 Facal subsequently represented the Bouchard government on missions to Africa, Europe, and Latin America, and in 1997 he served as vice-president of the Parliamentary Conference of the Americas held in Quebec City.In the same year, he chaired a legislative committee that recommended downsizing in the Quebec civil service and the number of government agencies.Facal was promoted to cabinet on 23 September 1998, as minister of Canadian intergovernmental affairs.