Government Members key contacts
The following is a list of Government Members of Parliament whose public biographies indicate a special interest in Health Research or Health Care. We encourage advocates to pay extra attention to them. Their names are followed by extracts from their biographies taken from The Liberal Party of Canada website.
Please note that the biographies may reference affiliations in the present tense that may no longer be current as many of these were compiled prior to the last election.
We intend to review the biographies of opposition MPs in the near future.
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe (New Brunswick)
Ms. Petitpas Taylor has spent her entire life advocating for a fair and just society for all. She was the former Chair of the New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women and a member of the Coalition for Pay Equity. She has volunteered with several community organizations, both provincially and locally, including the Coalition Against Abuse in Relationships and the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Suicide Prevention Committee in Moncton.
Ms. Petitpas Taylor was the Codiac RCMP Victim Services Coordinator, during which time she provided crisis counselling, domestic violence intervention, and domestic violence risk assessment to victims of crime. She also served on the City of Moncton’s Public Safety Advisory Committee, which was commissioned by Moncton City Council in 1996 to proactively influence the community through crime prevention promotion and to help Council respond to problematic issues as they arise.
Ms. Petitpas Taylor grew up in Dieppe, New Brunswick, and graduated from l’Université de Moncton with a Bachelor’s degree in social work.
The Honourable Jane Philpott
Minister of Indigenous Services
Markham–Stouffville (Ontario)
Dr. Jane Philpott is a family physician and served as the Chief of the Department of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Between 1989 and 1998, Jane worked in the West African country of Niger, where she practiced general medicine and helped to develop a training program for village health workers. In 2004, she founded Give a Day to World AIDS, which has raised over $4 million to help those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Jane also serves as co-curator of TEDxStouffville and as Family Medicine lead at the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration, where she was instrumental in helping Addis Ababa University develop Ethiopia’s first training program for Family Medicine.
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan
Minister of Science
Etobicoke North (Ontario)
Ms. Duncan was an Associate Professor of Health Studies at the University of Toronto and the for-mer Research Director for the AIC Institute of Corporate Citizenship at the Rotman School of Man-agement, a renowned international speaker, she has lectured for such organizations as the Na-tional Geographic, the Japanese Government, and the Young Presidents Organization.
She currently sits on the Advisory Board for Pandemic Flu for the Conference Board of Canada, and the University of Toronto, and is also helping organizations prepare throughout Canada and the United States. She sits on the Boards of the Indigenous Cooperative on the Environment, the Scottish Studies Foundation, the St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto, and the Toronto Foundation for School Success. She co-chaired the 2006 Fraser Mustard Awards Gala in support of student nutri-tion and in October, 2007, she chaired “Feeding Toronto’s Hungry Students Week.”
The Honourable Navdeep Bains
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Mississauga–Malton (Ontario)
Mr. Navdeep Bains is a distinguished visiting professor at Ryerson University – Ted Rogers School of Management and holds an MBA with a specialization in Finance. As a Certified Management Accountant, he has worked several years in accounting and financial analysis for the Ford Motor Company of Canada.
Navdeep is a longtime resident of both Mississauga and Brampton and has strong ties to the social and cultural associations of Mississauga—Malton. Navdeep has been active in a variety of community organizations, as a board member for the Mississauga Food Bank, having worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation, as well as having served as an Ontario board member with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. He is the recipient of a number of awards recognizing his work in promoting diversity within his community.
Having served as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Brampton South from 2004 to 2011, Navdeep gained extensive experience as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and as the Liberal Critic for Public Works and Government Services, the Treasury Board, International Trade, Natural Resources, and Small Business and Tourism.
John Oliver
Chair of the Health Research Caucus
Oakville (Ontario)
John Oliver is the former President and CEO of Halton Healthcare Services and led the recent $2.7B infrastructure project for the new Oakville Hospital, which opened in 2015.
He lent his considerable healthcare expertise as Assistant Deputy Minister to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. John currently sits as Chair of the Partnerships for Health System Improvement Review Panel of the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and he serves as Pension Observer of the Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) Board.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University and a Master’s degree in Health Sciences Administration from the University of Toronto.
John has lived in Oakville for 19 years with his wife Joanna and his children Rachel, Alex and William. John is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (FCPA), and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University and a Master’s degree in Health Sciences Administration from the University of Toronto. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for service to Canada.
Omar Alghabra
Member of Parliament
Mississauga Centre (Ontario)
Omar Alghabra is a mechanical engineer by trade and an MBA graduate. He has served in a variety of positions with General Electric Canada, Enbala Power, and the Ontario Energy Board. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Fellow within the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University.
