Philippe Couillard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippe Couillard
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Couillard in 2018
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| 31st Premier of Quebec | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office April 23, 2014 – October 18, 2018 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lieutenant Governor |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Pauline Marois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | François Legault | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition in Quebec | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office December 18, 2013 – April 23, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Jean-Marc Fournier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Stéphane Bédard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office March 17, 2013 – October 4, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Jean Charest | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Pierre Arcand (interim) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 26, 1957 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Suzanne Pilote | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Université de Montréal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
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Philippe Couillard (born June 26, 1957) is a Canadian business advisor and former neurosurgeon. He also worked as a university professor and politician. He was the 31st premier of Quebec from 2014 to 2018. A premier is like the head of the government for a province in Canada.
Before becoming premier, he was Quebec's Minister of Health and Social Services from 2003 to 2008. He was also a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for different areas. From 2013 to 2018, he led the Quebec Liberal Party. He stopped being the Liberal leader and an MNA on October 4, 2018.
Contents
Early Life and Medical Career
Philippe Couillard was born in Montreal, Quebec. His father was Canadian, and his mother was French. He studied medicine and became a neurosurgeon at the Université de Montréal. A neurosurgeon is a doctor who performs operations on the brain and nervous system.
He led the neurosurgery department at Hôpital Saint-Luc from 1989 to 1992. He also led the department at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke from 1996 to 2003. For a few years, from 1992 to 1996, he worked in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Entering Politics
In 2003, Couillard decided to leave his medical career to enter politics. He ran for a seat in the National Assembly for the area of Mont-Royal. He represented the Quebec Liberal Party.
He won the election in 2003 and became the Minister of Health and Social Services. This meant he was in charge of healthcare for the whole province. During his time as minister, he helped increase the healthcare budget by $4.2 billion. He also helped make it illegal to smoke in public places.
In 2007, Couillard ran for a different area called Jean-Talon. He won this seat too. He continued to be the Minister of Health and Social Services.
On June 25, 2008, Couillard announced he was leaving his role as minister and MNA. He took a break from politics for a few years.
Return to Politics
On October 3, 2012, Couillard decided to return to politics. He ran to become the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. He said he felt a "need to serve" the public again.
On March 17, 2013, he won the leadership election and became the new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Later that year, on December 9, 2013, he was elected as an MNA for the area of Outremont.
Quebec Election in 2014
On March 5, 2014, an election was called in Quebec. Couillard decided to run in the area of Roberval, where he lived.
At the start of the election, polls showed a close race between his party and the Parti Québécois. Couillard focused his campaign on important topics like "healthcare, education, and jobs." He also spoke against a proposed law called the "Quebec Charter of Values," saying it would divide people.
As the election continued, support for Couillard and the Liberals grew. On April 7, 2014, Philippe Couillard led the Quebec Liberals to a big victory. They won 70 seats in the National Assembly. This meant they would form the government again, just 19 months after losing power. Couillard emphasized creating a better business environment in Quebec. He also promised to work well with other provinces and the federal government.
Premier of Quebec
Philippe Couillard became the Premier of Quebec on April 23, 2014. He appointed 26 ministers to his cabinet, who would help him lead the government.
Economic Plans
When the Liberals took office in 2014, Quebec had a large budget deficit of almost $6 billion. A budget deficit means the government spends more money than it collects. Couillard's government worked to balance the budget by 2015. They did this by cutting some spending and raising taxes. His government managed to have a balanced budget for four years in a row. However, some of his spending cuts, especially in education and healthcare, made him less popular.
Environmental Decisions
Couillard's government made some decisions about the environment. They removed protection from certain preserved areas and allowed logging in land where caribou live. The government stated these decisions would help the economy and create jobs.
In 2014, Couillard also said he was against developing shale gas. He mentioned a report that showed environmental concerns about it.
Law on Religious Symbols
In October 2017, Couillard's government passed a law called Bill 62. This law required people to uncover their faces when receiving public services. This law received a lot of attention. Couillard supported the law, saying that in a free society, people should be able to see each other's faces when speaking.
Quebec Election in 2018
In the October 2018 provincial election, Couillard's government lost power after only one term. The Coalition Avenir Québec party won the election. Couillard himself won his seat in Roberval again. However, he resigned as the leader of his party and as an MNA on October 4, 2018.
After Politics
After leaving politics, Philippe Couillard became involved in business. In September 2022, it was reported that he was working with a company called Britishvolt. This company was planning to build a large factory in Canada. However, by November 2022, the company decided not to build the factory in Canada. Couillard stopped working for Britishvolt in October 2022.
Images for kids
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Couillard in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Philippe Couillard para niños
