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 is Quebec's head of government, while the King 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)
Term of office Electoral mandates (Assembly) Political party Riding Ref.
1
Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
(1820–1890)
15 July
1867
25 February
1873
  • Title created(caretaker government)
  • 1867 election(1st Legislature)
  • 1871 election(2nd Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Québec-Comté
Resigned to accept appointment to the Senate of Canada.
2
Gédéon Ouimet
(1823–1905)
27 February
1873
22 September
1874
  • Appointment(2nd Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Deux-Montagnes
Resigned over Tanneries scandal.
3
(1 of 2)
Charles Boucher de Boucherville
(1822–1915)
22 September
1874
8 March
1878
  • Appointment(2nd Legislature)
  • 1875 election(3rd Legislature)
Conservative MLC for Montarville
Dismissed by Lieutenant Governor Luc Letellier de St-Just after Letellier refused to approve legislation.
4
Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
(1829–1908)
8 March
1878
31 October
1879
  • Appointment(3rd Legislature)
  • 1878 election(4th Legislature)
Liberal MLA for Lotbinière
5
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
(1840–1898)
31 October
1879
31 July
1882
  • Appointment(4th Legislature)
  • 1881 election(5th Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Terrebonne
6
Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
(1837–1886)
31 July
1882
23 January
1884
  • Appointment(5th Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Jacques-Cartier
7
John Jones Ross
(1831–1901)
23 January
1884
25 January
1887
  • Appointment(5th Legislature)
  • 1886 election(6th Legislature)
Conservative MLC for Shawinigan
8
(1 of 2)
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
25 January
1887
29 January
1887
  • Appointment(6th Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Montcalm
9
Honoré Mercier
(1840–1894)
29 January
1887
21 December
1891
  • Appointment(6th Legislature)
  • 1890 election(7th Legislature)
Parti National MLA for Saint-Hyacinthe
(1887-1890)
MLA for Bonaventure
(1890-1891)
Dismissed by Lieutenant Governor over charges of corruption.

(2 of 2)
Charles Boucher de Boucherville
(1822–1915)
21 December
1891
16 December
1892
  • Appointment(7th Legislature)
  • 1892 election(8th Legislature)
Conservative MLC for Montarville

(2 of 2)
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
16 December
1892
11 May
1896
  • Appointment(8th Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Chambly
10
Edmund James Flynn
(1847–1927)
12 May
1896
24 May
1897
  • Appointment(8th Legislature)
Conservative MLA for Gaspé
Last Conservative premier.
11
Félix-Gabriel Marchand
(1832–1900)
24 May
1897
25 September
1900
  • 1897 election(9th Legislature)
Liberal MLA for Saint-Jean
Died in office.
12
Simon-Napoléon Parent
(1855–1920)
3 October
1900
23 March
1905
  • Appointment(9th Legislature)
  • 1900 election(10th Legislature)
  • 1904 election(11th Legislature)
Liberal MLA for Saint-Sauveur
13
Lomer Gouin
(1861–1929)
23 March
1905
23 March
1920
  • Appointment(11th Legislature)
  • 1908 election(12th Legislature)
  • 1912 election(13th Legislature)
  • 1916 election(14th Legislature)
  • 1919 election(15th Legislature)
Liberal MLA for Montréal division no. 2
(1905-1908)
MLA for Portneuf
(1908-1920)
14
Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
(1867–1952)
9 July
1920
11 June
1936
  • Appointment(15th Legislature)
  • 1923 election(16th Legislature)
  • 1927 election(17th Legislature)
  • 1931 election(18th Legislature)
  • 1935 election(19th Legislature)
Liberal MLA for Montmorency
Established Quebec Liquor Commission; attempted to create a Jewish school board; Great Depression.
15
(1 of 2)
Adélard Godbout
(1892–1956)
11 June
1936
26 August
1936
  • Appointment(19th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1938)
MLA for L'Islet
16
(1 of 2)
Maurice Duplessis
(1890–1959)
26 August
1936
8 November
1939
  • 1936 election(20th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1936)
MLA for Trois-Rivières
Padlock Law.

(2 of 2)
Adélard Godbout
(1892–1956)
8 November
1939
30 August
1944
  • 1939 election(21st Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1938)
MLA for L'Islet
Women's suffrage; established province's first labour code; nationalized Montreal Light, Heat & Power.

