Paul Gérin-Lajoie, CC GOQ QC (French pronunciation: [pol ʒeʁɛ̃ laʒwa]; February 23, 1920 – June 25, 2018) was a Canadian lawyer, philanthropist, and a former member of the National Assembly of Quebec and Cabinet Minister.

[1][2] Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Henri Gérin-Lajoie and Pauline Dorion, he studied at Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, where he was editor of the school paper, the Université de Montréal, and Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he received a Doctor of Laws degree.

He ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in the riding of Vaudreuil-Soulanges in the 1956 general election and in a 1957 by-election.

He founded the Paul Gérin-Lajoie Foundation, in 1977, an organization that has contributed to the basic education of children in the poorest countries in addition to raising awareness of these countries among primary school children in Canada.

[5] In 1979, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada "in recognition of his distinguished services to his country, chiefly as president of the Canadian International Development Agency from 1970 to 1977, and as deputy premier and minister of education of the Government of Québec from 1960 to 1966".