Backgrounder

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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Biographies

May 25, 2011
Ottawa, Ontario

Gerald Keddy

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and for the Atlantic Gateway

South Shore–St. Margaret's (Nova Scotia)

Gerald Keddy was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade in March 2008 and has previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Prior to his career in politics, Mr. Keddy worked as a farmer, a driller in Nova Scotia's offshore oil industry and a Christmas tree producer and exporter. He is past president of the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia.

Mr. Keddy lives in New Ross, Nova Scotia, with his wife, Judy, and their children.

Deepak Obhrai

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Calgary East (Alberta)

Deepak Obhrai was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 2006. He has also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.

He is a past president of the India-Canada Association, the Monterey Community Association and the Hindu Society of Calgary, and Vice-President of the National Indo/Canadian Council.

Mr. Obhrai and his wife, Neena, have three children.

David Anderson

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board

Cypress Hills-Grassland (Saskatchewan)

David Anderson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2000 and re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. Mr. Anderson was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Canadian Wheat Board in February 2006, and was assigned additional responsibilities as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources in October 2007.

Mr. Anderson graduated from the University of Regina and has a Master's of Divinity from the Canadian Theological Seminary.

Mr. Anderson and his wife, Sheila, have two children.

Colin Carrie

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Oshawa (Ontario)

Colin Carrie was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health in November 2008. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was the co-owner and operator of a chiropractic clinic in the Durham Region, Ontario.

Dr. Carrie has been a vocal advocate for Hepatitis C patients and for families dealing with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Dr. Carrie graduated from the University of Waterloo and from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where he earned a doctor of chiropractic medicine degree.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children.

Randy Kamp

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway

Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge–Mission (British Columbia)

Randy Kamp was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, in 2008, and in 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in February 2006.

Prior to entering politics, he and his family lived in the Philippines where he was the regional director for an organization doing linguistic work among minority language communities.

Mr. Kamp has a bachelor's degree in theology.

He and his wife, Ruth, have three children.

Tom Lukiwski

Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Regina–Lumsden–Lake Centre (Saskatchewan)

Tom Lukiwski was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in November 2008. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and to the Minister for Democratic Reform.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was general manager of the Saskatchewan Party from 1997 to 2004. In addition to operating a small business, he has been an active volunteer in his community. He served as Chair for the Peter Gzowski Fundraiser for Literacy, and played key roles with the Bill Clarke fundraiser in support of the fight against Parkinson's disease, the 1992 Labatt Brier and Skate Canada 1989. He was also a member of the marketing board of directors for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Mr. Lukiwski and his wife, Diane, have two children.

Pierre Poilievre

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Nepean–Carleton (Ontario)

Pierre Poilievre was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011. Previously, Mr. Poilievre served as Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Mr. Poilievre owned and operated a communications and market research firm before taking his seat in Parliament.

He is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Mr. Poilievre studied international relations at the University of Calgary.

Dean Del Mastro

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Peterborough (Ontario)

Dean Del Mastro was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and in 2011. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Mr. Del Mastro has served on several House of Commons committees, including the standing committees on National Defence, on Finance and on Canadian Heritage.

Prior to entering federal politics, he served as Chairman of the Suzuki Canada Dealer Advisory Board, and as Vice-President of Del Mastro Motors Ltd., a company he jointly founded.

Mr. Del Mastro attended the University of Windsor where he earned his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours).

Rick Dykstra

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

St. Catharines (Ontario)

Rick Dykstra was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and in 2011. Mr. Dykstra was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in November 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was a partner in a public affairs business operating out of Niagara and Toronto. Previously, Mr. Dykstra spent five years in the Ontario provincial government and served as Director of Caucus Relations for two provincial premiers, as well as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Community and Social Services. He has also served as a member of the Niagara Parks Commission.

Mr. Dykstra has a degree in political science from Brock University, and a Master's Certificate in project management from York University.

Mr. Dykstra and his wife, Kathy, are lifelong residents of St. Catharines and have three children.

Jacques Gourde

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency for the Regions of Quebec

Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière (Quebec)

Jacques Gourde was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and in 2011.

In January 2011 he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. Previously, he has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources.

Mr. Gourde has a diploma in farm management and was a producer and exporter of hay in Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage. He was also president of the Saint-Narcisse Development Committee and the parish council church warden for six years.

