Rachel Renaud, Gabie Renaud’s sister, is running for the CAQ

Rachel Renaud, Gabie Renaud’s sister, is running for the CAQ

Rachel Renaud, who has campaigned to ensure that her sister Gabie Renaud’s death was not in vain, will run for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in the fall elections.

Last fall, Gabie Renaud was allegedly killed by her partner, who had a long history of domestic violence. In the wake of her death, members of the National Assembly passed the “Gabie Renaud Act” last June.

Rachel Renaud had advocated for the law and welcomed its unanimous passage in the Quebec legislature on June 11.

In a press release, Renaud said she had an “instant connection” with Premier and CAQ leader Christine Fréchette when she met her.

“This aligns with my desire to make a difference in people’s lives; that’s what brought me into politics,” she said.

Renaud will run in the new Bellefeuille riding, in the Laurentians and Lanaudière regions. She has a background in human resources management.

When asked before the candidacy announcement, Fréchette said she was proud of her track record in the fight against violence against women.

“For us, this has been a priority—a long-standing priority; we’ve been very, very active and innovative in this fight,” she said on the sidelines of an announcement in Longueuil.

“It culminated with the Clare Act, the Gabie Renaud Act, last spring (...) and just know that we will continue our efforts.”

Before its passage, the “Gabie Renaud Act” had been in the works for months. Québec solidaire campaigned for the passage of such a law, inspired by the “Clare Act.” Fréchette then made it a campaign pledge during her leadership race.

The Clare Act was passed in England following the murder of Clare Wood by her ex-partner in 2009. He had a history of violence against women.

Candidacy in Argenteuil

Fréchette also announced Julie-Andrée Numainville’s candidacy in the Argenteuil riding, currently represented by incumbent CAQ MNA Agnès Grondin. Numainville comes from the field of philanthropy; she has worked notably at the Canadian Cancer Society and Moisson Sud-Ouest.

“I need strong voices, like those of Julie-Andrée and Rachel, to move Quebec forward, both economically and socially,” the premier emphasized in a press release.

“They will both embody this commitment to connecting with voters in Bellefeuille and Argenteuil and ensuring their voices are heard within our government.”

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 15, 2026.

- By Vicky Fragasso-Marquis, with information from Thomas Laberge