List of premiers of Quebec

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This is a list of the premiers of the province of Quebec since Canadian 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

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 Leg.)⁠


1871 election (2nd Leg.)

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 Leg.) 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 Leg.)⁠

1875 election (3rd Leg.)

Conservative Councillor 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 Leg.)⁠

1878 election (4th Leg.)

Liberal MLA for Lotbinière
5
Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
(1840–1898)
31 October
1879
31 July
1882
Appointment (4th Leg.)⁠

1881 election (5th Leg.)

Conservative MLA for Terrebonne
6
Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
(1837–1886)
31 July
1882
23 January
1884
Appointment (5th Leg.) Conservative MLA for Jacques-Cartier
7
John Jones Ross
(1831–1901)
23 January
1884
25 January
1887
Appointment (5th Leg.)⁠

1886 election (6th Leg.)

Conservative Councillor for Shawinigan
8
(1 of 2)
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
25 January
1887
29 January
1887
Appointment (6th Leg.) Conservative MLA for Montcalm
9
Honoré Mercier
(1840–1894)
29 January
1887
21 December
1891
Appointment (6th Leg.)⁠

1890 election (7th Leg.)

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 Leg.)⁠

1892 election (8th Leg.)

Conservative Councillor for Montarville

(2 of 2)
Louis-Olivier Taillon
(1840–1901)
16 December
1892
11 May
1896
Appointment (8th Leg.) Conservative MLA for Chambly
10
Edmund James Flynn
(1847–1927)
12 May
1896
24 May
1897
Appointment (8th Leg.) Conservative MLA for Gaspé
Last Conservative premier.
11
Félix-Gabriel Marchand
(1832–1900)
24 May
1897
25 September
1900
1897 election (9th Leg.) Liberal MLA for Saint-Jean
Died in office.
12
Simon-Napoléon Parent
(1855–1920)
3 October
1900
23 March
1905
Appointment (9th Leg.)⁠

1900 election (10th Leg.)⁠


1904 election (11th Leg.)

Liberal MLA for Saint-Sauveur
13
Lomer Gouin
(1861–1929)
23 March
1905
23 March
1920
Appointment (11th Leg.)⁠

1908 election (12th Leg.)⁠


1912 election (13th Leg.)⁠


1916 election (14th Leg.)⁠


1919 election (15th Leg.)

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 Leg.)⁠

1923 election (16th Leg.)⁠


1927 election (17th Leg.)⁠


1931 election (18th Leg.)⁠


1935 election (19th Leg.)

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 Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1938)
MLA for L'Islet
16
(1 of 2)
Maurice Duplessis
(1890–1959)
26 August
1936
8 November
1939
1936 election (20th Leg.) 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 Leg.) 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 Leg.)⁠

1948 election (23rd Leg.)⁠


1952 election (24th Leg.)⁠


1956 election (25th Leg.)

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 Leg.) 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 Leg.) Union Nationale
(Ldr. 1960)
MLA for Joliette
19
Jean Lesage
(1912–1980)
5 July
1960
16 June
1966
1960 election (26th Leg.)⁠

1962 election (27th Leg.)

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 Leg.) 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 Leg.) 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 Leg.)⁠

1973 election (30th Leg.)

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 Leg.)⁠

1981 election (32nd Leg.)

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 Leg.) Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 1985)
MNA for Anjou

(2 of 2)
Robert Bourassa
(1933–1996)
12 December
1985
11 January
1994
1985 election (33rd Leg.)⁠

1989 election (34th Leg.)

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 Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 1993)
MNA for Vaudreuil
26
Jacques Parizeau
(1930–2015)
26 September
1994
29 January
1996
1994 election (35th Leg.) 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 Leg.)⁠

1998 election (36th Leg.)

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 Leg.) Parti Québécois
(Ldr. 2001)
MNA for Verchères
29
Jean Charest
(b. 1958)
29 April
2003
19 September
2012
2003 election (37th Leg.)⁠

2007 election (38th Leg.)⁠


2008 election (39th Leg.)

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 Leg.) 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 Leg.) Liberal
(Ldr. 2013)
MNA for Roberval
Ban on face coverings (Bill 62).
32
François Legault
(b. 1957)
18 October
2018
incumbent 2018 election (42nd Leg.)⁠

2022 election (43rd Leg.)

Coalition Avenir Québec
(Ldr. 2011)
MNA for L'Assomption
Ban on religious symbols; COVID-19 pandemic.

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.