QuickSketch of Liberal leader Philippe Couillard

MONTREAL – Philippe Couillard is the 31st and current Premier of Quebec. Here is a sketch of Liberal leader Philippe Couillard:

Born: June 26, 1957, Montreal

Education: Specialist certificate, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, 1985; specialist certificate, College des medecins du Quebec, 1985; neurosurgery diploma, Universite de Montreal, 1985.

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Professional career: head surgeon in the neurosurgery department at St-Luc Hospital, 1989-92; head surgeon and director of the surgery department at Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, 2000-03; senior fellow in health law at McGill University, 2009-11; strategic adviser in health and life sciences with Secor-KPMG, 2011-12.

Political career: First elected to legislature, 2003; health minister, 2003-08; elected Liberal leader, March 2013; won byelection, December 2013.

Personal: Married to Suzanne Pilote. They have five children.

Quote: “We are Quebecers first but we are also proud to belong to the Canadian federation.” – Couillard on his view of provincial-federal relations.