List of premiers of Quebec

This is a list of the premiers of the province of Quebec, Canada, since Confederation in 1867. Quebec uses a unicameral (originally bicameral) Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the National Assembly (previously called the Legislative Assembly). The premier, sometimes called the prime minister, is Quebec's head of government, while the Queen of Canada is its head of state and is represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. The premier picks a cabinet from the elected members to form the Executive Council of Quebec, and presides over that body.

Members are first elected to the legislature during general elections. General elections must be conducted every five years from the date of the last election, but the premier may ask for early dissolution of the legislative assembly. An election may also happen if the Governing party loses the confidence of the legislature, by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion.

This article only covers the time since the Canadian Confederation was created in 1867. For the premiers of the Canada East from 1840 to 1867, see List of Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada. The governments of Lower Canada from 1792 to 1840 were mostly controlled by representatives of the Crown.

Premiers of Quebec since 1867

  Conservative Party   Quebec Liberal Party   Union Nationale   Parti Québécois   Coalition Avenir Québec

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
District
Term of office Electoral mandates (Assembly) Political party
1
Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
(1820–1890)
MLA for Québec-Comté
15 July 1867

25 February 1873
Conservative Party


Resigned to accept appointment to the Senate of Canada.
2
Gédéon Ouimet
(1823–1905)
MLA for Deux-Montagnes
27 February 1873

22 September 1874
Conservative Party


Resigned over Tanneries scandal.
3
Charles Boucher de Boucherville
(1822–1915)
MLC for Montarville
22 September 1873

8 March 1878
Conservative Party


Dismissed by Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de St-Just after Letellier refused to approve legislation.
4
Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
(1829–1908)
MLA for Lotbinière
8 March 1878

31 October 1879
Liberal Party


5
Sir Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
(1840–1898)
MLA for Terrebonne
31 October 1879

31 July 1882
Conservative Party


6
Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
(1837–1886)
MLA for Jacques-Cartier
31 July 1882

23 January 1884
Conservative Party


7
John Jones Ross
(1831–1901)
MLC for Shawinigan
23 January 1884

25 January 1887
Conservative Party


8
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
MLA for Montcalm
25 January 1887

29 January 1887
Conservative Party


9
Honoré Mercier
(1840–1894)
MLA for Saint-Hyacinthe (until 1890)
MNA for Bonaventure (after 1890)
29 January 1887

21 December 1891
Parti National


Dismissed by Lieutenant Governor over charges of corruption.
(3)
Charles Boucher de Boucherville
(1822–1915)
MLC for Montarville
21 December 1891

16 December 1892
Conservative Party


(8)
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
MLA for Chambly
16 December 1892

11 May 1896
Conservative Party


10
Edmund James Flynn
(1847–1927)
MLA for Gaspé
12 May 1896

24 May 1897
Conservative Party


Last Conservative premier.
11
Félix-Gabriel Marchand
(1832–1900)
MLA for Saint-Jean
24 May 1897

25 September 1900
Liberal Party


Died in office.
12
Simon-Napoléon Parent
(1855–1920)
MLA for Saint-Sauveur
3 October 1900

23 March 1905
Liberal Party


13
Lomer Gouin
(1861–1929)
MLA for Montréal division no. 2 (until 1908)
MNA for Portneuf (after 1908)
23 March 1905

23 March 1920
Liberal Party


14
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
(1867–1952)
MLA for Montmorency
9 July 1920

11 June 1936
Liberal Party


Established Quebec Liquor Commission; attempted to create a Jewish school board; Great Depression.
15
Adélard Godbout
(1892–1956)
MLA for L'Islet
11 June 1936

26 August 1936
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1938


16
Maurice Duplessis
(1890–1959)
MLA for Trois-Rivières
26 August 1936

8 November 1939
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1936


Padlock Law.
(15)
Adélard Godbout
(1892–1956)
MLA for L'Islet
8 November 1939

30 August 1944
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1938


Women's suffrage; established province's first labour code; nationalized Montreal Light, Heat & Power.
(16)
Maurice Duplessis
(1890–1959)
MLA for Trois-Rivières
30 August 1944

7 September 1959
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1936


"Grande Noirceur", Duplessis Orphans. Died in office.
17
Paul Sauvé
(1907–1960)
MLA for Deux-Montagnes
11 September 1959

2 January 1960
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1936


"100 Days of Change". Died in office.


