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 Union Nationale Quebec Liberal Party Parti Québécois
Premier (party) |
Period | Assem- blies |
Elections | District (region) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau (Conservative) |
July 15, 1867 – February 25, 1873 | 1st 2nd ... |
Elected Aug.-Sep. 1867 Re-elected Jun.-Jul. 1871 Resigned (moved to federal politics) Feb 25, 1873 |
Québec (Québec) | |
2nd | Gédéon Ouimet (Conservative) |
February 27, 1873 – September 22, 1874 | ... ... |
Designated Feb 27, 1873 Resigned (Retired) Sep 22, 1874 |
Deux-Montagnes (Laurentides) | |
3rd | Charles Boucher de Boucherville (Conservative) (1st time of 2) |
September 22, 1874 – March 8, 1878 | ... 3rd ... |
Designated Sep 22, 1874 Re-elected Jul 7, 1875 Dismissed by L-G Mar 8, 1878 |
Montarville[1] (Montérégie) | |
4th | Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (Liberal) |
March 8, 1878 – October 31, 1879 | ... 4th ... |
Designated Mar 8, 1878 Re-elected May 1, 1878 to a minority Resigned (non-confidence) Oct 31, 1879 |
Lotbinière (Chaudière-Appalaches) | |
5th | Sir Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (Conservative) |
October 31, 1879 – July 31, 1882 | ... 5th ... |
Designated Oct 31, 1879 to a minority Re-elected Dec 2, 1881 Resigned (moved to federal politics) Jul 31, 1882 |
Terrebonne (Lanaudière) | |
6th | Joseph-Alfred Mousseau (Conservative) |
July 31, 1882 – January 23, 1884 | ... ... |
Designated Jul 31, 1882 Resigned (moved to the judiciary) Jan 23, 1884 |
Jacques-Cartier (Montreal) | |
7th | John Jones Ross (Conservative) |
January 23, 1884 – January 25, 1887 | ... 6th ... |
Designated Jan 23, 1884 Re-elected Oct 14, 1886 to a minority Resigned (moved to federal politics) Jan 25, 1887 |
Shawinigan[2] (Mauricie) | |
8th | Louis-Olivier Taillon (Conservative) (1st time of 2) |
January 25, 1887 – January 29, 1887 | ... ... |
Designated Jan 25, 1887 to a minority Resigned (due to 6th election) Jan 29, 1887 |
Montcalm (Lanaudière) | |
9th | Honoré Mercier (Parti National)[3] |
January 29, 1887 – December 21, 1891 | ... 7th ... |
Designated Jan 29, 1887 Re-elected Jun 17, 1890 Dismissed by L-G Dec 21, 1891 |
Saint-Hyacinthe (until 1890) (Montérégie) Bonaventure (after 1890) (Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine) | |
- | Charles Boucher de Boucherville (Conservative) (2nd time of 2) |
December 21, 1891 – December 16, 1892 | ... 8th ... |
Designated Dec 21, 1891 to a minority Re-elected Mar 8, 1892 Resigned (moved to judiciary) Dec 16, 1892 |
Montarville[4] (Montérégie) | |
- | Louis-Olivier Taillon (Conservative) (2nd time of 2) |
December 16, 1892 – May 11, 1896 | ... ... |
Designated Dec 16, 1892 Resigned (moved to federal politics) May 11, 1896 |
Chambly (Montérégie) | |
10th | Edmund James Flynn (Conservative) |
May 11, 1896 – May 24, 1897 | ... | Designated May 11, 1896 | Gaspé (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine) | |
11th | Félix-Gabriel Marchand (Liberal) |
May 24, 1897 – September 25, 1900 | 9th ... |
Elected May 11, 1897 Died in office Sep 25, 1900 |
Saint-Jean (Montérégie) | |
12th | Simon-Napoléon Parent (Liberal) |
October 3, 1900 – March 23, 1905 | ... 10th 11th ... |
Designated Oct 3, 1900 Re-elected Dec 7, 1900 Re-elected Nov 25, 1904 Resigned (dismissed by party) |
Saint-Sauveur (Québec) | |
13th | Lomer Gouin (Liberal) |
March 23, 1905 – July 9, 1920 | ... 12th 13th 14th 15th ... |
Designated Mar 23, 1905 Re-elected Jun 8, 1908 Re-elected May 15, 1912 Re-elected May 22, 1916 Re-elected Jun 23, 1919 Resigned (moved to Legislative Council) Jul 9, 1920 |
Montréal no 2 (until 1908) (Montreal) Portneuf (after 1908) (Québec) | |
14th | Louis-Alexandre Taschereau (Liberal) |
July 9, 1920 – June 11, 1936 | ... 16th 17th 18th 19th ... |
Designated Jul 9, 1920 Re-elected Feb 5, 1923 Re-elected May 16, 1927 Re-elected Aug 24, 1931 Re-elected Nov 25, 1935 Resigned (scandal) Jun 11, 1936 |
Montmorency (Québec) | |
15th | Adélard Godbout (Liberal) (1st time of 2) |
June 11, 1936 – August 26, 1936 | ... | Designated Jun 11, 1936 | L'Islet (Chaudière-Appalaches) | |
16th | Maurice Duplessis (Union Nationale) (1st time of 2) |
August 26, 1936 – November 9, 1939 | 20th | Elected Aug 17, 1936 | Trois-Rivières (Mauricie) | |
- | Adélard Godbout (Liberal) (2nd time of 2) |
November 8, 1939 – August 30, 1944 | 21st | Elected Oct 25, 1939 | L'Islet (Chaudière-Appalaches) | |
- | Maurice Duplessis (Union Nationale) (2nd time of 2) |
August 30, 1944 – September 7, 1959 | 22nd 23rd 24th 25th ... |
Elected Aug 8, 1944 Re-elected Jul 28, 1948 Re-elected Jul 16, 1952 Re-elected Jun 20, 1956 Died in office Sep 7, 1959 |
