Indira Naidoo-Harris

Indira Naidoo-Harris is a Canadian former politician and journalist who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2014 provincial election, sitting as the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Halton until 2018. A member of the Ontario Liberal Party, Naidoo-Harris was the province's minister of education in 2018, minister of the status of women from 2017 to 2018, early years and child care minister from 2016 to 2018, and associate minister of finance in 2016.

For the Australian journalist, see Indira Naidoo.
Indira Naidoo-Harris
Naidoo-Harris in 2017
Ontario Minister of Education
In office
January 17, 2018 – June 29, 2018
PremierKathleen Wynne
Preceded byMitzie Hunter
Succeeded byLisa Thompson
Member of Provincial Parliament
for Halton
In office
2014–2018
Preceded byTed Chudleigh
Succeeded byParm Gill
Personal details
BornDurban, South Africa
Political partyLiberal Party
SpouseRandy Allen Harris
ChildrenGalen Naidoo Harris, Oriana Naidoo Harris
ResidenceMilton, Ontario
ProfessionJournalist, university administration

Background

Naidoo-Harris was born in Durban, South Africa under Apartheid. She immigrated to Canada as a child and grew up in Alberta.[1] She graduated from the University of Lethbridge and moved briefly to the United States in Troy, New York, where she developed a broadcasting career with NBC and PBS before returning to Canada in the 1990s, eventually anchoring for CBC Ottawa, CITV in Edmonton, CTV National, CBC National, and Newsworld International.[2]

Prior to the election, she was a CBC Radio newsreader and a CBC Television journalist.[3] She lives in Milton, Ontario with her husband Randy.[4]

Political career

Naidoo-Harris ran in the 2011 provincial election as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Halton. She was defeated by Progressive Conservative incumbent Ted Chudleigh by 3,148 votes.[5][6] She ran again in the 2014 election against Chudleigh this time defeating him by 5,726 votes.[7][8]

From 2014 to 2016 she was a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.[1] On June 13, 2016, she was named Associate Minister of Finance Responsible for the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.[9][10] On August 24, 2016 she was transferred from the pension role to a new educational ministerial position responsible for early year education and child care.[11] In addition to her role as Minister Responsible for Early Years and Child Care, in January 2017, Minister Naidoo-Harris was also named Minister of the Status of Women.[12] In January 2018, she was named Minister of Education and kept her role as Minister Responsible for Early Years and Child Care.[13]

Naidoo-Harris was nominated to run for re-election as the Liberal candidate for the newly formed riding of Milton but was defeated in the ensuing election.

After politics

In August 2019, Naidoo-Harris was appointed as the University of Guelph’s associate vice-president of diversity and human rights.[14]

Electoral history
2018 Ontario general election: Milton
Party Candidate Votes%
Progressive ConservativeParm Gill18,24941.67
LiberalIndira Naidoo-Harris13,06429.83
New DemocraticBrendan Smyth9,74022.24
GreenEleanor Hayward2,2005.02
LibertarianBenjamin Cunningham3660.84
Social ReformEnam Ahmed1700.39
Total valid votes 43,78999.09
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 4030.91
Turnout 44,192
Eligible voters
Source: Elections Ontario[15]

References

Notes

    Citations
    1. Hennessey, Melanie (16 June 2016). "Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 16 Jun 2016, p. 4". news.milton.halinet.on.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    2. "Ontario Newsroom".
    3. "Ontario election 2014: Seat changes highlight election night surprises". CBC News. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014.
    4. Rao, Sunil (24 November 2010). "Indira Naidoo-Harris plans public service entry". South Asian Focus. Brampton, Ont. p. 1.
    5. Beattie, Samantha (13 June 2014). "15-year Tory rein in Halton halted by Liberal". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014.
    6. "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 6 October 2011. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
    7. "General Election by District: Halton". Elections Ontario. 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
    8. Slaughter, Graham (12 June 2014). "Liberal candidate Indira Naidoo-Harris wins Halton in Ontario election". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
    9. Hennessey, Melanie (13 June 2016). "Halton MPP Indira Naidoo-Harris named associate finance minister". Inside Halton. Metroland Media.
    10. "Kathleen Wynne's shuffled cabinet features 40% women". CBC News. 13 June 2016.
    11. Benzie, Robert (24 August 2016). "Wynne taps Naidoo-Harris to be early years and child care minister". Toronto Star.
    12. White, Patrick; Morrow, Adrian (12 January 2017). "Marie-France Lalonde appointed Ontario corrections minster". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
    13. "Newsroom : Biography : Indira Naidoo-Harris". news.ontario.ca. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
    14. staff, 101 3 myFM News. "Former Milton MPP Indira Naidoo-Harris Has a New Role at the University of Guelph". 101.3 Milton Now. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
    15. "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
    1. On January 12, 2017 assigned to role as minister responsible for women's issues. On February 14, 2017 this was upgraded to be a new ministry.
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