Luncheon - Events - St. Patrick's Society of Montreal

Jean Charest obtained a law degree from Sherbrooke University and was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1981. He practised as a lawyer in Sherbrooke at Beauchemin, Dussault from 1981 to 1984. Mr. Charest was first elected to the House of Commons, Ottawa, as MP for Sherbrooke on 4 September, 1984. He was Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1984 to 1986 and Minister of State for Youth from 1986 to 1988.Jean Charest was re-elected to the House of Commons as MP for Sherbrooke in 1988 and in 1993. His leadership roles have also included Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport, Minister of the Environment, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Industry and Science, Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development for Québec, Chair of the Special Committee to Study the Proposed Companion Resolution to the Meech Lake Accord and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998. In that capacity, he made his mark as vice-president of the national committee for the No side in the 1995 referendum campaign.In 1998, Jean Charest became leader of the Québec Liberal Party and was elected Member for Sherbrooke in the Québec National Assembly. He was re-elected as member for Sherbrooke in 2003, and on 29 April, was sworn in as Premier of Québec. On 26 March 2007, he was re-elected as member for Sherbrooke and Premier of Québec.

Born in 1958 on St. Jean Baptiste Day in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Jean Charest claims Irish descent through his mother, Rita Leonard and French-Canadian descent through his father, Claude Charest. Jean Charest is married to Michèle Dionne and they have three children, Amelie, Antoine and Alexandra.