Biography

Marie-Aline Joyal (born May 29, 1962), known professionally as Chloé Sainte-Marie, is a Canadian actress, singer, activist, and official spokesperson for a network of natural caregivers in Québec. She is equally well known as the companion, muse, and caregiver of renowned Quebec filmmaker Gilles Carle, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease which, over 18 years, progressively reduced his ability to move or speak. Slightly before the death of Gilles Carle in 2009, she opened the Maison Gilles-Carle, to accept chronically ill patients looking to live in a family style setting while allowing respite to their primary caregivers by sharing care for the residents amongst the caregivers.In 2005, Charles Binamé and Amazone Film released the documentary Gilles Carle ou l'indomptable imaginaire (released in English as Gilles Carle, the untamable mind) where, as part of his exploration of the movie's subject, he chronicled Sainte-Marie's life as the companion and muse to Gilles Carle.In 2009, she released her latest album Nitshisseniten e tshissenitamin (translated as: "I know that you know"), performed in its entirety in the Innu language. The words and music are from author-poet-composer-performer Philippe McKenzie, a fore-runner in the contemporary folk-Innu movement.

In 2012, she was interviewed on the Pénélope McQuade show about the Maison Gilles-Carle and how so many people came together to make the project a reality.