Quicksketch: A look at Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette

Christine Fréchette, leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), is set to enter the provincial election on October 5th following a stint as Quebec's premier and party head. She assumed leadership from party founder and former premier François Legault in April.

Elected to Quebec's national assembly in 2022, Fréchette ascended rapidly within the CAQ hierarchy to become the 33rd premier and the second female to hold that position. Prior to politics, she worked in economic development and business sectors, including roles at Montréal International and the Chambre de commerce de l’Est de Montréal. She also held positions in student and women's rights organizations.

Fréchette's political career began as deputy chief of staff to Jean-François Lisée, a Parti Québécois minister, from 2012 to 2014. She was subsequently elected as the CAQ member for Sanguinet, a Montreal South Shore riding, in 2022. She held the roles of immigration and economy and energy minister before succeeding Legault as CAQ leader and premier, becoming Quebec's first female premier in the process.

During her transfer of power, Fréchette emphasized the importance of unity, stating, "We live in an increasingly uncertain world. But for me, if there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that now is the time to come together, to join forces, and to work together. We must not let ourselves become divided." Fréchette will run in her hometown riding of Trois-Rivières, where the CAQ's Jean Boulet is stepping down.