Quebec City, July 9, 2026 — Gertrude Bourdon, a seasoned healthcare network manager, was officially announced as the candidate for the Jean-Lesage riding alongside Quebec Liberal Party leader Charles Milliard.
A native of the Chaudière-Appalaches region, Ms. Bourdon attended the Polyvalente des Abénaquis before earning a diploma in nursing at Cégep de Limoilou. She then continued her academic career by earning a certificate in management from TELUQ University, a multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree from Laval University, and a master’s degree in public management from the École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP).
Gertrude Bourdon began her career as a nurse at the Laval University Hospital Center (CHUL). She then rose through the ranks of the healthcare system to become executive director of the CHUQ in 2009. Nearly three years later, she led the merger of the Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec (CHA) with several other institutions, including the CHUL, the Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, the Hôpital Saint-François d’Assise, and the Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement.
In 2015, she was appointed President and CEO of the CHU de Québec – Université Laval, the largest hospital center in Quebec. Under her leadership, she oversaw, among other things, the construction of the new university hospital complex on the site of the Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus—an investment of more than $2 billion—in the Jean-Lesage riding.
In addition to her career in the healthcare system, the QLP candidate has also been active in the philanthropic community, supporting major organizations, including Opération Enfant Soleil. She has also served as chair of the Fiducie du patrimoine culturel des Augustines and sat on the boards of directors of the Monastère des Augustines and the Fondation Digestive. For more than ten years, she has also been a member of the strategic steering committee for the Rencontres de Nice, a forum for dialogue bringing together stakeholders from the healthcare systems of Quebec and France.
Gertrude Bourdon hopes to put her experience as a manager in the healthcare system to work for the political party led by Charles Milliard, one of whose five main priorities is improving the delivery of public services. In the area of health care, this commitment will be reflected in particular by the creation of a public telehealth platform, accessible 24/7, which will facilitate access to health care for millions of Quebecers.
“I am very proud to represent the Quebec Liberal Party in my riding, first and foremost to represent the people of my community in the National Assembly. To me, Charles Milliard embodies real change for Quebec and offers a credible vision for improving the delivery of public services—particularly in healthcare—drawing on his experience as a pharmacist and manager.”
— Gertrude Bourdon, QLP candidate in Jean-Lesage
“The decision to bring Gertrude Bourdon onto our team was a natural one and is excellent news for the Quebec Liberal Party. We both have backgrounds in the healthcare system, where we first worked with patients before moving into management roles. Her exceptional track record at the helm of the CHU de Québec–Université Laval demonstrates her leadership, her ability to manage complex organizations, and her commitment to the public. Her candidacy is a major asset for the residents of Jean-Lesage, for the Capitale-Nationale region, and for Quebec.”
- Charles Milliard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
