Quiksketch: A look at Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
MONTREAL – Charles Milliard heads into Quebec’s Oct. 5 provincial election leading the Liberal party as it tries to rebuild from a poor 2022 showing and scandals surrounding the previous leader. Milliard, who has never held elected office, became leader in February 2026 by acclamation after Pablo Rodriguez stepped down amid allegations around leadership campaign financing.
Age: 46
Hometown: Lévis, Que.
Before politics: A pharmacist by training, Milliard worked as an executive at pharmacy chain Uniprix and at public relations firm National before becoming president and CEO in 2020 of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, an organization advocating for economic growth and supporting businesses.
Education: He obtained a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Université Laval in 2002 and a master’s from HEC Montréal in 2007.
Family: Milliard is openly gay and has a partner.
Political record: Milliard joined the party in 2010 and announced a bid for the Quebec Liberal leadership in 2024, saying he was committing himself to Quebec politics for the next decade. He finished a close second to Rodriguez in the 2025 vote, taking 47.7 per cent of the points on the second ballot compared with Rodriguez’s 52.3 per cent.
After Rodriguez resigned in December 2025, Milliard entered the race to replace him and was crowned the party’s 17th leader on Feb. 13, 2026, after no other candidate qualified. He has described himself as a nationalist, regionalist and federalist and has made the economy, public services, regions, culture and housing his main priorities.
Milliard had also been approached by the federal Liberals to run in a 2024 byelection in the Montreal riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun but declined to focus on provincial politics.
Riding: Orford, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
Quote: “The plan I have in mind is a 10-year plan, so it’s a long-term project,” he said in 2025 ahead of the Liberal leadership race. “No matter what happens in the leadership race, although I intend to win it, and then in the general elections of 2026 and 2030, we don’t know what lies ahead, but I’ll definitely be there.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2026.