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Early Beginnings and Educational Achievements

Jean Charest was born in Sherbrooke on June 24, 1958. He completed his secondary studies at Montcalm School and his college studies at the Sherbrooke Seminary. In 1980, Mr. Charest earned a law degree from Sherbrooke University and was subsequently accepted to the Quebec Bar in 1981.

Pre-Political Life

From 1981 to 1984, Charest practiced law with Beauchemin, Dussault.

Political Life

In 1984, Charest was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada for the riding (electoral district) of Sherbrooke. From 1984 to 1986, Charest served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1986, at age 28, he was appointed to the Cabinet in the Brian Mulroney government as Minister of State for Youth, the youngest cabinet minister in Canadian history. He was subsequently appointed Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport in 1988, but was forced to resign from cabinet in 1990 after improperly speaking to a judge about a case regarding the Canadian Track and Field Association. He later returned to cabinet as Minister of the Environment in 1991.

Following the resignation of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from the party leadership, Charest contested the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1993 but came in second to Kim Campbell. In the 1993 federal election, Charest was, along with Elsie Wayne from Saint John N.B., one of only two Progressive Conservative MPs elected. Upon being elected leader, Charest set out on extensive cross-country consultations in an effort to rebuild the party.

In April 1998, he became leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. In December 1998, he was elected to the Quebec National Assembly and became Leader of the Official Opposition. In April 2003 the Liberal Party of Quebec defeated the Parti Québécois and Charest became the Premier. He declared he had a mandate to reform health care, cut taxes, reduce spending and reduce the size of government.

On February 21 2007, Charest requested a dissolution of the National Assembly. In the ensuring campaign, he focused primarily on pledges to cut taxes. Charest won only a minority government in the 2007 election.

Personal and Community Life

Jean Charest is married to Michèle Dionne and has three children.