Kovid-19: Jean-Franకోois Roberz will not relinquish his position as Minister of Education

Despite the magnitude of the work achieved in these last months of the epidemic, Jean-Franకోois Roberz will not relinquish his position as Minister of Education. However, he admitted that insomnia caught him at the height of the first wave and in September at the beginning of the academic year.

The life of an elected official in the opposition is very different from the life of a minister, he agreed at the outset in an interview at his office in the G Complex in Quebec.

Behind him sat the guitar stand. When he was an Opposition MP, he would go to the National Assembly on session days. He sometimes took advantage of this course to play certain tunes.

Ministerial duty required, he now goes to office in his “limousine”, in fact in parliamentary parlance the term was used to refer to the very ordinary Toyota Sienna minivan. Jean-Franకోois Roberz doesn’t have all of his guitar to put away, and he doesn’t hesitate to take it out when work puts him in the office late at night.

“At one point, I’m taking ten minutes, I’m disturbing everyone in the office by playing the guitar, it should come out”, dictates a tall man 6 feet 4 inches tall.

Go back to school anxiety

The minister admitted that the last few months have been “tough” at times. In the spring, there are no technical tools and there are great inconsistencies in the network. “It worked for me.” The agony of returning to school, he also lived. “I have insomnia,” admitted the man who was a professor before jumping into politics.

The crisis he experienced as a father, his first character. Like many other teenagers, she dropped out of high school without a prom. This fall, for her first session at CEGEP, she did not step foot in the classroom. “It’s so hard”.

She is young, soon to be fifteen, attending work-study courses, every day at school, another at home. “Government decisions directly affect them. Sometimes they talk to me about it, it’s normal.”

Stopping sports

Retirement also had an impact on his own cottage. One of his daughters dances and must be satisfied like most young men to train in front of his screen.

Despite the criticism, for a moment Jean-Franois Roberz wanted to occupy a seat other than the Minister of Education. Will be able to keep it until the next election.

“I don’t control all of this, but I want the opportunity to do four years. I started a lot of medium and long term things ”. Version of school rule, 4 years kindergarten, beautiful schools, he listed.

At 46, he is still passionate about politics. He will be a candidate in 2022. Will the Chambery member one day see himself as the head of the CAQ? “It’s not really on my radar screen,” he replied.

What Minister Roberz

• “There’s a song written by Jubalon: ‘When it’s easy, it’s not worth it.’
• Although many have told me “I will not take your place” I will not give up my position. […] On the contrary, I am happy to be there to take care of the network. ”
• “I have a very good relationship [les porte-parole de l’opposition en éducation]. […] They play their role, they play very well. “

Telecommuting on a ping-pong table

Like all of us, Jean-Franకోois Roberz must also adapt to the epidemic. Like many Quebeckers, he sometimes leaned toward teleworking. Where is the Minister of Education who is chained to virtual meetings and working on planning back from school with health measures? On the ping-pong table in the basement, of course! His wife, who had to do telework, already occupied the room used as an office, he said.

French Diplomacy

Despite his busy schedule and numerous trips to Quebec, the Chamberlain member tries not to neglect his role as father. It is “mathematical” to be with his daughters every day in Parliament. However, it was his duty to speak with them every night, without exception Jean-Franకోois Roberz. “I’m been in the National Assembly for six years, I’m not talked to my daughters. They spend fifteen minutes with their father every evening.” The rule applies even when he is abroad. He recalls a mission in France with his French counterpart Jean – Michel Blanc. In the middle of the meal, forget about it, I’m going out, I’m taking care of my daughters, international affairs are waiting, it’s not a topic of discussion! ”