Early Life and Education

Bernard Drainville, a respected Quebec politician, journalist, and television anchor, was born on June 6, 1963. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa and went on to complete a Master’s degree in International Relations at the London School of Economics. He is married and a devoted father of three children.

Journalism Career

Drainville began his journalistic career with Radio-Canada in 1989, where he served in various roles including reporter and anchor. From 1991 to 1994, he contributed to the Radio-Canada program Les affaires et la vie. Between 1994 and 1996, he worked for Montréal ce soir. He also served as a news correspondent in Windsor in the early 1990s.

Between 1998 and 2001, he was posted as the Parliamentary Correspondent at the House of Commons in Ottawa. He later served as Latin America Correspondent from 2001 to 2003, during which time he was briefly detained in Mexico while covering political unrest and reported on conflicts involving the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

From 2003 to 2006, Drainville anchored the RDI program La Part des choses. In 2005, he moderated the televised debate between mayoral candidates Gérald Tremblay and Pierre Bourque during the Montreal municipal elections.

Awards and Recognition

Drainville's journalism earned critical acclaim. He was awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship in 1988 to pursue international studies. In 1997, he received the Prix Judith Jasmin Award for his investigative report into campaign financing involving Pierre Bourque in Montreal. In 2002, he was honored with the Amnesty International Media Award for a compelling two-part series on the Bojayá massacre in Colombia.