A longtime community activist, Omar is passionate about his involvement with local organizations.
Among many of his activities, Omar has worked tirelessly to support initiatives that empower new Canadians through social and economic integration.
Frank Baylis
Member of Parliament
Pierrefonds-Dollard (Quebec)
Frank Baylis is the President of Baylis Medical, a world leader in the design, manufacturing and sale of high technology products with applications in cardiology, oncology and the vascular system. In 2011, he received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst and Young.
Terry Beech
Member of Parliament
Burnaby North–Seymour (British Columbia)
Terry Beech is an accomplished and experienced entrepreneur, educator, and advocate.
An Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser and the University of British Columbia, Terry is the author of “The In-Credibility Factor,” which highlights his desire for Canada to become a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. He founded and was both CEO and Chairman of HiretheWorld.com, and is a co-founder of Twinbro, a non-profit organization that has helped over 25,000 students to obtain millions of dollars in scholarships and financial aid. He is a past board member of Lift Philanthropy and currently works with entrepreneurs to launch and grow businesses at Beech Partners.
The Honourable Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Toronto–St. Paul’s (Ontario)
Prior to her election, Dr. Bennett was a family physician and a founding partner of Bedford Medical Associates in Downtown Toronto. She was President of the Medical Staff Association of the Women’s College Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Development of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Bennett served on the Boards of Havergal College, the Women’s College Hospital, the Ontario Medical Association, and the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto.
In 1986, Dr. Bennett received the Royal Life-Saving Society Service Cross — a Commonwealth award recognising her more than twenty years of distinguished service.
In 2003 she received the first ever CAMIMH Mental Health Champion Award.
Carolyn was also the first recipient of the National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Leadership and Dedication to Injury Prevention and Safety promotion in Canada. Dr. Bennett is also author of “”Kill or Cure? How Canadians Can Remake their Health Care System””, published in October 2000.
Chris Bittle
Member of Parliament
St. Catharines (Ontario)
Chris Bittle is currently a civil litigator with Lancaster, Brooks and Welch LLP, specializing in commercial disputes, real estate litigation, defamation, and landlord tenant matters.
Chris is the Chair of Quest Community Health Centre Board of Directors – a local non-profit organization committed to providing quality primary health care and social services to the residents of the Greater St. Catharines area. His work at Quest has made him a strong advocate for sustainable health care.
Randy Boissonnault
Member of Parliament
Edmonton Centre (Alberta)
Randy Boissonnault is a successful entrepreneur, community leader, and philanthropist. He has a strong record of leadership in business, in public service, and in the not-for-profit sector.
Today, Randy owns a consulting business that helps small and medium-sized businesses overcome their strategy and management challenges.
He is the founder of Literacy Without Borders, an international NGO devoted to promoting literacy for both children and adults in the developing world and in Canada.
Celina Caesar Chavennes
Member of Parliament
Whitby (Ontario)
Celina Caesar Chavennes is a successful entrepreneur and the recipient of the Toronto Board of Trade’s Business Entrepreneur of the Year for 2012, as well as the 2007 Black Business and Professional Association’s Harry Jerome Young Entrepreneur Award recipient and is a celebrated research consultant.
She is an international lecturer on the inclusion of marginalized populations in clinical research and has a Bachelor of Science, an MBA in Healthcare Management and is an Executive MBA candidate.
She is a past member of the Governing Council at the University of Toronto, and past Vice Chair of Campus Council at University of Toronto Scarborough.
She also served as member of the Institutional Advisory Board with CIHR’s Institute of Neuroscience Mental Health and Addiction, and is a member of the Congress of Black Women.
Terry Duguid
Member of Parliament
Winnipeg South (Manitoba)
Terry Duguid is a strong advocate on environmental and public health issues.
He has served as a board member for Concordia Hospital and is the founding president of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, a non-profit organization established to support and enhance the mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Doug Eyolfson
Member of Parliament
Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia–Headingley (Manitoba)
Doug Eyolfson is a successful Emergency Room doctor who has dedicated his life to ensuring the well-being of others. He now wants to improve the health of his community as the strong local voice in Parliament they deserve.
A leader in the medical community, Doug served as the medical director of Manitoba’s land ambulance program and is an assistant professor with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. He also served with Manitoba Air Ambulance, providing emergency care in remote areas. Doug’s research into hypothermia was published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, which publishes original research that furthers our understanding of how the healthy human body functions under a variety of environmental and demanding conditions.
The Honourable Hedy Fry
Member of Parliament
Vancouver Centre (British Columbia)
Hedy Fry has served on committees pertaining to citizenship, health, justice and human rights, and social development.
She currently serves as the Liberal Critic for Health.