Trois-Rivières (Mauricie) | |
17th | Paul Sauvé (Union Nationale) |
September 11, 1959 – January 2, 1960 | ... ... |
Designated Sep 11, 1959 Died in office Jan 2, 1960 |
Deux-Montagnes (Laurentides) | |
18th | Antonio Barrette (Union Nationale) |
January 8, 1960 – July 5, 1960 | ... | Designated Jan 8, 1960 | Joliette (Lanaudière) | |
19th | Jean Lesage (Liberal) |
July 5, 1960 – June 16, 1966 | 26th 27th |
Elected Jun 22, 1960 Re-elected Nov 14, 1962 |
Québec-Ouest (Québec) | |
20th | Daniel Johnson, Sr. (Union Nationale) |
June 16, 1966 – September 26, 1968 | 28th ... |
Elected Jun 5, 1966 Died in office Sep 26, 1968 |
Bagot (Montérégie) | |
21st | Jean-Jacques Bertrand (Union Nationale) |
October 2, 1968 – May 12, 1970 | ... | Designated Oct 2, 1968 | Missisquoi (Eastern Townships) | |
22nd | Robert Bourassa (Liberal) (1st time of 2) |
May 12, 1970 – November 25, 1976 | 29th 30th |
Elected Apr 29, 1970 Re-elected Oct 29, 1973 |
Mercier (Montreal) | |
23rd | René Lévesque (Parti Québécois) |
November 25, 1976 – October 3, 1985 | 31st 32nd ... |
Elected Nov 15, 1976 Re-elected Apr 13, 1981 Resigned Oct 3, 1985 |
Taillon (Montérégie) | |
24th | Pierre-Marc Johnson (Parti Québécois) |
October 3, 1985 – December 12, 1985 | ... | Designated Oct 3, 1985 | Anjou (Montreal) | |
- | Robert Bourassa (Liberal) (2nd time of 2) |
December 12, 1985 – January 11, 1994 | 33rd 34th ... |
Elected Dec 2, 1985 Re-elected Sep 25, 1989 Resigned (Retired) Jan 11, 1994 |
Saint-Laurent[5] ( Montreal) | |
25th | Daniel Johnson, Jr. (Liberal) |
January 11, 1994 – September 26, 1994 | ... | Designated Jan 11, 1994 | Vaudreuil (Montérégie) | |
26th | Jacques Parizeau (Parti Québécois) |
September 26, 1994 – January 29, 1996 | 35th ... |
Elected Sep 12, 1994 Resigned (Retired) Jan 29, 1996 |
L'Assomption (Lanaudière) | |
27th | Lucien Bouchard (Parti Québécois) |
January 29, 1996 – March 8, 2001 | ... 36th ... |
Designated Jan 29, 1996 Re-elected Nov 30, 1998 Resigned (Retired) Mar 8, 2001 |
Jonquière (Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) | |
28th | Bernard Landry (Parti Québécois) |
March 8, 2001 – April 29, 2003 | ... | Designated Mar 8, 2001 | Verchères (Montérégie) | |
29th | Jean Charest (Liberal) |
April 29, 2003 – September 19, 2012 | 37th 38th 39th |
Elected Apr 14, 2003 Re-Elected March 26, 2007 to a minority Re-Elected December 8, 2008 |
Sherbrooke (Estrie) | |
30th | Pauline Marois (Parti Québécois) |
September 19, 2012 – April 23, 2014 | 40th | Elected September 4, 2012 to a minority | Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré (Capitale-Nationale) | |
31st | Philippe Couillard (Liberal) |
April 23, 2014–present | 41st | Elected April 7, 2014 | Roberval (Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) |
Living former premiers
As of June 2015, six former premiers are alive, the oldest being Bernard Landry (2001–2003, born 1937). The most recent former premier to die was Jacques Parizeau (1994–1996), on June 1, 2015.
Name | Term | Date of birth |
---|---|---|
Pierre-Marc Johnson | 1985 | July 5, 1946 |
Daniel Johnson, Jr. | 1994 | December 24, 1944 |
Lucien Bouchard | 1996–2001 | December 22, 1938 |
Bernard Landry | 2001–2003 | March 9, 1937 |
Jean Charest | 2003–2012 | June 24, 1958 |
Pauline Marois | 2012–2014 | March 29, 1949 |
See also
- Timeline of Quebec history
- List of Deputy Premiers of Quebec
- List of leaders of the Official Opposition of Quebec
- List of third party leaders (Quebec)
- List of premiers of Quebec by time in office
For more lists of this type, see Lists of incumbents.
Footnotes
- ↑ Charles Boucher de Boucherville was not a member of the Legislative Assembly during his tenure as Premier. He was a member of the upper house, the Legislative Council.
- ↑ John Jones Ross was not a member of the Legislative Assembly during his tenure as Premier. He was a member of the upper house, the Legislative Council.
- ↑ In the aftermath of the execution of Louis Riel, Honoré Mercier founded the Parti National, in order to bring Conservative dissidents to the Liberal Party. From 1885 to 1891, the Liberal Party is also called Parti National.
- ↑ Charles Boucher de Boucherville was not a member of the Legislative Assembly during his tenure as Premier. He was a member of the upper house, the Legislative Council.
- ↑ In 1985, Liberal Leader Robert Bourassa lost his seat in the district of Bertrand. On January 20, 1986, he won a by-election in the district of Saint-Laurent, after a member of the legislature from his party resigned his seat.
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.