Gabriel Hardy

Gabriel Hardy is a Canadian politician and kinesiologist serving as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Montmorency—Charlevoix, a riding in Quebec that includes areas north of Quebec City and the Charlevoix region, since his election victory in the April 2025 federal election.^[1][2][3] In that election, Hardy secured the seat with 20,494 votes (34.5%), defeating the incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Caroline Desbiens in a notable reversal.^[3][4] Prior to entering politics, Hardy worked as a kinesiologist, gym owner in Quebec City, and executive director of Fitness Industry Canada, where he advocated for physical activity, community health initiatives, and support for small businesses in the wellness sector, particularly amid COVID-19 restrictions affecting gyms and fitness operations.^[5][6][4] His professional background in kinesiology and fitness leadership has informed his parliamentary focus on health promotion and industry recovery.^[3][6]

Early career

Education and training

Gabriel Hardy graduated in kinesiology from the Department of Preventive Medicine at Université Laval.^[7][8][9] This program equipped him with expertise in human movement analysis, physical capacity assessment, and preventive health strategies, core to the kinesiology profession in Québec.^[10] His foundational training emphasized sports performance and community wellness, laying the groundwork for roles involving physical preparation.^[11]

Initial fitness roles

Gabriel Hardy commenced his career in the fitness industry as a physical trainer for the Québec Remparts junior hockey team in 2006.^[12][13] In this hands-on position, he specialized in athlete conditioning, designing and implementing physical preparation programs to enhance performance, injury prevention, and overall athletic development for team members.^[10] These responsibilities leveraged his kinesiology background to address the demands of competitive sports training.^[9]

Fitness industry involvement

Leadership positions

Gabriel Hardy advanced to executive leadership within the Canadian fitness sector, serving as Executive Director of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC), also known as Le conseil canadien de l'industrie du conditionnement physique, a national not-for-profit trade association advocating for fitness facility operators and entrepreneurs.^[14][15] In this capacity, he led policy initiatives and represented the industry in federal consultations, including pre-budget submissions emphasizing support for physical activity professionals like kinesiologists.^[15] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hardy contributed to FIC's advocacy efforts as spokesperson for its Quebec chapter, pressing provincial authorities for accelerated reopenings of gyms amid prolonged closures that threatened industry viability.^[16] The organization, under such leadership, urged governments across provinces to expedite reopening roadmaps and include fitness stakeholders in decision-making to mitigate economic fallout, highlighting the sector's role in public health.^[17][18] These efforts focused on balancing health protocols with economic recovery, positioning fitness facilities as essential for mental and physical well-being.^[19]

Business ownership and advocacy

Gabriel Hardy owned and served as CEO of Tonic Gym & CrossFit, operating as a chain of fitness facilities across Quebec focused on CrossFit training and general physical conditioning.^[20] He also owned Gym Le Chalet in Quebec City, a gym that provided various wellness programs amid regional health challenges.^[21] Through these enterprises, Hardy emphasized the role of physical activity in fostering community health, positioning his gyms as hubs for local wellness engagement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he advocated for small business support within the fitness sector, highlighting the need for policy measures to sustain operations closed by lockdowns.^[22]

Political entry

Municipal candidacy

In 2021, Gabriel Hardy entered politics as the candidate for Québec 21 in the Quebec City municipal election, seeking the councillor position for the Les Saules–Les Méandres district.^[23] A kinesiologist and gym owner, he leveraged his fitness sector experience to emphasize community health initiatives during the campaign.^[23] Hardy placed third in the race, behind the victorious candidate from Équipe Marie-Josée Savard and the runner-up from Québec forte et fière. Detailed vote tallies from the election showed him receiving 2,041 votes, representing approximately 25.9% of the total cast in the district.^[24] The contest reflected broader municipal dynamics in Quebec City, where Québec 21 aimed to challenge established parties amid debates on local governance and urban development.

Federal nomination

Gabriel Hardy was acclaimed as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for the Montmorency—Charlevoix federal riding on March 20, 2025.^[25] The national party leadership selected Hardy despite the local Conservative association's recommendation of Marie-Josée Hélie, who had received formal endorsement from the riding association in December 2024.^[25] Pierre Paul-Hus, the party's Quebec lieutenant under leader Pierre Poilievre, explained that Hélie's candidacy file was incomplete, rendering the local recommendation invalid, as ultimate authority for candidate selection rests with the national party office rather than regional associations.^[25] This decision highlighted tensions between local preferences and national strategy within the Conservative Party ahead of the 2025 federal election.^[25]

Parliamentary service

2025 election victory

In the 2025 Canadian federal election, Gabriel Hardy secured an upset victory in the Montmorency—Charlevoix riding, defeating incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Caroline Desbiens.^[26][27] Hardy captured 20,494 votes, representing 34.5% of the valid ballots cast out of 59,407 total, edging out Desbiens's 33.5% by a narrow margin of under 800 votes despite trailing by over 2,000 votes early in the counting process.^[26] The riding, encompassing northern areas of Québec City and the Charlevoix region, recorded a turnout of 72.23% among 83,265 eligible voters, with the tight contest requiring extended vote tabulation into the early morning hours.^[26][28] The win marked a dramatic reversal in a traditionally competitive Québec riding, attributed to Hardy's grassroots campaign efforts that mobilized support from wellness and small business communities.^[26] He was sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Montmorency—Charlevoix on April 28, 2025.^[29][1]

Committee assignments and initiatives

Hardy serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI).^[30][1] He also participates in the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (CEUS).^[30] Drawing from his kinesiology expertise, Hardy initiated the "5K at a Time" challenge, committing to run 5 kilometres through each municipality in Montmorency—Charlevoix to boost local tourism, physical fitness, and community engagement.^[31]