• Self-introduction video

Political, parliamentary and ministerial offices

Elected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on November 15, 1976

• Assistant Government Whip from November 26, 1976 to September 21, 1979
• Minister of the Public Service from September 21, 1979 to April 30, 1981

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on April 13, 1981

• Minister of State for Planning from April 30, 1981 to September 9, 1982
• Member of the Comité des priorités from April 30, 1981 to December 19, 1989
• Member of the Conseil du trésor from April 30, 1981 to October 23, 1985
• Minister responsible for the Office de planification et de développement du Québec (OPDQ) from April 1, 1982 to December 19, 1984
• Minister for Planning and Regional Development from September 9, 1982 to December 19, 1984
• Chair of the Comité de l'aménagement (since March 5, 1984, Comité ministériel permanent de l'aménagement et du développement régional) from September 9, 1982 to December 19, 1984
• Minister of Education from December 19, 1984 to December 12, 1985

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on December 2, 1985

• Deputy Opposition House Leader from December 16, 1985 to November 11, 1987
• Member of the Committee on the Budget and Administration from February 5, 1986 to August 9, 1989
• Member of the Committee on Education from February 5, 1986 to August 9, 1989
• Member of the Committee on Labour and the Economy from February 5, 1986 to August 9, 1989
• Vice-president of the executive, Québec section, International Assembly of French-Speaking Parliamentarians (AIPLF) from April 16, 1986 to August 9, 1989
• Opposition House Leader from November 11, 1987 to August 9, 1989

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on September 25, 1989

• Deputy Opposition House Leader from October 10, 1989 to July 24, 1994
• Official Opposition critic for education and higher learning from October 18, 1989 to February 23, 1993
• Member of the Committee on Education from November 29, 1989 to July 24, 1994
• Official Opposition critic for municipal affairs and regional affairs from February 23, 1993 to July 24, 1994

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on September 12, 1994

• Minister of Natural Resources from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996
• Deputy Government House Leader from September 26, 1994 to March 12, 1996
• Member of the Committee on Planning and Infrastructures from September 26, 1994 to April 10, 1997
• Member of the Committee on the Budget and Administration (renamed the Committee on Public Finance) from March 12, 1996 to October 28, 1998
• Chair of the Government Party Caucus from March 15, 1996 to October 28, 1998

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on November 30, 1998

• Chair of the Government Party Caucus from December 9, 1998 to January 30, 2002
• Vice-chair of the Québec Section, Québec-Haiti Standing Interparliamentary Committee (CPIQH) from March 2, 1999 to January 30, 2002
• Member of the Delegation of the National Assembly for Interparliamentary Cooperation (DANCI) from March 2, 1999 to January 30, 2002
• Member of the Committee on Public Finance from March 4, 1999 to January 30, 2002
• Member of the Select Committee on a New Management Framework for Government Administration from June 17, 1999 to October 20, 1999
• Minister for Forest Management and Rurality from January 30, 2002 to February 13, 2002
• Minister of Natural Resources from February 13, 2002 to April 29, 2003
• Member of the Comité ministériel spécial pour la région Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine from February 20, 2002 to April 29, 2003

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on April 14, 2003

• Third Vice-President of the National Assembly from June 4, 2003 to May 8, 2007
• Member of the Committee on the National Assembly from June 4, 2003 to February 21, 2007
• Member of the Subcommittee on Parliamentary Reform from June 4, 2003 to February 21, 2007

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on March 26, 2007

• Second Opposition Group critic for natural resources from April 25, 2007 to May 15, 2007
• Leader of the Second Opposition Group from May 10, 2007 to October 1, 2007
• House Leader of the Second Opposition Group from August 27, 2007 to October 21, 2008
• Member of the Committee on the National Assembly from August 27, 2007 to October 21, 2008
• Second Opposition Group critic for municipal affairs from August 30, 2007 to August 7, 2008
• Second Opposition Group critic for public service from August 7, 2008 to October 21, 2008
• President of the National Assembly from October 21, 2008 to January 13, 2009
• Chair of the Office of the National Assembly from October 21, 2008 to November 5, 2008
• Chair of the Committee on the National Assembly from October 21, 2008 to November 5, 2008

Reelected as Member for Abitibi-Ouest in the general election held on December 8, 2008

• Third Vice-President of the National Assembly since January 13, 2009
• Member of the Committee on the National Assembly since January 13, 2009
• Member of the Subcommittee on Parliamentary Reform since January 13, 2009
• Deputy Chair of the Delegation of the National Assembly for Relations with the French-speaking community of Belgium/Wallonia/Belgium (DANRB) since April 22, 2009
• Member of the Québec Section, Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) since May 27, 2009
• Member of the National Assembly Delegation for Relations with the French National Assembly (DANRANF) since May 27, 2009