Despite the Liberal Government's claims that its re-engineering initiative is a managerial matter with the aim of improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of the public administration in Quebec, any administrative reform leads to a reconfiguring of the State's autonomy and capacities, which in turn leads to a redefining of governance. While it is crucial to examine the tangible processes involved in implementing a new management framework, one must also consider the consequences of redefining the relationship between the State and civil society.