Mr. Gourde and his wife Chantal have five children.

Mike Lake

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont (Alberta)

Mike Lake was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and in 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry in November 2008.

Mr. Lake has served as a member of the House of Commons standing committees on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and on Public Accounts.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Lake worked for 10 years with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club where he served as National Accounts Manager, Director of Ticket Sales and Group Sales Manager. He is an active member of the Edmonton Autism Society and has mentored foster children.

Mr. Lake holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction) from the University of Alberta. He and his wife, Debi, have two children.

Pierre Lemieux

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Glengarry–Prescott–Russell (Ontario)

Mr. Lemieux was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and in 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture in 2008. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages.

Mr. Lemieux began his career as an officer in the Canadian Forces where he served for 20 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He is also a professional engineer and is certified with the Project Management Institute. After working as a manager in the high-tech sector, he started his own company, offering project management and consulting services.

Mr. Lemieux is married and has five children.

Lois Brown

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation

Newmarket-Aurora (Ontario)

Lois Brown was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008 and re-elected in 2011. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation in January 2011.

Prior to entering politics, Ms. Brown was the vice president of a disability management company she co-founded with her husband that worked with large Canadian manufacturers. She was also a public appointee to a governing board of health care professionals from 2001 to 2003, during which time she was elected vice-chair.

Ms. Brown holds an ARCT degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She is currently completing a bachelor of arts degree with a major in economics at the University of Waterloo. She and her husband Kelvin have two daughters.

Paul Calandra

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Oak Ridges–Markham (Ontario)

Paul Calandra was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011.

Mr. Calandra has been a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics and the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.

Paul is a graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa with a B.A. in History and Political Science.

He lives in Stouffville with his wife Melanie and their two daughters.

Bob Dechert

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mississauga-Erindale (Ontario)

Bob Dechert was elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Mr. Dechert has served as a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics and the Standing Committee on Finance.

Mr. Dechert is a former senior partner with the law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, and a former president of the Empire Club of Canada.

Mr. Dechert has lived in Mississauga for many years with his wife Ruth Clark.

Shelly Glover

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Saint-Boniface (Manitoba)

Shelly Glover was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance in January 2011. Previously, she was Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mrs. Glover served as a member of the Winnipeg Police Service for almost 19 years. She had a diverse career in a variety of positions including undercover work, child abuse investigations, youth crime and gang investigations, and general patrol. Mrs. Glover has a high level of proficiency in the French language and was the first female and bilingual spokesperson appointed by her department.

A patrol sergeant presently on a leave of absence to pursue positive change in politics, Mrs. Glover is a proud Métis woman who is a very active community member with affiliations to several non-profit organizations.

Mrs. Glover is married and has raised five children with her husband Bruce, who is a retired police officer and small business owner.

Candice Hoeppner

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Portage–Lisgar (Manitoba)

Candice Hoeppner was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in May 2011. She has served as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee for the Status of Women.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Hoeppner worked in the financial planning industry and managed her own consulting firm.

Ms. Hoeppner lives with her family in Winkler, Manitoba.

Cathy McLeod

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue

Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo (British Columbia)

Cathy McLeod was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008 and re-elected in 2011. Ms. McLeod was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue in January 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. McLeod was mayor of Pemberton and a director for the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. She also worked as a registered nurse and managed a number of health care centres.

Ms. McLeod has a master's degree in international primary health care from the University of London. She and her husband Gord have three children.

Greg Rickford

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

Kenora (Ontario)

Greg Rickford was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008 and re-elected in 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in January 2011. Previously he was Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages.

Prior to entering politics, Mr. Rickford worked as a nurse, a health care consultant and a lawyer. He has degrees in civil and common law from McGill University, and an MBA from Laval University in the City of Québec, where he learned to speak French.
Mr. Rickford is active in a number of church and community activities.

Andrew Saxton

Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board
and for Western Economic Diversification

North Vancouver (British Columbia)

Andrew Saxton was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. Mr. Saxton was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board in November 2008.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Saxton was Chief Executive Officer of King George Financial Corp., an investment firm, and was on the Board of Directors of Canaco Resources, a gold exploration company. Mr. Saxton has worked for Credit Suisse at their Switzerland, New York and Vancouver offices, and for HSBC at their Hong Kong and Singapore offices. He is a former member of the board of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of British Columbia and Yukon.

