Bernard Drainville

Early life and career

Drainville was born in La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas, Quebec. He attended the University of Ottawa, where he was president of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa in 1984–85, and obtained a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in international relations at the London School of Economics.

In 1989, Drainville joined Radio-Canada as a journalist, where he worked at the Windsor affiliate. He became a correspondent for Latin America in 2001, where he was arrested once in Mexico and detained by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Prior to 2007, he was a television host at the network's news channel RDI and the correspondent at the National Assembly, and a correspondent for the House of Commons of Canada from 1998 to 2001. He hosted the City of Montreal mayoral debate between Gérald Tremblay and Pierre Bourque during the 2005 municipal election campaign.

Political career

Parti Québécois

Drainville jumped into provincial politics and was elected in the 2007 elections in Marie-Victorin and was named the PQ's critic in health. He was re-elected in the 2008 and 2012 general elections.

On September 19, 2012, he became Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship under the Marois government. He was responsible for introducing the controversial Quebec Charter of Values, which would have banned state employees from wearing religious symbols.

He was re-elected in 2014, despite his party's defeat and was appointed the official opposition critic for energy and natural resources.

On October 20, 2014, he declared his candidacy for the Parti Québécois leadership election but dropped out on April 22, 2015, and endorsed Pierre-Karl Péladeau.

On September 7, 2015, he was appointed the Opposition House leader by Péladeau.

On June 13, 2016, he announced he was leaving politics, saying that Mr. Péladeau's departure had prompted a reflection on his own career. He returned to work in the media, co-hosting a noon-hour radio show on FM93 in Quebec City with Éric Duhaime.

Coalition Avenir Québec

On June 7, 2022, it was announced that Drainville was running as a candidate for the CAQ in Lévis in the upcoming 2022 Quebec general election. He was re-elected in the riding of Lévis and appointed Minister of education.

In April 2023, he announced plans to ban prayer in all provincial public schools.

In 2025, he became the Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks. Following the resignation of François Legault, Drainville entered the 2026 Coalition Avenir Québec leadership election in January, receiving several endorsements from his fellow caucus members.

Electoral record

References

1. "Bernard Drainville - National Assembly of Québec".
2. "Bernard Drainville - Assemblée nationale du Québec".
3. (20 October 2014). "Bernard Drainville throws hat into ring to run for Parti Quebecois leadership".
4. (April 22, 2015). "Bernard Drainville drops out of PQ leadership race to support Péladeau". Toronto Star.
5. (7 June 2022). "Quebecers not interested in sovereignty, says ex-PQ candidate Drainville, now running for Legault".
6. "Muslim groups pledge to monitor Quebec ban on school prayer spaces | Globalnews.ca".
7. (8 April 2023). "Quebec Muslim associations denounce government ban on prayer rooms in schools".
8. "Quebec to ban prayer rooms in public schools, says only 'silent' praying allowed".
9. (5 April 2023). "CityNews".
10. (24 January 2026). "Bernard Drainville se lance dans la course à la chefferie de la CAQ". [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.