(2 of 2)
Maurice Duplessis
(1890–1959)
30 August
1944
7 September
1959
  • 1944 election(22nd Legislature)
  • 1948 election(23rd Legislature)
  • 1952 election(24th Legislature)
  • 1956 election(25th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1936)
MLA for Trois-Rivières
"Grande Noirceur", Duplessis Orphans. Died in office.
17
Paul Sauvé
(1907–1960)
11 September
1959
2 January
1960
  • Appointment(25th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1959)
MLA for Deux-Montagnes
"100 Days of Change". Died in office.
18
Antonio Barrette
(1899–1968)
8 January
1960
5 July
1960
  • Appointment(25th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1960)
MLA for Joliette
19
Jean Lesage
(1912–1980)
5 July
1960
16 June
1966
  • 1960 election(26th Legislature)
  • 1962 election(27th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1958)
MLA for Québec-Ouest
Quiet Revolution; established Ministry of Education; establishment of Hydro-Québec;
20
Daniel Johnson Sr.
(1915–1968)
16 June
1966
25 September
1968
  • 1966 election(28th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1961)
MLA for Bagot
CEGEP; died in office.
21
Jean-Jacques Bertrand
(1916–1973)
2 October
1968
12 May
1970
  • Appointment(28th Legislature)
Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1969)
MLA for Missisquoi (MNA after 1968)
Abolished the Legislative Council and renamed the Legislative Assembly to the National Assembly; Bill 63; last Union Nationale premier.
22
(1 of 2)
Robert Bourassa
(1933–1996)
29 April
1970
25 November
1976
  • 1970 election(29th Legislature)
  • 1973 election(30th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1970)
MNA for Mercier
October Crisis; Official Languages Act (Bill 22); James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement; Cliche commission.
23
René Lévesque
(1922–1987)
25 November
1976
3 October
1985
  • 1976 election(31st Legislature)
  • 1981 election(32nd Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 1968)
MNA for Taillon
Charter of the French Language (Bill 101); 1980 Quebec referendum; Patriation of the Canadian constitution discussions; beau risque.
24
Pierre-Marc Johnson
(b. 1946)
3 October
1985
12 December
1985
  • Appointment(32nd Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 1985)
MNA for Anjou

(2 of 2)
Robert Bourassa
(1933–1996)
12 December
1985
11 January
1994
  • 1985 election(33rd Legislature)
  • 1989 election(34th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1983)
MNA for Saint-Laurent
Meech Lake Accord; Charlottetown Accord.
25
Daniel Johnson Jr.
(b. 1944)
11 January
1994
26 September
1994
  • Appointment(34th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1993)
MNA for Vaudreuil
26
Jacques Parizeau
(1930–2015)
26 September
1994
29 January
1996
  • 1994 election(35th Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 1988)
MNA for L'Assomption
1995 Quebec referendum; resigned after referendum loss.
27
Lucien Bouchard
(b. 1938)
29 January
1996
8 March
2001
  • Appointment(35th Legislature)
  • 1998 election(36th Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 1996)
MNA for Jonquière
"Winning conditions"; implemented universal childcare and pharmacare.
28
Bernard Landry
(1937–2018)
8 March
2001
29 April
2003
  • Appointment(36th Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 2001)
MNA for Verchères
29
Jean Charest
(b. 1958)
29 April
2003
19 September
2012
  • 2003 election(37th Legislature)
  • 2007 election(38th Legislature)
  • 2008 election(39th Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 1998)
MNA for Sherbrooke
2012 Quebec student protests, lost his own seat in 2012.
30
Pauline Marois
(b. 1949)
19 September
2012
23 April
2014
  • 2012 election(40th Legislature)
Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 2007)
MNA for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré
First woman to hold the office. Quebec Charter of Values. Lost her own seat in 2014.
31
Philippe Couillard
(b. 1957)
23 April
2014
18 October
2018
  • 2014 election(41st Legislature)
Liberal
(Ldr. 2013)
MNA for Roberval
Ban on face coverings (Bill 62).
32
François Legault
(b. 1957)
18 October
2018
incumbent
  • 2018 election(42nd Legislature)
  • 2022 election(43rd Legislature)
Coalition Avenir Québec
(Ldr. 2011)
MNA for L'Assomption
Ban on religious symbols; COVID-19 pandemic.

Timeline

Jean Charest

Living former premiers

As of August 2022, 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.

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.

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.

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