In January 2020, the council of mayors for MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais unanimously voted to approve a bylaw that would allow for universal suffrage during the next election. Before this vote, the warden was chosen by the mayors of the municipalities that make up MRC des Collines.

By February 2020, Éric Antoine was already exploring the idea of running in Quebec’s next municipal elections, a little less than two years away on Nov. 7, 2021.

Antoine has lived the majority of his life in the municipality of L’Ange-Gardien. He is married and has two daughters.

For the last ten years, he has worked for the federal government at Transport Canada while volunteering and working as president of the Cœur-des-Vallées school board.

As president of the school board, he is particularly proud of the new school built in the sector. It had been 25 years since a new school was built in L’ange-Gardien and they managed to raise $20 million.

He said that his experience on the school board has allowed him to work extensively with local councillors. He has also used his early start in the warden’s race to get to know the people and the issues of the MRC more intimately.

He is currently on a five-year leave of absence from his job at Transport Canada. The leave is five years, he said, because he intends to lead the MRC for two terms.

“[I have seen] the difference that one person can do inside a board or inside an MRC or a council. I’m young and still have a lot to do. I feel like I have many ideas I can put forward with a great group of people around the table,” he said.

Attracting Tourism

A top priority for Antoine is attracting tourism to the area. We need to promote the amenities, features and products of the region. To let people know what Outaouais has to offer.

Local farmers

To achieve this, Antoine puts a particular emphasis on local farmers.

“We often hear people saying, well, let’s go in the Laurentian or let’s go to Charlevoix and buy [food from there.] When we have everything you need here.” I don’t want people to use the Outaouais as a drive-through zone from Ontario; he said, I want people to stop here.

MRC des Collines Police Contract

The MRC des Collines is unique among MRC’s in Quebec because it has its own police force. For decades the force has served the community. In late 2020, the UMQ released the Green Book, outlining a series of recommendations on updating the province’s various police services. One of those recommendations would ultimately have lead to the dismantling or amalgamation of the des Collines police service into the SQ. This has proved very unpopular with residents of the MRC. If elected, Antoine intends to sign the police contract as soon as possible.”

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!