La politique : et après? (“Politics: And after?”) – A unique training program for elected officials leaving municipal politics

Published on October 7, 2021 by the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ)

The Association québécoise des anciennes élues et anciens élus municipaux (AQAÉM), in partnership with the Centre de services aux entreprises du Cégep Marie-Victorin and the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ), is proud to launch a brand new training program on the theme of La politique : et après? (“Politics: And after?”)

This training program—the first of its kind in Quebec—is custom-designed to effectively support elected officials who will be leaving municipal politics after the November 7 election.

Two options are available as part of the program. From November 1 to November 26, training will be offered for elected municipal officials who have chosen not to run for re-election. The training—offered in a complete version of 15 hours or in an abbreviated version of 12 hours—will allow participants to address—with the help of experienced trainers from Cégep Marie-Victorin—various aspects related to their career transition, including the psycho-social component as well as legal and financial issues. Individual support will also be available upon request.

A second training option specifically designed for elected officials who were defeated in municipal elections will be offered in the winter of 2022. Details of the training program and registration procedures are available online at collegemv.qc.ca/municipal.

Quotes

“Once a person’s career dedicated to political life comes to an end, there are so many emotions, surprises and sometimes disappointments to face as well as a grieving period to go through. But there is also a new adventure that begins. It is best to come to grips with it.” – Denis Lapointe, Chairman of the Association québécoise des anciennes élues et anciens élus municipaux (AQAÉM)

“Our team is proud to take part in this project, which will provide former elected officials with tools to facilitate this transition in their lives. This training will focus on the action plan to be defined in order to take advantage of this new chapter of life. Several themes will be addressed by our trainers, such as the impact of social networks and how to manage them, transferable skills and the importance of networking. These are just a few of the psycho-social aspects of this training, which will also cover financial and legal aspects.” – Véronique Coutu, Coordinator of the Centre de services aux entreprises at Cégep Marie-Victorin

“A large number of elected officials will be leaving municipal politics this fall to pursue new professional challenges or to take a well-deserved retirement. However, this transition very often raises many legitimate questions. From now on, those who have chosen to devote a number of years to serving their community will have an additional tool to help them successfully exit municipal politics. I congratulate the AQAÉM on this excellent initiative and I invite all elected municipal officials in Quebec who will be ending their terms of office in November to take advantage of this training.” – Daniel Côté, Chairman of the UMQ and Mayor of Gaspé

ABOUT THE AQAÉM

The Association québécoise des anciennes élues et anciens élus municipaux (AQAÉM) is an organization that brings together former elected officials in Quebec in order to enhance the value of the expertise they acquired during their terms of office as elected representatives of their municipalities. The Association organizes meetings and conferences to support a network of former elected officials and to share their experience and knowledge. In addition, it actively takes part in a training program designed to facilitate the reintegration of former elected officials into a more rewarding social life.

ABOUT THE CENTRE DE SERVICES AUX ENTREPRISES

For 35 years, the Centre de services aux entreprises du Cégep Marie-Victorin (collegemv.qc.ca/services-aux-entreprises) has been actively involved in developing and implementing organizational strategies for training and development in private companies as well as in public and parapublic institutions. Team members play an important role in the development of workforce skills, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of local, regional and national communities.

ABOUT THE UMQ

For over 100 years, the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) (umq.qc.ca) has brought together local governments from all regions of Quebec. Its mission is to provide strong leadership for autonomous and effective local governments. It mobilizes municipal expertise, supports its members in carrying out their responsibilities and promotes municipal democracy. Its members, who represent more than 85% of Quebec’s population and territory, are grouped into affinity caucuses: local municipalities, central municipalities, regional cities, large cities and municipalities in the metropolis.