Dr Francine Lemire (1952-2026)
Remembering Dr Francine Lemire (1952-2026)
WONCA is saddened to share that Dr Francine Lemire, former member of the WONCA Executive and past CEO of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), died on 11 October 2026 in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She was 74.
Francine practised family medicine for more than 33 years, most of them in Corner Brook. She led the CFPC as Executive Director and CEO from 2013 to 2022, and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. She was also a two-time Paralympic gold medallist in cross-country skiing, at the 1988 Winter Paralympics in Innsbruck.
Francine represented the CFPC at WONCA World Council in 1998, 2007 and 2010. At the 2010 World Council in Cancun, Mexico, she was elected to the WONCA Executive as Member-at-Large, and then served as Honorary Treasurer until 2013. She continued to contribute to WONCA in other roles after her time on the Executive Committee, as a member of the Finance Committee from 2018 to 2020, and as chair the Taskforce on Membership and Voting in from 2023 to 2024.
Tributes
Dr Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, WONCA President
"I am deeply saddened by Francine's passing. It is difficult to imagine our family medicine community without her.
Francine was an extraordinary human being, a remarkable leader, and a deeply compassionate friend. She gave so much of herself to others, always with kindness, wisdom, generosity, and a profound commitment to the values that bring us together in family medicine.
I feel privileged to have known her, learned from her, and shared moments of friendship and leadership with her. Her influence will live on through the countless people she mentored, inspired, and touched throughout her life.
There is some comfort in knowing that her final moments were peaceful, surrounded by the love of Jamie and her family, and that her wishes were respected.
My heart goes out to Jamie, their family, and all those who loved her. I hope they know how deeply Francine was admired and cherished by colleagues and friends around the world.
We have lost a beautiful soul, but her legacy of compassion, humanity, and service will remain with us."
Dr Harris Lygidakis, WONCA CEO
"Family medicine has lost a leader and we will miss her voice deeply. What always struck me about Francine was how carefully she followed a discussion before speaking. She had a way of drawing others into the conversation, taking in different perspectives, and then finding just the right words to help everyone see things more clearly and move forward. I experienced this myself whenever I turned to her for advice over the years. Her insight and clarity will stay with me."
Dr Mike Allan, CEO, College of Family Physicians of Canada
"The family medicine community recently lost one of its champions. Dr. Francine Lemire was known to many in the global health community for her service including acting as WONCA Executive Member-at-Large and WONCA's Honorary Treasurer from 2010 to 2013. During her tenure as CEO of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), she spearheaded the creation of the Besrour Centre for Global Family Medicine, an initiative designed to advance family medicine education and connect primary care physicians worldwide. Through these prominent roles, she established herself as an advocate for health equity, family medicine education, and research."
A celebration of Francine's life will be held on 27 October at 2pm (Newfoundland time) at the Marble Mountain Ski Lodge in Corner Brook. Donations in her memory can be made to the Francine Lemire Fund at the CFPC's Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, which supports awards in family medicine research.
WONCA extends its sincere condolences to her husband, Dr Jamie Graham, her family and her colleagues at the CFPC.
Read the CFPC's tribute to Dr Francine Lemire