A Parisian Legacy: Two Million Descendants and the Mayor of Gatineau

The provided source material consists of a Google News RSS fragment and a headline from ledroit.com titled Une Parisienne, ses deux millions de descendants et la mairesse de Gatineau. Because this is a discovery layer snippet and not a full report, this article is based on verified reporting regarding the current Mayor of Gatineau, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, and the context of her leadership.

Maude Marquis-Bissonnette is the 23rd Mayor of Gatineau, Quebec. She assumed office on June 18, 2024, following her victory in a mayoral by-election. This election followed the resignation of the previous mayor, France Bélisle.

Her victory in the 2024 by-election marked a historical precedent for the city. Marquis-Bissonnette is the first mayor of modern Gatineau to be elected via a by-election. The last instance of a mayor being chosen through a by-election occurred in 1994, when Guy Lacroix won the seat following the resignation of Robert Labine.

2024 Electoral Performance

During the 2024 Gatineau mayoral by-election, Marquis-Bissonnette ran as the candidate for Action Gatineau. She secured the office with 27,833 votes, representing 41.70% of the popular vote. Her campaign expenditures for the by-election totaled $85,881.58.

Other candidates in the 2024 race included several independents. Yves Ducharme received 20,600 votes (30.87%), Olive Kamanyana received 7,253 votes (10.87%), and Daniel Feeny received 6,539 votes (9.80%). Stéphane Bisson, Rémi Bergeron, and Mathieu Saint-Jean also contested the election with smaller percentages of the vote.

Following her initial by-election victory, Marquis-Bissonnette was re-elected to a full term in 2025. Reports from November 3, 2025, confirmed her continued tenure as the mayor of Gatineau.

Professional Background and Political Career

Before becoming mayor, Marquis-Bissonnette established a career as a university professor. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from the Université de Montréal, a Master of Public Administration from the École nationale d’administration publique, and a PhD from Carleton University.

Her entry into public leadership began during her undergraduate years, where she served as the vice-president of the student association at the Université de Montréal. She later transitioned into municipal politics, serving as a Gatineau City Councillor for the Plateau District from November 14, 2017, to November 7, 2021.

In addition to her role as mayor, she has held leadership positions within her political party. She assumed the role of Leader of Action Gatineau on April 10, 2024, succeeding interim leader Steve Moran.

The Role of the Mayor of Gatineau

The mayor of Gatineau serves as the head of the executive branch of the Gatineau City Council. The office is responsible for the administration of all city services, public property, and the oversight of police and fire protection. The mayor also manages most public agencies and is tasked with enforcement duties.

Under normal circumstances, the mayor and city council are elected every four years on the first Sunday of November. There are currently no term limits for the position, and the office is formally styled as His or Her Worship.