Quebec Premier Jean Charest

In 2003 Jean Charest led the first federalist government to victory in Quebec in nearly a decade. A federal Progressive Conservative turned Quebec provincial Liberal, Jean Charest wasted a lot of good will with a series of bungled and controversial decisions at the local and regional levels. In spite of improved federal-provincial relations and balanced budgets, the Liberals lost 26 seats in the 2007 Quebec provincial election and left Quebec with its first minority government in nearly 130 years.

In late 2008 Charest called a snap election saying he needed a majority to help Quebec through the world economic crisis. His risk paid off and he and the Liberals won a slim majority government. It was the first time in more than 50 years that Quebeckers gave a provincial government a third straight mandate.

June 24, 1958 in Sherbrooke, Quebec

LL.B. - University of Sherbrooke

Lawyer

• Federal Progressive Conservative Party (1984-98)

• Parti libéral du Québec - Liberal Party of Quebec (1998 - present)

Sherbrooke (1984-98)

Sherbrooke (1998 - present)

• Jean Charest was first elected to the House of Commons as the Progressive Conservative member of parliament for Sherbrooke in 1984.

• He was appointed Minister of State for Youth in 1986, the youngest person ever to have served in the federal cabinet.

• In 1988, Jean Charest also became Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport.

• Jean Charest had to resign from cabinet in 1990 after improperly speaking to a judge about a case regarding the Canadian Track and Field Association.

• In 1991 Jean Charest was back in cabinet as Minister of the Environment.

• In 1993 Jean Charest ran for the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservative Party, but lost to Kim Campbell.

• Jean Charest was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Science in the short-lived Campbell government in 1993.

• In the federal general election in October 1993, the Progressive Conservatives were reduced to just two members of parliament. Jean Charest was one of the two.

• Jean Charest was made interim leader of the Progressive Conservative party in December 1993.

• From June to November 1995, Jean Charest was Vice-chair of the National Committee of Quebecers for the NO side of the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty.

• He was elected leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party in 1995, becoming the first French Canadian leader of the party.

• In the 1997 federal election Jean Charest was re-elected and the Progressive Conservatives won 20 seats.

• In 1998, Jean Charest resigned as leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party and became leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.

• In the Quebec provincial election in 1998, Jean Charest was elected as the MNA for Sherbrooke and he became Leader of the Official Opposition in the Quebec National Assembly.

• The Quebec Liberal Party won the Quebec provincial election in 2003 and Jean Charest was sworn in as Premier of Quebec.

• In the 2007 Quebec provincial election, Jean Charest and the Liberals were reduced to a minority government.

• In the 2008 provincial election, Jean Charest called a snap election and the Liberals won a slim majority.