Leadership positions

Leader of the Opposition in Quebec
In office April 30, 1998 – April 29, 2003
Preceded by	Monique Gagnon-Tremblay
Succeeded by	Bernard Landry
Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
In office April 30, 1998 – September 5, 2012
Preceded by	Monique Gagnon-Tremblay (interim)
Succeeded by	Jean-Marc Fournier (interim)
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
In office December 14, 1993 – April 2, 1998 Interim: December 14, 1993 – April 29, 1995
Preceded by	Kim Campbell
Succeeded by	Elsie Wayne (interim)

Canadian cabinet

Minister of Industry
In office June 25, 1993 – November 4, 1993
Prime Minister	Kim Campbell
Preceded by	Pierre H. Vincent (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs; Registrar General of Canada) Michael Wilson (Minister of Industry, Science and Technology)
Succeeded by	John Manley
Minister of the Environment
In office April 21, 1991 – June 24, 1993
Prime Minister	Brian Mulroney
Preceded by	Robert de Cotret
Succeeded by	Pierre H. Vincent
Minister of State (Fitness and Amateur Sport)
In office March 31, 1988 – January 23, 1990
Prime Minister	Brian Mulroney
Minister	Jake Epp Perrin Beatty
Preceded by	Otto Jelinek
Succeeded by	Marcel Danis
Minister of State (Youth)
In office June 30, 1986 – January 23, 1990
Prime Minister	Brian Mulroney
Minister	David Crombie Lucien Bouchard Gerry Weiner
Preceded by	Andrée Champagne
Succeeded by	Marcel Danis

House of Commons roles

Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Assistant Deputy Chair of the Committees of the Whole
In office October 31, 1984 – June 29, 1986
Speaker	John Bosley
Preceded by	Jacques Guilbault
Succeeded by	Andrée Champagne

Parliamentary constituencies

Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Sherbrooke
In office November 30, 1998 – September 4, 2012
Preceded by	Marie Malavoy
Succeeded by	Serge Cardin
Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke
In office September 4, 1984 – April 30, 1998
Preceded by	Irénée Pelletier
Succeeded by	Serge Cardin

Personal details

Born

John James Charest

June 24, 1958 (age 66)
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

Political party

Conservative (federal)
Quebec Liberal (provincial)

Other political
affiliations

Progressive Conservative (before 2003)

Spouse

Michèle Dionne

(m. 1980)

Residences

Westmount, Quebec, Canada

Alma mater

Université de Sherbrooke

Jean Charest (born June 24, 1958) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. He was the 29th premier of Quebec from 2003 to 2012. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1984 to 1998. He held several important government jobs from 1986 to 1993. From 1993 to 1998, he was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

Charest was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He worked as a lawyer before becoming an MP in 1984. In 1986, he joined Brian Mulroney's government as a minister. He later became the Minister of the Environment in 1991. After the 1993 election, Charest became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

In 1998, Charest left federal politics. He was then chosen to lead the Quebec Liberal Party. This party wanted Quebec to remain part of Canada. He became premier of Quebec after his party won the 2003 provincial election. He won two more elections before losing in 2012. After leaving politics, Charest worked as a consultant and lawyer. In 2022, he ran to become the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Early Life and Education

Jean Charest was born on June 24, 1958, in Sherbrooke, Quebec. His mother, Rita, was of Irish descent, and his father, Claude, was French Canadian. He studied law at the Université de Sherbrooke. He became a lawyer in 1981.

Charest married Michèle Dionne on June 21, 1980. They have three children named Amélie, Antoine, and Alexandra. Jean Charest can speak both French and English very well.

Federal Politics (1984–1998)

Charest worked as a lawyer until 1984. That year, he was elected as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament. He represented the area of Sherbrooke in the Parliament of Canada. From 1984 to 1986, he helped lead committees in the House of Commons.

Becoming a Minister

In 1986, at just 28 years old, Charest joined the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He became the Minister of State for Youth. This made him the youngest cabinet minister in Canadian history.

In 1988, he was appointed Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport. He later resigned from this role in 1990 after a misunderstanding involving a court case.

Leading on the Environment

Charest returned to the government as Minister of the Environment in 1991. In this role, he led Canada's team at the 1992 Earth Summit. This important meeting about the environment took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Running for Party Leader

When Prime Minister Mulroney decided to retire, Charest ran to become the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1993. He came in second place to Kim Campbell. Charest then served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry in Campbell's government.

