Prime Minister of Canada: Digest for December 21, 2024

The Honourable Darren Fisher was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour in 2015. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2021.

Minister Fisher has previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency).

During his time on the Hill, Minister Fisher has also been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, for which he has served as Vice-Chair.

Minister Fisher's family has called Dartmouth—Cole Harbour home for generations, operating businesses and maintaining active involvement in the community. He is known among his peers and community for relationship building and for his advocacy on recycling, poverty reduction, mental health awareness, healthy active living, and sickle cell disease awareness.

Before entering federal politics, Minister Fisher was a small business owner and an active community volunteer. He was elected to Halifax Regional Council in 2009 and re-elected in 2012. He was also elected by his peers to represent them as Deputy Mayor in 2014.

Minister Fisher is married to Anne and they have two children.

The Honourable David J. McGuinty was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa South in 2004. He was re-elected six times, most recently in 2021.

Minister McGuinty has dedicated his life to public service. Over his two decades on the Hill, he has served in various roles, including Acting Whip, House Leader of the Official Opposition, and most recently Chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. He has also been a member of numerous parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, and of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Minister McGuinty is also a highly respected member of Canada's legal community who has practised law and worked with governments, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations worldwide to help advance progress on a wide range of issues and impact communities for the greater good. His career outside of politics includes working on behalf of UNICEF across Africa to promote children's rights and lecturing, conducting research, and designing courses at various post-secondary institutions across the globe. For nine years, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister's National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, where he established himself as a leading Canadian expert in green budgeting, brownfields, and the nexus between the economy, the environment, and social issues. He has also served as a mentor to emerging leaders at LEAD Canada and as an advisor to the Rockefeller Foundation. 

Minister McGuinty is the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for his outstanding and exemplary contributions to his community and to Canada.

Minister McGuinty holds a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Guelph as well as a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, both from the University of Ottawa. He also holds specialized diplomas and certificates from the Université de Sherbrooke and Harvard Law School as well as a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The Honourable Élisabeth Brière was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke in 2019.

Minister Brière previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec).

Minister Brière worked as a notary for nearly 30 years, most recently as a partner at the private firm Monty Sylvestre, focusing on human rights, real estate, and mediation. She has also worked as a lecturer at the Université de Sherbrooke, where she enjoyed connecting with students and passing on her knowledge.

An active member of the Sherbrooke community, Minister Brière got involved in politics to serve her fellow citizens. The environment is at the heart of her concerns, and she has worked to raise awareness on the impact of personal choices. A woman and a mother, she wants to ensure a safe and equal environment for women. Her knowledge of the business community also gives her the right tools to support entrepreneurs in the local economy.

Minister Brière holds a Bachelor of Laws, a diploma in notarial law, and a certificate in business administration. A resident of Sherbrooke since 1987, she lives in the community with her husband and their three sons.

The Honourable Joanne Thompson was first elected as the Member of Parliament for St. John's East in 2021. She has been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development and the Standing Committee on Finance.

Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Minister Thompson is committed to advancing social justice, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, and supporting communities. Her passion for helping others was ignited at a young age when she started volunteering at St. Clare's Hospital. She later trained then worked as a Registered Nurse while attending the Memorial University of Newfoundland part-time. She continued her career in community health until 1990, when she turned her focus to building a family business with her husband, working two jobs while studying to qualify as a graduate gemologist. Prior to entering politics, Minister Thompson most recently served as the Executive Director of The Gathering Place, a community health centre serving vulnerable populations in downtown St. John's.

Minister Thompson has long been an active volunteer and member of her community, including when she offered hands-on care to St. John's most vulnerable as a nurse. She again put these skills to work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, when The Gathering Place remained open throughout lockdowns to support local residents. She is the recipient of the Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal in recognition of her dedication, volunteerism, and hard work to make her community a better place.

Minister Thompson is a lifelong learner. In addition to a Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University and a graduate degree in gemology from the Gemological Institute of America, she holds a Master of Business Administration in Social Enterprise from the University of Fredericton.

Minister Thompson lives in St. John's East with her husband and has three grown children.

The Honourable Rachel Bendayan was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Outremont in 2019, and was re-elected in 2021.

Minister Bendayan has previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade.

Over a period of close to 10 years, Minister Bendayan built a successful legal practice at Norton Rose Fulbright in the fields of litigation and international arbitration, specializing in international trade law. She also taught at the Faculty of Law of the Université de Montréal.

A mother and a deeply engaged member of her community, Minister Bendayan has a strong connection to the families she represents in the Montréal neighbourhoods of Outremont, Mile End, and Côte‑des‑Neiges.

Minister Bendayan holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and a joint Bachelor of Civil Law/Juris Doctor, both from McGill University.

The Honourable Ruby Sahota was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Brampton North in 2015. She was re-elected in 2019 and 2021. She has previously served as Chief Government Whip and has been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, which she chaired.

During her time as a Member of Parliament, Minister Sahota has been a strong voice for her community and has helped advance key priorities. This includes investing in public transit infrastructure, improving access to post-secondary education, establishing $10-a-day child care across the country, and making life more affordable for the middle class.

Minister Sahota has a deep passion for public service and is dedicated to inspiring more women and youth to engage in politics. Through initiatives like her annual youth council, she has provided mentorship and insight to young leaders in her community.

Before entering politics, Minister Sahota was a practising lawyer working in civil litigation, criminal law, and dispute resolution. She worked on national and international cases in both the public and private sectors.

Minister Sahota holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace Studies from McMaster University and a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University.

The Honourable Nate Erskine-Smith was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Beaches—East York in 2015. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2021.

Minister Erskine-Smith has been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, for which he has served as Vice-Chair. As Past-President of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, he has represented Canada at parliamentary conferences around the world.

Born and raised in Beaches—East York, Minister Erskine-Smith was a commercial litigation lawyer in Toronto before entering politics. He worked at a large firm on Bay Street and supplemented his law practice with pro bono legal work, including representing public interest matters in court and conducting research for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Minister Erskine-Smith is passionate about volunteering his time in support of charitable activities in his community and reaching out to young Canadians on the importance of engaging in the democratic process.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and a Juris Doctor, both from Queen's University, as well as a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2011. He and his wife, Amy, have two sons.

The Honourable Terry Duguid was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South in 2015.

Minister Duguid has previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Special Advisor for Water, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency). He was also Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

With a diverse background in civic government, business, and environmental leadership, Minister Duguid has shown a strong commitment to public service throughout his career. From 1989 to 1995, he served as a Winnipeg city councillor. In 1995, he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway North Marketing Agency, to secure a future for the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Rail Line. Two years later, he founded Sustainable Developments International, a firm specializing in environmental management, sustainable development, transportation, and international affairs consulting. He was later named Chairman of the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission then President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, a non-profit public health organization he helped create.

In addition to his professional career, Minister Duguid has devoted considerable time and effort to community and national environmental organizations and initiatives. He served as Executive Director of the Manitoba Climate Change Task Force in 2001, as a member of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy from 2000 to 2004, and as a member of the Manitoba Emissions Trading Task Force in 2004.

Minister Duguid has a lifelong interest in science and its role in the betterment of society. He earned first-class honours while obtaining his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carleton University. He also holds a Master's degree in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary, with a focus on tackling the crucial issues of water quality, ozone depletion, and acid rain.

The son of two-time World Curling champion and renowned curling broadcaster Don Duguid, Minister Duguid grew up playing curling with his four brothers. He also played football, hockey, and baseball, and remains an avid sports fan to this day. Most recently, he has worked to help establish cricket pitches in his community of Winnipeg South.

Minister Duguid and his wife, Linda, have two daughters.