Prior to her federal election, Dr.. Fry was an active member of both the British Columbia and Canadian Medical Associations. She served in numerous capacities including as president, committee chair, and chief negotiator.
The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount (Quebec)
Marc Garneau began his service to Canada as a Navy combat systems engineer on HMCS Algonquin in 1974.
Marc was one of six Canadian astronauts selected out of over four thousand candidates in December 1983. Marc made history by becoming the first Canadian Astronaut to fly in space as a payload specialist on Shuttle Mission 41-G, October 5-13, 1984.
In August 2003, Marc was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour. He is also honoured with two high schools named after him, Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto and École Secondaire Marc Garneau in Trenton, Ontario.
David Graham
Member of Parliament
Laurentides–Labelle (Quebec)
During more than 8 years as a technology journalist, David founded, ran, organized, or volunteered with a number of charities, non-profits and community projects in the fields of technology, heritage and community action, including as a co-founder of the Open and Free Technology Community, three-term board member of Software In the Public Interest, and driver for Operation Nez Rouge in Mont-Tremblant, among many others, and obtained his flying licence and CPR-C certification.
The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Status of Women
Thunder Bay–Superior North (Ontario)
Patty Hajdu is well known and well respected within her community for her work in substance use issues, harm reduction, housing, and public health. Patty is the Executive Director at Shelter House. She’s also the author and a key member of the Implementation Panel for the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy. In addition, she’s on the Community Advisory Board for the Homelessness Partnership Strategy.
Previously, Patty served as Chairperson for the Drug Awareness Committee of Thunder Bay. She was formerly on the Board of Directors for Alphacourt Mental Health Services and the Ontario Literacy Coalition. Patty has had a variety of her written work published, including several Chronicle Journal op-eds on the issue of homelessness.
Yvonne Jones
Member of Parliament
Labrador (Newfoundland and Labrador)
In 2003, Yvonne Jones was the first female in the province to be appointed Minister of Fisheries & Aquaculture. She was also the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
Yvonne began her career as a journalist and has worked throughout the province as a news reporter. She also carried out contract work as a researcher with Memorial University and as a Resource Employment Counselor with Human Resources Development Canada.
Through her volunteer work with the Battle Harbour Development Corporation, the Combined Councils of Labrador, the NunatuKavut and various literacy groups and councils, Yvonne played a significant role in improving the quality of life not only for the people of her district, but for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Bernadette Jordan
Member of Parliament
South Shore–St. Margaret’s (Nova Scotia)
A professional fundraiser and community activist, Bernadette Jordan is currently the Development Officer for Health Services Foundation in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, where she has spent the last eight years as part of a team raising millions of dollars for health care in her region.
She has held positions such as the President of the Atlantic Community Newspapers Association and Earth Day Challenge Committee Chair.
Bernadette believes in economic development that creates jobs in Nova Scotia – in both traditional industries and new ones – while still remaining committed to protecting the environment.
Majid Jowhari
Member of Parliament
Richmond Hill (Ontario)
Majid Jowhari is a successful businessman from the Richmond Hill community as the owner and CEO of his own boutique consulting firm, Iridium Management Consulting Group Incorporated.
Majid is actively involved in the local community, serving as a member in the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, the Iranian Canadian Network, the Iranian Canadian Congress, Parya Trillium, and Mohandes.
Darshan Kang
Member of Parliament
Calgary Skyview (Alberta)
Darshan Kang has extensive experience in public service and a strong track record of community involvement.
Darshan obtained a pre-medical degree at the University of Indore.
He served on a number of standing committees as an MLA, including Public Accounts, and Families and Communities. Along with serving as the whip, Darshan is also the Critic for Transportation, Service Alberta, Infrastructure, Tourism, and Parks and Recreation.
He has also been an active supporter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and played a key role in raising over $1 million dollars for the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Kamal Khera
Member of Parliament
Brampton West (Ontario)
Kamal Khera is a registered nurse, community volunteer and a political activist,.
She earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with Honours and her Bachelors of Science in Nursing with Honours.
Kamal gained diverse experience within the field of Health through her professional experience with Centre of Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), Peel Family Shelter, and William Osler Health Centre. Kamal presently works as a Registered Nurse in the Oncology Unit at St Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, which gives her a deep understanding of the issues that impact individuals every day.
David McGuinty
Member of Parliament
Ottawa South (Ontario)
David McGuinty is a fluently bilingual lawyer by trade and has worked with governments, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations around the world on a broad range of matters including the economy and the environment.
Based in Cotê d’Ivoire from 1988 to 1990, David worked tirelessly on behalf of UNICEF in 23 West and Central African countries as part of a broader UN effort to seek consensus on the ratification of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In 1995, David was chosen to serve as President and CEO of the Prime Minister’s National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy.