Leading the Progressive Conservatives

In the 1993 federal election, the Progressive Conservatives faced a big defeat. Only two of their candidates were elected: Jean Charest and Elsie Wayne. Charest was re-elected in Sherbrooke. Because he was one of only two MPs left, Charest became the interim leader of the party. He was confirmed as leader in 1995. This made him the first French-speaking person to lead the Progressive Conservative Party.

In the 1995 Quebec referendum, Charest worked to keep Quebec as part of Canada. In the 1997 Canadian federal election, Charest helped his party win 20 seats. This was a big improvement from the two seats they won in 1993.

Provincial Political Career (1998–2012)

In 1998, Jean Charest decided to leave federal politics. He became the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Many people believed he was the best person to help this party win against the Parti Québécois. The Parti Québécois wanted Quebec to become its own country.

In the 1998 Quebec election, Charest's party received more votes than the Parti Québécois. However, the Parti Québécois won more seats and formed the government. Charest won his own seat in Sherbrooke.

In April 2003, Charest led the Quebec Liberals to a big win. They formed a majority government, ending nine years of Parti Québécois rule. Charest promised to make changes to healthcare, cut taxes, and reduce government spending. He won his seat in Sherbrooke by a large margin.

Premier of Quebec (2003–2012)

As Premier, Jean Charest made several important decisions for Quebec.

Economic Plans

Charest's government increased the Quebec sales tax (QST) three times. It went from 7.5% to 9.975% by 2013. In 2007, Quebec became the first province in Canada to have a carbon tax. This tax aimed to reduce pollution.

Charest with United States Consul General Peter O'Donohue in November 2010

A major economic plan launched by Charest's government was the Plan Nord in 2011. This plan aimed to develop natural resources in northern Quebec. It was a 25-year project that hoped to bring in over C$80 billion in investments. It also aimed to create or keep 20,000 jobs each year. The plan had support from mining companies and some Indigenous groups. However, some environmentalists and other Indigenous groups were concerned.

Environmental Efforts

Charest was also known for his focus on the environment. He disagreed with the federal government's decision to leave the Kyoto Accord. He insisted that Quebec would still work to meet its own environmental goals. His government set targets to reduce greenhouse gases. They also created an action plan for electric vehicles. He helped pass the Sustainable Development Act. This law gives everyone the right to live in a healthy environment. In 2012, Charest received an award for his work on sustainable development.

Régis Labeaume (left), Stephen Harper (centre) and Jean Charest at the Forum mondial de la langue française in Quebec City on July 2, 2012.

Other Policies

Charest had promised to let cities that had been merged by the previous government vote to separate again. This was important for his election win in many areas. However, his government made it harder for cities to demerge. They had to get many signatures and have a high voter turnout.

During his time as Premier, Charest worked to increase Quebec's role on the world stage. Quebec gained representation at UNESCO, which is part of the United Nations.

Student Protests of 2012

In 2011, Charest's government decided to increase tuition fees at Quebec universities. This led to large student protests in Montreal and Quebec City. In March 2012, many colleges and universities went on student strike. Students boycotted classes to protest the planned tuition increases. Large demonstrations happened every month across Quebec.

The government passed a law called Bill 78. This law placed limits on protests. This caused a lot of debate, with some groups saying it limited people's rights. Bill 78 was later cancelled by the next government.

Elections as Premier

2007 Quebec Election

In 2007, Charest called an election for March 26. His party won a minority government. This meant they had the most seats but not enough to control all decisions without help from other parties. Charest kept his own seat in Sherbrooke.

2008 Quebec Election

Charest in 2012

In November 2008, Charest called another election for December 8. He argued that Quebec needed a strong majority government during tough economic times. His party won a historic third term in a row, forming a majority government again. This was the first time a party had won three elections in a row in Quebec since the Quiet Revolution.

2012 Quebec Election

On August 1, 2012, Charest started his campaign for the 2012 Quebec election. His party focused on law and order, referring to the student protests. On September 4, Charest and his party lost the election. The Parti Québécois won the most seats, forming a minority government. The Quebec Liberal Party became the official opposition. Charest lost his own seat in Sherbrooke, which he had held since 1984. The next day, Charest announced he would resign as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.

After Being Premier

After leaving politics, Charest worked as a consultant for Huawei. He advised them on their plans for 5G networks in Canada. He also joined a law firm called McCarthy Tétrault LLP as a partner.

In January 2024, Charest left McCarthy Tétrault. He joined another legal group called Therrien Couture Joli-Cœur.

Running for Conservative Leader in 2022

On March 9, 2022, Charest announced he would run to become the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. He had thought about running in 2020 but decided not to. In the 2022 leadership election, Charest finished second to Pierre Poilievre.