Profile Text
Place of Birth: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Date of Birth: January 16, 1979
Ethnicity: French-Canadian
Mélanie Joly is a Canadian politician and lawyer. A member of the Liberal Party, she has been Minister of Industry/Registrar General of Canada, and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions, both, since May 13, 2025. She has also been Leader of Vrai changement pour Montréal, from September 4, 2013 to September 5, 2014, Minister of Canadian Heritage, from November 4, 2015 to July 18, 2018, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, from July 18, 2018 to November 20, 2019, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, both, from November 20, 2019 to October 26, 2021; Minister of Foreign Affairs, from October 26, 2021 to May 13, 2025; and Minister of International Development, from March 14, 2025 to May 13, 2025; as well as, a Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville (QC), since October 19, 2015.
Mélanie is the daughter of Laurette Racine and Clément Joly, an accountant. Her father was president of the Liberal Party’s Québec finance committee, and a board member of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. Her stepmother was lawyer, journalist, and Liberal Party politician Carole-Marie Allard, who was a Member of Parliament for Laval East (QC), from 2000 to 2004. Mélanie was raised in Ahuntsic, in north Montreal.
Mélanie is married to artist and entrepreneur Felix Marzell.
Mélanie’s paternal grandfather was Marcel Joly (the son of Henri Joly and Bernadette Fournier). Marcel was born in St-Colomban, Québec. Henri was born in St-Canut, the son of Félix Joly and Émilie Lafleur. Bernadette was born in Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, the daughter of Napoléon Fournier and Marie Janelle.
Mélanie’s paternal grandmother was Angélique Lacombe (the daughter of Joseph Lacombe and Éva Blouin). Joseph was born in Ste-Scholastique, Québec, the son of Pierre Lacombe and Malvina Verdon. Éva was born in Ste-Scholastique, the daughter of Augustin Blouin and Adeline Lagarde.
Mélanie’s maternal grandfather was Philippe Racine (the son of Antonio Racine and Marie-Anne Therrien). Philippe was born in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Québec. Antonio was born in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, the son of Appolinaire Racine and Guillemine Chaumont. Marie-Anne was the daughter of Isidore Therrien and Sophronie Lauzon.
Mélanie’s maternal grandmother was Simone Bélanger (the daughter of Arthur Bélanger and Amanda Bélanger). Arthur was born in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Québec, the son of Francois Bélanger and Clarisse Chouinard. Amanda was born in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, the daughter of Pierre Bélanger and Philomene Caron.
Sources: Genealogies of Mélanie Joly – https://gw.geneanet.org https://www.nosorigines.qc.ca