A few days ago, the independent Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil, Marie-Claude Nichols, submitted a request to the Commission de toponymie asking that the future Île-aux-Tourtes bridge be named the Paul-Gérin-Lajoie bridge.

This request inspired Néomédia's survey question last week. 

Ms. Nichols has the unanimous support of the Vaudreuil-Dorion municipal council, via a resolution adopted at the council's regular meeting on Monday, September 18.

"I am very pleased to have the support of the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion, and I will be seeking the support of the MRC and its 23 member municipalities. Paul Gérin-Lajoie was a great builder of Quebec and deserves an infrastructure in his memory. Mr. Gérin-Lajoie's family is very touched by this initiative the politician told the National Assembly in the wake of her request."

A key figure in regional and provincial politics 

Paul-Gérin-Lajoie, who passed away in June 2018, was a leading figure on both the provincial and regional political scenes. Among other things, he contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, notably with the creation of the Cité-des-Jeunes high school in Vaudreuil-Dorion and the region's first vocational school.

A citizen of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Paul-Gérin-Lajoie founded the weekly L'Écho de Vaudreuil-Soulanges et Jacques-Cartier in 1957. 

In 1960, Mr. Gérin-Lajoie was elected Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil-Soulanges under Jean-Lesage. That same year, he became Minister of Youth and launched his school reform. 

As Quebec's first Minister of Education, he abolished the classical colleges and established a public education system that was free and compulsory until age 16. 

Paul-Gérin-Lajoie was also a key player in the history of Quebec's international relations, which led to the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine recognizing Quebec's right to establish direct relations with foreign countries in areas within its constitutional jurisdiction.

Recall that in August 2018, Marie-Claude Nichols had announced that she had taken steps to have the current Vaudreuil riding become the Paul-Gérin-Lajoie riding. 

This week's poll question was therefore as follows:  Should the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge be renamed in honor of Paul Gérin-Lajoie?Here are the answers offered by readers who responded to the weekly poll: 

- Yes, because he had a major influence on Quebec and the region: 25.7%.

- Yes, a new bridge means a new name: 0%;

- No, because the history of Île-aux-Tourtes should also be commemorated: 31.4%; 

- No, because from my point of view, the name of the bridge is not an issue: 42.9%; 

And you, what's your opinion on the question?