination for people who fight cancer.”
“Real pleasure”
Bechard, in his statement Tuesday, thanked Charest for his confidence and the Liberal caucus for its staunch support, calling it a “great honour and real pleasure” to serve the people of Quebec.
As well, he thanked his constituents in his “magnificent corner of the country,” calling them people of great heart and describing it as a “great privilege” to have represented them for the past 13 years.
Bechard, who also stepped down Tuesday from his portfolio as intergovernmental affairs minister, has been in Quebec’s assembly since 1997, starting in critic portfolios including employment and labour, education and energy and resources.
After the 2003 election he joined cabinet as minister of employment and social services, then moved to economic development in 2006, environment in 2007 and natural resources in 2008, becoming agriculture minister in June last year and adding the intergovernmental affairs file last month.
Bechard also served as the party’s deputy house leader from early 2006 to 2007, and again from June 2009 until last month.
Before entering political life, Bechard earned a degree in political science and took doctoral studies in public administration at Laval University, then worked as a consultant for a public relations firm and for the provincial Liberals, becoming that party’s vice-president by 1997.
A replacement hasn’t yet been named for Bechard in either of his ministerial portfolios. Public Safety Minister Robert Dutil, a Beauce region MNA, had handled the ag file on an interim basis in Bechard’s absence earlier this year.
