Régine Laurent (OQ) (born 9 October 1957) is a Haitian‑Canadian nurse and trade‑union leader. She is noted for being the first Black woman to head the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), the provincial health‑workers’ union, from 2009 to 2017, and for chairing Quebec’s Special Commission on the Rights of the Child and Youth Protection beginning in May 2019.
Early life and education
Laurent was born in Port‑au‑Prince, Haiti. Her family emigrated to Canada in 1968 when she was eleven, settling in Montreal. She pursued nursing studies at a CÉGEP in the Montreal area, obtaining her diploma in 1979.
Professional career
In February 1980 Laurent began working as a nurse at Santa‑Cabrini Hospital in Montreal, where she served for 35 years across multiple departments, including postpartum care. Her involvement in the hospital’s labour union began in the early 1980s, and she was elected president of the hospital’s union in 1985.
During the 1990s she held several positions within health‑sector unions. From 2004 to 2009 she was president of the Alliance interprofessionnelle de Montréal (AIM), a nurses’ union representing roughly 6 000 members in Montreal, Montérégie and Laval.
In 2009 Laurent was elected president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ). Under her leadership the union negotiated improved working conditions for health‑care workers and organized notable strikes in 1989 and 1999. She retired from the FIQ presidency in 2017.
Public service
In May 2019 the Quebec government appointed Laurent to chair the Special Commission on the Rights of the Child and Youth Protection, a body tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to child‑protection policies in the province.
Honours
Laurent was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 2024 in recognition of her contributions to labour rights, gender equality, and the integration of culturally diverse communities in Quebec.
Personal life
Laurent is a mother of two sons. She has been active in community and advocacy work related to health, labour rights, and child protection.
Sources: Wikipedia entry on Régine Laurent; La Presse profile; government publications of the Quebec Special Commission on the Rights of the Child and Youth Protection.