Also from 1995, David served as National Program Director of LEAD Canada, an NGO where he worked with CIDA among other many organizations. With LEAD, he mentored future leaders across Canada and internationally in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the United States. David has also advised the Rockefeller Foundation.
He has received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for “outstanding and exemplary contributions” to his community and to Canada.
Rob Oliphant
Member of Parliament
Don Valley West (Ontario)
Rob Oliphant is the former President and CEO of the Asthma Society of Canada, a national health charity and patient organization. He is a community leader with a long history of advocating for poverty reduction, affordable housing, at-risk youth, and seniors’ economic security.
Currently, Rob is the President of the Global Allergy and Asthma Patient Platform and serves on the Governing Council of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada. In 2013, he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contributions to Canada.
Anthony Rota
Member of Parliament
Nipissing—Timiskaming (Ontario)
Anthony Rota chaired the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the YMCA’s Kids First Campaign, and also co-chaired the local FIRST Robotics Regional Competition
Before transitioning into federal politics, Anthony served as a city councillor in North Bay and as an innovation/network advisor for the National Research Council of Canada. As the Member of Parliament for Nipissing—Timiskaming from 2004 to 2011, he served as the Liberal Critic for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario and the National Liberal Caucus Chair.
Kim Rudd
Member of Parliament
Northumberland–Peterborough South (Ontario)
Kim Rudd has a long history in her riding as both a local business owner and a community advocate. She is past president and owner of Willis College – Cobourg, owner of Archer First Aid/CPR and NC Training Inc., and co-founder of a local daycare facility
Kim is also an active volunteer within her community. While working with a number of community organizations, she has received much praise, particularly for the integral role she played in attracting eight new physicians to Cobourg, and for her service as President of the Cobourg Chamber of Commerce.
Raj Saini
Member of Parliament
Kitchener-Centre (Ontario)
A proud resident of Kitchener-Waterloo, Raj Saini has owned and operated the award-winning Greenbrook Pharmacy for nearly 20 years.
A committed and active supporter of local organizations, Raj works tirelessly to engage his community in politics and international affairs. He is a proud Rotarian of many years, a board member of the Canadian International Council, Waterloo Region branch and a long-time champion of Liberal values. He is passionate about improving the local economy, creating jobs and promoting the health and well-being of Kitchener Centre’s residents through intelligent, fiscally responsible environmental and health policy.
Francis Scarpaleggia
Member of Parliament
Lac-Saint-Louis (Quebec)
Francis Scarpaleggia has made the protection of Canada’s freshwater a personal priority.
He is also a founding member of the all-party Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care. In this capacity, he organized and chaired hearings in Montreal in the fall of 2010 to hear testimony for the Committee’s report, entitled Not to be Forgotten: Care of Vulnerable Canadians.
Before entering politics, Francis taught business administration at Montreal’s Dawson College. Prior to that, he spent several years working in the private sector, including as a corporate financial analyst.
Sonia Sidhu
Member of Parliament
Brampton South (Ontario)
A registered cardiology technologist, diabetes educator and clinical research coordinator, Sonia Sidhu’s dedication to her community and helping her fellow citizens drives her to be the strong local voice for the riding of Brampton South.
A passionate community advocate, Sonia has volunteered with numerous organizations including the environmental initiatives of Guru Nanak Mission Canada in Brampton South, Nahani Way Public School, Trillium Health Centre and Karma Grow, a local charity community garden initiative.
Sven Spengemann
Member of Parliament
Mississauga Lakeshore (Ontario)
Sven Spengemann volunteers at the Compass Food Bank and serves on the Board of Directors of United Way of Peel Region and the UTM Alumni Association. Sven is also an Advisor to the Peel Multicultural Council.
Sven’s professional experience spans the private sector, academia, government and international affairs. He served as a senior United Nations official in Iraq, where he led a team of experts in support of the Iraqi Parliament.
He held affiliations at the Munk School of Global Affairs, the Balsillie School of International Affairs and the Glendon School of Public & International Affairs.
Nick Whalen
Member of Parliament
St. John’s East (Newfoundland and Labrador)
A successful lawyer and professional engineer, Nick Whalen is involved with numerous community organizations, including serving as the director of the Parkinson Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and chair of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Canada – a registered charity supporting wildlife and sustainable development in Africa, primarily at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.
He also serves as pro bono counsel to the Gospel Folk Seniors Choir. Nick is a partner and patent agent at the law firm McInnes Cooper, where he practices corporate commercial law, energy law, and intellectual property law.