Kellie Leitch
The Honourable Kellie Leitch PC OOnt MP |
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![]() Leitch in 2014
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Shadow Minister for Health | |
Assumed office 20 November 2015 |
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Leader | Rona Ambrose |
Preceded by | Murray Rankin |
Minister of Labour | |
In office July 15, 2013 – November 4, 2015 |
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Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Lisa Raitt |
Succeeded by | MaryAnn Mihychuk |
Minister responsible for Status of Women | |
In office July 15, 2013 – November 4, 2015 |
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Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Rona Ambrose |
Succeeded by | Patty Hajdu |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Simcoe—Grey |
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Assumed office May 2, 2011 |
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Preceded by | Helena Guergis |
Personal details | |
Born | Khristinn Kellie Leitch July 30, 1970 Winnipeg, Manitoba |
Political party | Conservative |
Residence | Creemore, Ontario |
Profession | Orthopaedic paediatric surgeon; professor |
Khristinn Kellie Leitch PC OOnt MP (born July 30, 1970) was elected in the 2011 federal election. She succeeded Member of Parliament Helena Guergis, who was dismissed from the Conservative Party caucus. Following her election, Leitch was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. On July 15, 2013, Prime Minister Harper named Leitch Minister of Labour and Minister for the Status of Women. Leitch is considered a potential candidate for party leader following the defeat of the Conservative Government and resignation of Stephen Harper.[1]
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Training and medical career
Leitch was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the daughter of Eleanor Lynne (Conway) and Kelburne "Kit" McNabb Leitch, who owned and operated a construction company.[2][3][4] She graduated from Queen's University in 1991 with an undergraduate degree.[5] She earned her MD from the University of Toronto in 1994, MBA from Dalhousie University in 1998, and completed the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program in 2001 at the University of Toronto. She became a fellow of clinical paediatric orthopaedics at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles/University of Southern California in 2002.[6]
Leitch previously taught at the University of Western Ontario, where she served as the assistant dean of external affairs at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the chair of paediatric surgery at the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario. In 2005, she was named one of Canada's Top 40 under 40.[7]
She is an orthopaedic pediatric surgeon at SickKids Hospital. Leitch is also an associate professor at the University of Toronto.[6]
Leitch was the founding chair of the Ivey Centre for Health Innovation and Leadership and led the health sector stream of the MBA programme at the Richard Ivey School of Business located at the University of Western Ontario.
Leitch also founded the Kids Health Foundation in 2009, an organization that seeks to work with academia, the not-for-profit sector, government and industry to make Canada the healthiest place on earth for children to grow-up.[8]
Political involvement
Leitch is an active member of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.[9] She was a strategist in Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott's leadership bid in 2009.[7] She also served as president of the Ontario PC Campus Association, and has been actively involved in the Conservative Party since she was 14.
Leitch served as chair of the expert panel for the Children's Fitness Tax Credit in 2006, which made recommendations to Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, regarding the best ways to implement this tax credit designed to encourage health and fitness among Canadian children.[10] In 2008, Leitch authored the report entitled Reaching for the Top: A Report by the Advisor on Healthy Children & Youth. The report is a "call to action" for government and industry on key issues affecting Canadian children and youth.[6]
Leitch serves on the boards for CANFAR, the National Research Council, YMCA, and Genome Canada, among others.[6]
Federal politics
On September 17, 2010, The Globe and Mail reported that Leitch would run for the Conservative nomination in Simcoe-Grey. The seat was, at the time, held by Helena Guergis, who was expelled from the Conservative Party. The Globe described Leitch as a "star candidate" and noted that her launch event in Creemore the following day would include former Ontario premier Bill Davis and federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.[11]
Leitch won the nomination over Collingwood mayor Chris Carrier and Paul Throop with 67% of all ballots cast in a large turnout. Leitch continued this momentum by winning the general election with more votes than any candidate for public office had ever received in Simcoe-Grey, with 31,784 ballots cast for her and a plurality of 20,590 votes, or 49.36% of the vote.[12] Following her election, Leitch was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
Minister of Labour and Minister for the Status of Women
On July 15, 2013, Prime Minister Harper named Leitch Minister of Labour and Minister for the Status of Women. During the 2015 Canadian federal election, Leitch said that she was pro-life when asked at a local debate, citing her experience as a paediatric surgeon as her reason.[13]
Conservative leadership election
Although Leitch was re-elected in the 2015 election, the Conservatives were relegated to Official Opposition status. During the election, Leitch campaigned with over 70 Conservative candidates to prepare the groundwork for her participation in the upcoming Conservative leadership election to replace Stephen Harper.[14]
Electoral history
Canadian federal election, 2015 | ||||||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ∆% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Kellie Leitch | 30,612 | 46.6 | -1.8 | – | |||
Liberal | Mike MacEachern | 25,352 | 38.6 | +25.9 | – | |||
New Democratic | David Matthews | 6,332 | 9.6 | -7.8 | – | |||
Green | JoAnne Fleming | 2,923 | 4.4 | -1.1 | – | |||
Christian Heritage | Len Noordegraaf | 528 | 0.8 | – | – | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 65,747 | 100.0 | $240,274.24 | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 225 | – | – | |||||
Turnout | 65,972 | – | – | |||||
Eligible voters | 97,145 | |||||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -13.85 | ||||||
Source: Elections Canada[15][16] |
Canadian federal election, 2011 | ||||||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ∆% | Expenditures | |||
Conservative | Kellie Leitch | 31,784 | 49.36 | -5.68 | – | |||
New Democratic | Katy Austin | 11,185 | 17.38 | +6.18 | – | |||
Independent | Helena Guergis | 8,714 | 13.50 | – | – | |||
Liberal | Alex Smardenka | 8,207 | 12.75 | -8.80 | – | |||
Green | Jace Metheral | 3,482 | 5.41 | -4.71 | – | |||
Christian Heritage | Peter Vander Zaag | 757 | 1.18 | – | – | |||
Canadian Action | Gord Cochrane | 244 | 0.38 | – | – | |||
Total valid votes/Expense limit | 64,373 | 100.00 | ||||||
Total rejected ballots | 269 | 0.42 | +0.08 | |||||
Turnout | 64,642 | 66.13 | +6.03 | |||||
Eligible voters | 97,755 | – | – | |||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -5.93
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References
- ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-chris-hall-harper-succession-1.3278943
- ↑ http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/2052488-who-is-kellie-leitch-/
- ↑ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/shes-so-young-to-take-on-the-leadership-role/article4289719/
- ↑ [1]
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- ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Simcoe—Grey, 30 September 2015
- ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
External links
28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper | ||
Cabinet Post (1) | ||
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Predecessor | Office | Successor |
Lisa Raitt | Minister of Labour 2013–2015 |
MaryAnn Mihychuk |
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