Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.
Carlos Leitão was born in 1956 in Peniche, Portugal, and immigrated to Canada in 1975. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from McGill University in 1979, launching what would become a distinguished career as an economist. From 1983 to 2003, he worked at the Royal Bank of Canada, and later became Chief Economist at Laurentian Bank Securities in 2003. In that role, he developed a strong reputation for his expertise in economic forecasting, earning recognition from international outlets such as Bloomberg News.
Leitão entered provincial politics in 2014 as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party. He was elected to the National Assembly of Québec for the riding of Robert-Baldwin and was immediately appointed Minister of Finance in the government of Premier Philippe Couillard. During his tenure as Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2018, Leitão was widely respected for his disciplined approach to fiscal management and his focus on economic growth, job creation, and balanced budgets. Between 2016 and 2017, he also served as Minister responsible for Government Administration and the Permanent Program Review. He was re-elected in 2018 but chose not to seek re-election in 2022, concluding an eight-year provincial political career.
Following his time in the National Assembly, Leitão continued to contribute to public life. In May 2023, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada, recognizing his longstanding contributions to economic thought and public finance. Two years later, in 2025, he entered federal politics as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in the riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, located in Laval, Québec. He was elected as Member of Parliament on April 28, 2025.
Now serving as the Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Carlos Leitão brings his experience in economics and public administration to the national stage. He currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry and sits on the Standing Committee on Finance. His federal priorities include strengthening Canada’s economic resilience, promoting innovation and industrial development and addressing housing affordability.
