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The Government of Quebec (French: gouvernement du Québec, pronounced[ɡuvɛʁnəmɑ̃dykebɛk]) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Quebec. The term is typically used to refer to the executive of the day (i.e. ministers of the Crown) and the non-political staff within each provincial department or agency whom the ministers direct. By virtue of French being the province's official language,[1] the government corporately brands itself as the Gouvernement du Québec.
The current construct was established when the province joined Confederation in 1867. Quebec is a constituent state of Canada, a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition; a Premier—presently Christine Fréchette of the Coalition Avenir Québec—is the head of government and is invited by the Crown to form a government after securing the confidence of the National Assembly, typically determined through the election of enough members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of a single political party in an election to provide a majority of seats, forming a governing party or coalition.[2] The sovereign is King Charles III, Canada's head of state, who is represented provincially in Quebec by the lieutenant governor, presently Manon Jeannotte.
King Charles III, as King of Canada is also the King in Right of Quebec. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations.[8] Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.
While the powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch, they are exercised by the lieutenant governor, his personal representative, typically on the binding advice of the premier and Executive Council.
In Canada, lieutenant governor is appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister of Canada.[12] Thus, it is typically the lieutenant governor whom the premier and ministers advise, in exercising much of the royal prerogative.
While the advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding on the lieutenant governor, there are occasions when the lieutenant governor has refused advice. This usually occurs if the premier does not clearly command the confidence of the elected National Assembly.
The executive power vested in the Crown is exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown. The term Government of Quebec, or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the King-in-Council. The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Quebec are performed by the provincial departments and agencies, staffed by the non-partisan public service and directed by the elected government.
The premier of Quebec (French: premier ministre du Québec, lit.'prime minister of Quebec') is the primaryminister of the Crown. The premier acts as the head of government for the province, chairs and selects the membership of the Cabinet, and advises the Crown on the exercise of executive power and much of the royal prerogative. As premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Nation Assembly, they typically sit as a MNA and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Assembly. Premiers hold office until resignation or removal by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election.[13] Among Canadian premiers, the Quebec premier is unique, in that new sessions begin with the Opening Speech by the premier,[14] rather than a speech from the throne by the lieutenant governor, as is the case federally as well.
In Canada, the Cabinet (French: Conseil des ministres, lit.'council of ministers') of each provincial and territorial government is known as an Executive Council (French: Conseil exécutif).
Christine Fréchette has served as Premier since April 15, 2026, after she won the 2026 Coalition Avenir Québec leadership election.
