Louise Simard (politician)

Rose Marie Louise Simard, QC (born April 17, 1947) is a lawyer and former politician in Saskatchewan, Canada. She represented Regina Lakeview from 1986 to 1996 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a New Democratic Party (NDP) member.

She was born in Val-d'Or, Quebec and grew up in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. She received a BA and LLB degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Simard articled in Regina and was called to the Saskatchewan bar in 1971. In 1974, she became the first female Legislative Council and Law Clerk for the province of Saskatchewan. In 1978, she set up her own law firm. In 1979, Simard was named to the Attorney General's committee on the Consolidation of the Queen's Bench and District Courts. From 1982 to 1985, she was consumer representative on the council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

Simard served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. As Minister of Health, she introduced the "wellness" model of health care, which incorporated extensive reforms to the health care system, including hospital closures in rural Saskatchewan and the establishment of health districts and boards. She resigned from cabinet in February 1995 and did not run for reelection in 1995, returning to the practice of law. In 1995, Simard was named Queen's Counsel. From 2000 to 2003, she was president and Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations. Simard then served as president and Chief Executive Officer of the Health Employers Association of British Columbia.

Simard was first married to Linton Smith, a Judge. The couple had two children but later divorced. In 1994, she married Dwain Lingenfelter. She later separated from Lingenfelter and, in 2009, supported Deb Higgins in the NDP leadership race.

As of 2007, she was living in Vancouver, British Columbia.