Paul Gérin-Lajoie

Who is Paul Gérin-Lajoie?

Paul Gérin-Lajoie, CC GOQ QC is a Canadian lawyer, philanthropist, and a former member of the National Assembly of Quebec and Cabinet Minister.

Born in Montréal, the son of Henri Gérin-Lajoie and Pauline Dorion, he studied at Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, where he was editor of the school paper, the Université de Montréal, and Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he received a Doctor of Laws degree. He was admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1943.

He ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in the riding of Vaudreuil-Soulanges in the 1956 general election and in a 1957 by-election. In 1958, he came in second at the Quebec Liberal Party leadership convention.

He was elected in Vaudreuil-Soulanges in the 1960 election and was re-elected in 1962 and 1966. From 1960 to 1964 he was the Minister of Youth in the cabinet of Jean Lesage and in 1964 became the first person since 1875 to be appointed Minister of Education, serving in that position until 1966. As Minister of Education he was the driving force behind major changes made to Quebec's education system. He did not run for re-election in 1970.