Kathleen Weil

Kathleen Weil
Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
In office
December 8, 2008 – August 28, 2022
Preceded by Russell Copeman
Succeeded by Désirée McGraw
Minister responsible for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers
In office
October 11, 2017 – October 18, 2018
Preceded by Position created
Succeeded by François Legault
Quebec Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness
In office
April 23, 2014 – October 11, 2017
Preceded by Diane De Courcy
Succeeded by Simon Jolin-Barrette
Quebec Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities
In office
August 11, 2010 – September 19, 2012
Preceded by Yolande James
Succeeded by Diane De Courcy
Quebec Minister of Justice
In office
December 18, 2008 – August 11, 2010
Preceded by Jacques Dupuis
Succeeded by Jean-Marc Fournier
Personal details
Born 1954
Political party Quebec Liberal Party
Spouse Michael Novak
Profession Lawyer

Kathleen Weil is a Canadian politician and lawyer. Weil was elected to represent the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the National Assembly of Quebec in the 2008 provincial election. She is a member of the Quebec Liberal Party and a former provincial cabinet minister.

Weil studied at McGill University and received a bachelor's degree in history and political sciences in 1978 and a degree in civil and common law in 1982 before being admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 1983. She served as an official with Alliance Quebec.

In addition to her law practice, she was heavily involved from 2000 in the health and social services sector, being an administrative member for the Montreal Children's Hospital and the Régie régionale des services de la santé et des services sociaux à Montréal. Before entering politics, she was President CEO of the Foundation of Greater Montreal.

She was appointed to the Executive Council of Quebec on December 18, 2008, as Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

In 2010, Weil was appointed as Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities. In the 2012 election the Liberals lost power to the Parti Quebecois and Weil returned to the opposition benches as Official Opposition critic for employment and the social economy. Following the 2014 provincial election the Liberals returned to power, and she was appointed Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness.

On 11 October 2017, Weil was sworn in as the first Ministre responsable des Relations avec les Québécois de langue anglaise.

She was re-elected for a fourth time as a member of the Quebec National Assembly in the 2018 Quebec general election. The Liberals lost the election and returned as the official opposition to a new CAQ government. On June 6, 2022, Weil announced she would not be seeking re-election in the 2022 election and bowing out of politics after 14 years.

Weil is married to Michael Novak, ex-president of SNC-Lavalin International.

Electoral record

2018 Quebec general election: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kathleen Weil 16,843 62.98 -13.63
Québec solidaire Kathleen Gudmundsson 3,166 11.84 +4.42
Coalition Avenir Québec Nathalie Dansereau 2,142 8.01 +2.35
Green Chad Walcott 1,785 6.67 +2.15
Parti Québécois Lucie Bélanger 1,460 5.46 -0.06
New Democratic David-Roger Gagnon 708 2.65
Conservative Souhail Ftouh 405 1.51
Independent Cynthia Nichols 151 0.56
Marxist–Leninist Rachel Hoffman 82 0.31 +0.04
Total valid votes 26,742 99.08
Total rejected ballots 249 0.92
Turnout 26,991 56.14
Eligible voters 48,076
Liberal hold Swing -9.025
Source(s)
"Rapport des résultats officiels du scrutin". Élections Québec.
2014 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kathleen Weil 22,336 76.61 +13.96
Québec solidaire Annick Desjardins 2,164 7.42 -1.14
Coalition Avenir Québec Noah Sidel 1,649 5.66 -7.96
Parti Québécois Olivier Sirard 1,610 5.52 -2.77
Green Alex Tyrrell 1,318 4.52 -1.20
Marxist–Leninist Rachel Hoffman 78 0.27 -0.01
Total valid votes 29,155 99.35
Total rejected ballots 192 0.65
Turnout 29,347 72.50 +4.56
Electors on the lists 40,476
2012 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kathleen Weil 16,761 62.65 -5.33
Coalition Avenir Québec Angely M.Q. Pacis 3,643 13.62 +10.76*
Québec solidaire David Mandel 2,291 8.56
Parti Québécois Olivier Sirard 2,217 8.29 -5.37
Green Claude Sabourin 1,531 5.72 -8.67
Option nationale Sylvain Labranche 236 0.88
Marxist–Leninist Rachel Hoffman 74 0.28 -0.45
Total valid votes 26,753 99.31
Total rejected ballots 187 0.69
Turnout 26,940 67.94 +24.92
Electors on the lists 39,652

* Result compared to Action démocratique

2008 Quebec general election: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Kathleen Weil 11,475 67.98 +6.65
Green Peter McQueen 2,430 14.39 −1.34
Parti Québécois Fabrice Martel 2,307 13.66 +3.08
Action démocratique Matthew Conway 483 2.86 −4.34
Marxist–Leninist Linda Sullivan 124 0.73 +0.43
Independent David Sommer Rovins 64 0.38
Total valid votes 16,883 98.66
Rejected and declined votes 230 1.34
Turnout 17,113 43.02 −15.50
Electors on the lists 39,780