Paul Gérin-Lajoie
A Quebec political architect, he triggered the province's Quiet Revolution by declaring jurisdiction over education and championing international development.
1920–2018 (age 98)·Canadian politician·Birthday: February 23·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Paul Gérin-Lajoie was a man of two transformative missions. As a young Quebec cabinet minister in the early 1960s, he was the restless engineer of the Quiet Revolution. His most audacious move was the 1964 declaration that Quebec, not the federal government, held primary responsibility for education and social policy within its borders—a foundational claim for modern Quebec nationalism. He overhauled the school system, creating a ministry of education and pushing for wider access. Then, in a striking second act, he turned his focus outward. After leaving politics, he dedicated himself to global education, founding the Paul Gérin-Lajoie Foundation, which focused on literacy and basic education in developing nations, and creating the famous Dictée P.G.L. spelling competition to fund it. His life arc traced the journey of a French-Canadian intellectual from building a state to bettering the world.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Paul was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 60
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 70
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 80
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2018Died at 98
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- As Quebec's first Minister of Education, he created the province's Ministry of Education in 1964, secularizing and modernizing the school system.
- Delivered the landmark 1964 'Gérin-Lajoie doctrine' speech asserting Quebec's constitutional right to manage its own social programs internationally.
- Founded the Paul Gérin-Lajoie Foundation, an international development organization focused on education in Africa and Haiti.
- Created the Dictée P.G.L., a major international French-language spelling bee that raises funds for children's education.
Did You Know?
He was the first Quebec cabinet minister to be sworn in after taking the oath of office in French, not English, in 1960.
Before politics, he was a Rhodes Scholar, studying at the University of Oxford.
The 'Gérin-Lajoie doctrine' is considered a cornerstone of Quebec's international relations policy.
He served as President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) from 1970 to 1977.
“Education is the key that opens the door to our collective future.”
