By Canadian Press

A look at Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault

Aug 29, 2022 | 10:00 AM

Quebec’s general election campaign has begun, and voters head to the polls on Oct. 3. Here’s a look at François Legault, the premier and leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec.

Born: May 26, 1957, in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., a city on the Island of Montreal.

Education: Has a Bachelor’s in business administration from HEC Montreal (1978) and a Master’s degree in business administration (finance) from the same school (1984).

Career before politics: Legault made his mark in the aviation industry when he co-founded Air Transat in 1986. He remained the airline’s president and CEO until 1997.

Political record: Legault was elected to Quebec’s legislature in 1998 with the Parti Québécois, where he served under then-premier Lucien Bouchard as education minister, vice-president of the Treasury Board and eventually health minister. He has been re-elected to the legislature six times. He co-founded the Coalition Avenir Québec in 2011 and has served as its leader ever since. Legault became Quebec’s premier in October 2018.

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Family: Legault is married to Isabelle Brais and has two sons.

Riding: L’Assomption (north of Montreal). 

Quote: “I want Quebecers to be proud of our successes, our entrepreneurs, our artists, our athletes, our history and proud of our culture. I want this pride to feed our audacity, so we’re we’re not afraid of aiming big, of being ambitious.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2022.

The Canadian Press