Aline Desjardins, the pioneering Quebec journalist and broadcaster who became a defining television voice for women during the Quiet Revolution, has died at 92.
Desjardins died on Friday, November 13, 2026.
No cause of death was immediately made public.
Born on August 21, 1934, in Saint-Pascal-de-Kamouraska, Que., Desjardins built a media career that lasted more than four decades and extended across radio, television, journalism and public advocacy.
Table of Contents
Aline Desjardins became a household name on Femme d’aujourd’hui
Desjardins was best known for her work on Femme d’aujourd’hui, the Radio-Canada program that became an important forum for women’s issues in Quebec.
She joined the program in the 1960s and served as its principal host and journalist for 13 years, from 1966 to 1979.
The daily program moved beyond traditional lifestyle programming to examine subjects including abortion, incest, domestic violence and women’s legal rights.
Desjardins conducted interviews, led discussions and helped bring issues that were often excluded from mainstream broadcasting into Quebec homes.
The government of Quebec has credited her with helping make Femme d’aujourd’hui a significant public platform for women and a lasting part of the province’s media history.
During the program’s most influential period, Desjardins was not simply an on-screen presenter.
She was also involved in reporting and editorial decisions, giving the program a journalistic focus that distinguished it from conventional daytime television.
A career that extended beyond one program
After leaving Femme d’aujourd’hui, Desjardins continued to work in television and radio.
She co-hosted Repères, appeared on information programs and later worked with Gaston L’Heureux on Avis de recherche.
She also became associated with environmental, agricultural and horticultural programming.
From 1987 to 1990, she hosted the radio program D’un soleil à l’autre.
She later created and hosted Des jardins d’aujourd’hui, a television program focused on horticulture and landscaping that was broadcast internationally.
Her work on environmental and gardening programs reflected a broader approach to public-interest journalism, combining practical information with interviews and explanatory reporting.
Recognition came late in her career
Desjardins received several major honours for her contribution to Quebec journalism and the advancement of women.
In 2024, she was named an officer of the Ordre national du Québec.
The province described her as a journalist and host whose work encouraged Quebec women to take a more active role in public life.
She also received the 2024 Prix René-Lévesque, one of Quebec’s leading distinctions for journalism.
The Prix du Québec citation described her as one of the pioneering feminist journalists whose work helped open paths for later generations of women in the media.
Those honours followed a career in which Desjardins regularly addressed social issues that were considered controversial or uncomfortable when they first appeared on television.
Why her work mattered
Desjardins worked at a time when women were still underrepresented in Canadian newsrooms and rarely occupied the central role in public-affairs broadcasting.
Her prominence on a national public broadcaster helped establish that women’s concerns belonged in serious journalism rather than being treated only as lifestyle topics.
Femme d’aujourd’hui also reflected the changing social climate of Quebec during the 1960s and 1970s, when debates over equality, family life, reproductive rights and violence against women were becoming increasingly visible.
Desjardins’ approach was direct but conversational.
She used interviews and group discussions to give viewers access to experts, advocates and women describing their own experiences.
That combination helped make her a trusted figure for viewers who were seeing their concerns represented in a new way.
Desjardins leaves a lasting broadcasting legacy
Desjardins remained connected to public discussion after her regular broadcasting career ended.
In later interviews and cultural projects, she reflected on the changing role of women in Quebec and on the continuing importance of accessible, rigorous journalism.
Her legacy extends beyond the programs she hosted.
For many viewers, she represented a generation of journalists who used television and radio to challenge accepted assumptions and broaden the subjects that could be discussed openly.
Desjardins is survived by a body of work that helped reshape Quebec broadcasting and by the many journalists and communicators who followed the path she helped establish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Aline Desjardins?
Aline Desjardins was a Quebec journalist and television and radio host whose career spanned more than 40 years.
How old was Aline Desjardins when she died?
She was 92 years old.
What was Aline Desjardins best known for?
She was best known for hosting and reporting on Femme d’aujourd’hui, a Radio-Canada program that addressed women’s rights and social issues.
When did Aline Desjardins host Femme d’aujourd’hui?
She hosted the program from 1966 to 1979.
What honours did Aline Desjardins receive?
She was named an officer of the Ordre national du Québec and received the 2024 Prix René-Lévesque for journalism.
Fact-Checked: Key biographical details and honours were checked against official Quebec government and Prix du Québec information, with the reported death date corroborated through current available records.
Disclaimer: The cause of death and funeral arrangements had not been publicly disclosed at the time of publication.