18
Antonio Barrette
(1899–1968)
MLA for Joliette
8 January 1960

5 July 1960
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1960


19
Jean Lesage
(1912–1980)
MLA for Québec-Ouest
5 July 1960

16 June 1966
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1958


Quiet Revolution; established Ministry of Education; establishment of Hydro-Québec;
20
Daniel Johnson Sr.
(1915–1968)
MLA for Bagot
16 June 1966

25 September 1968
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1961


CEGEP; died in office.
21
Jean-Jacques Bertrand
(1916–1973)
MLA for Missisquoi (until 1968)
MNA for Missisquoi (after 1968)
2 October 1968

12 May 1970
Union Nationale
Named leader in 1969


Abolished the Legislative Council and renamed the Legislative Assembly to the National Assembly; Bill 63; last Union Nationale premier.
22
Robert Bourassa
(1933–1996)
MNA for Mercier
29 April 1970

25 November 1976
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1970


October Crisis; Official Languages Act (Bill 22); James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement; Cliche commission.
23
René Lévesque
(1922–1987)
MNA for Taillon
25 November 1976

3 October 1985
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 1968


Charter of the French Language (Bill 101); 1980 Quebec referendum; Patriation of the Canadian constitution discussions; beau risque.
24
Pierre-Marc Johnson
(b. 1946)
MNA for Anjou
3 October 1985

12 December 1985
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 1985


(22)
Robert Bourassa
(1933–1996)
MNA for Saint-Laurent
12 December 1985

11 January 1994
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1983


Meech Lake Accord; Charlottetown Accord.
25
Daniel Johnson Jr.
(b. 1944)
MNA for Vaudreuil
11 January 1994

26 September 1994
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1993


26
Jacques Parizeau
(1930–2015)
MNA for L'Assomption
26 September 1994

29 January 1996
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 1988


1995 Quebec referendum; resigned after referendum loss.
27
Lucien Bouchard
(b. 1938)
MNA for Jonquière
29 January 1996

8 March 2001
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 1996


"Winning conditions"; implemented universal childcare and pharmacare.
28
Bernard Landry
(1937–2018)
MNA for Verchères
8 March 2001

29 April 2003
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 2001


29
Jean Charest
(b. 1958)
MNA for Sherbrooke
29 April 2003

19 September 2012
Liberal Party
Named leader in 1998


2012 Quebec student protests, lost his own seat in 2012.
30
Pauline Marois
(b. 1949)
MNA for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré
19 September 2012

23 April 2014
Parti Québécois
Named leader in 2007


First female to hold the office. Quebec Charter of Values. Lost her own seat in 2014.
31
Philippe Couillard
(b. 1957)
MNA for Roberval
23 April 2014

18 October 2018
Liberal Party
Named leader in 2013


Ban on face coverings.
32
François Legault
(b. 1957)
MNA for L'Assomption
18 October 2018

Incumbent
Coalition Avenir Québec
Named leader in 2011


Ban on religious symbols; COVID-19 pandemic.
Min. Minority government
LS Party won the election, but premier lost own seat

Timeline

François LegaultPhilippe CouillardPauline MaroisJean CharestBernard LandryLucien BouchardJacques ParizeauDaniel Johnson, Jr.Pierre-Marc JohnsonRené LévesqueRobert BourassaJean-Jacques BertrandDaniel Johnson, Sr.Jean LesageAntonio BarrettePaul SauvéMaurice DuplessisAdélard GodboutLouis-Alexandre TaschereauLomer GouinSimon-Napoléon ParentFélix-Gabriel MarchandEdmund James FlynnHonoré MercierLouis-Olivier TaillonJohn Jones RossJoseph-Alfred MousseauJoseph-Adolphe ChapleauHenri-Gustave Joly de LotbinièreCharles Boucher de BouchervilleGédéon OuimetPierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau

Living former premiers

As of March 2019, six former premiers are alive, the oldest being Lucien Bouchard (19962001, born 1938). The most recent former premier to die was Bernard Landry (2001–2003), on November 6, 2018.

NameTermDate of birth
Pierre-Marc Johnson
1985
(1946-07-05) July 5, 1946
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
1994
(1944-12-24) December 24, 1944
Lucien Bouchard 19962001 (1938-12-22) December 22, 1938
Jean Charest 20032012 (1958-06-24) June 24, 1958
Pauline Marois 20122014 (1949-03-29) March 29, 1949
Philippe Couillard 20142018 (1957-06-26) June 26, 1957

See also

For more lists of this type, see Lists of incumbents.

References

  • Government of Québec. "Nombre de premiers ministres et de gouvernements depuis 1867". Informations historiques (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  • Quebec Politique. "Élections English". QuébecPolitique.com. Retrieved December 16, 2006.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.