CPNewsAlert: Charles Milliard acclaimed as new leader of Quebec Liberal Party

By Canadian Press on February 13, 2026.

MONTREAL — The Quebec Liberals have acclaimed 46-year-old Charles Milliard as their new leader, forgoing the need for a second leadership race in less than one year.

With no other candidate accepted by the party, the Liberals formally announced Milliard as the new leader shortly after today’s application deadline.

Milliard is a member of the Quebec order of pharmacists and was head of the federation of Quebec chambers of commerce.

He came second in the 2025 Liberal leadership race to ex-federal cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez, who resigned in December amid a crisis involving allegations of vote-buying and reimbursed donations.

Milliard has never held public office but has been a member of the Quebec Liberals since 2010.

He is promising to renew the party, which has fallen out of favour with large swaths of the francophone majority, with the provincial election scheduled for Oct. 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2026.

The Canadian Press