Mr. Saxton graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in administrative and commercial studies.

Eve Adams

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs

Mississauga-Brampton South (Ontario)

Eve Adams was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Adams was a Councillor for the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel for seven years. Earlier in her career, she worked for the provincial government of Ontario, serving in the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Citizenship and Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and went on to become the Executive Director of an accounting association. Ms. Adams has been involved with the Red Cross Board, Neighbourhood Watch and the Terry Fox Run.

She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Ms. Adams lives with her husband and son in Mississauga-Brampton South.

Chris Alexander

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Ajax-Pickering (Ontario)

Chris Alexander was elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Alexander served Canada as a diplomat. He was appointed Canada's Ambassador to Afghanistan in 2003 and, in December 2005, as the Deputy Special Representative to the United Nations' Secretary General for Afghanistan.

Mr. Alexander has an arts degree from McGill University and a Master's degree in history, politics and economics from Oxford University.

He lives with his wife and their daughter in Ajax.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

Delta-Richmond East (British Columbia)

Kerry-Lynne Findlay was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, she practiced law in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Her public service includes working on fisheries and First Nations land management issues.

Ms. Findlay has been active in the Canadian Bar Association including as the founding Chair of the BC Women Lawyers Forum and National Women Lawyers Forum, Chair of the Constitutional Law Section and President for the BC branch.

Ms. Findlay is married and has four children.

Robert Goguen

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

Moncton–Riverview–Dieppe (New Brunswick)

Robert Goguen was first elected to the House of Commons in May 2011.

Mr. Goguen is a lawyer and has practiced in Moncton, New Brunswick, for over 25 years. He has served as Chair of the Canada Pension Plan Review Tribunal in New Brunswick and throughout Canada, and has lectured on bankruptcy and insolvency matters at Mount Allison University and the Université de Moncton.

Mr. Goguen is the current President of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, and has served previously as President of Enterprise Greater Moncton, President of the Moncton Headstart Inc., and President of the Moncton-West/Riverview Rotary Clubs.

Mr. Goguen lives in Moncton with his wife, Lori Lynn, and their three daughters.

Kellie Leitch

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour

Simcoe–Grey (Ontario)

Kellie Leitch was first elected to the House of Commons in May 2011.

Dr. Leitch is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and an associate professor of surgery. In addition to her work as a surgeon and professor, she also serves on various councils and boards, including the YMCA and Community Living.

Dr. Leitch has been recognized with the Order of Ontario for her advocacy work on behalf of Canadian children, and in 2005, she was selected as one of Canada's "Top 40 Under 40" for her work in both medicine and business.

Dr. Leitch lives in Clearview, Ontario.

Chungsen Leung

Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism

Willowdale (Ontario)

Chungsen Leung was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Mr. Leung is an entrepreneur with a wide range of business experience, including being owner and chief executive officer of four Richmond Hill, Ontario enterprises, as well as having been past director and audit chair of the Xenos Group and a director with Active Growth Capital.

Mr. Leung has been a member of several Trade Missions to China and South East Asia and has been instrumental in the founding of the Richmond Hill and Markham Chinese Business Association.

Mr. Leung has a Masters of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Southern California.

He lives in Willowdale, Ontario, with his wife, Deborah, and their daughter.

Michelle Rempel

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment

Calgary Centre-North (Alberta)

Michelle Rempel was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Ms. Rempel has worked in the field of technology commercialization, which involved taking ideas generated by university research and starting new companies or licensing ideas to existing ones. She also has experience as a managerial consultant, where she was involved in the health and educational sectors. Ms. Rempel has volunteered with a number of organizations including the Children's Wish Foundation and the Northern Hills Community Association.

Ms. Rempel has a degree in economics and lives in north Calgary with her husband Jason.

Susan Truppe

Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women

London North Centre (Ontario)

Susan Truppe was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.

Ms. Truppe has been a constituency assistant to a Conservative Member of Parliament and an Assistant General Manager for a major hotel and conference centre in the London area. Her volunteer work has included spearheading campaigns to raise proceeds for Hutton House, the Special Olympics and breast cancer research.

Ms. Truppe resides in London with her husband, Walter, and their son.

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