Amélie Béchard, the Coalition Avenir Québec candidate for Ungava, is seen here during her election campaign, along the Matagami–Radisson highway. (Photo courtesy of Amélie Béchard/Facebook)
Amélie Béchard hopes to maintain CAQ hold on Ungava
Candidate works in forestry industry and operates a business in hometown of Matagami
Nunatsiaq News reached out to each candidate running in the Ungava riding ahead of Quebec’s Oct. 5 provincial election. Here’s what Coalition avenir Québec candidate Amélie Béchard had to share with us.
Amélie Béchard isn’t a career politician. She says she decided to run for office in Ungava with the Coalition avenir Québec because she wants to make a difference.
“I’m here for the people,” said Béchard, speaking to Nunatsiaq News from her hometown of Matagami.
The candidate hopes to replace former Coalition avenir Québec member Denis Lamothe, who held the seat for two terms, from 2018 to 2026.
“I could be a strong voice in Quebec City — bringing our issues to the forefront, defending them, and helping our region grow,” said Béchard, who visited Whapmagoostui and Kuujjuarapik last week.
She owns a forestry consulting company in Matagami that specializes in operations management and has worked alongside the provincial government and Cree communities — experiences she says make her fit to lead economic development in northern Quebec.
She has also sat on boards of directors, such as the economic development society of Baie-James and Matagami’s business development society.
She has also sat on the board of Femmes Essor de la Jamésie, an organization that promotes entrepreneurship among women.
She said the cost of living for Cree and Inuit is especially high and that she wants to reduce the amount of transportation costs on essential items like food that are being passed onto consumers.
To address the cost of living, she mentioned that the party’s promising to increase tax credits for seniors over 65 as well as for first-time homebuyers. It has also promised to triple the amount it currently gives to local business in remote areas, through a regional economic fund.
Béchard said the party also wants to ensure royalties from mining are re-invested into critical infrastructure and services that nearby communities rely on. The party previously projected those royalties could generate as much as $78 million a year.
Béchard is among five candidates running for Ungava in Quebec’s provincial election. Advance polls have been open since Saturday and will stay open until Wednesday. Election day is on Monday, Oct. 5.
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