Joel Harden

Joel Davison Harden MPP (born January 14, 1972) is a Canadian politician who has represented Ottawa Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2018. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), Harden is the party's critic for transit and active transportation.

Not to be confused with Joel Hardin.

Joel Harden
MPP
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Ottawa Centre
Assumed office
June 7, 2018
Preceded byYasir Naqvi
Critic roles
2022–presentOpposition Critic for Transit and Active Transportation
2018–2022Opposition Critic for Accessibility and Persons with Disabilities Pensions; Seniors' Affairs
Personal details
Bornc. (1972-01-14) January 14, 1972
Political partyOntario New Democratic
Children2
ResidenceOld Ottawa South[1]
Occupation
  • Politician
  • researcher
WebsiteConstituency website
Campaign website

Background

Early life and education

Joel Davison Harden was born on January 14, 1972,[2][3] and grew up in Vankleek Hill, Ontario.[4] He holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and political studies from Queen's University.[5] He later attended York University, where he earned a master's degree in 1997 and a doctorate in political science in 2006.[6][7]

Career

Prior to being elected, Harden was a researcher at the Canadian Federation of Students. He has also been an instructor at the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University and teaching assistant professor at Brock University and has also taught at Nipissing University, McMaster University and the Labour College of Canada. From 2005 to 2010, he was senior researcher at the Canadian Labour Congress and was director of the labour education department at the Canadian Labour Congress from 2010 to 2012.[8][9] During his time as the Director of Education at the Canadian Labour Congress Harden designed the campaign that won an expansion of the Canada Pension Plan.[9] From 1998 to 2000, he was the chairman of the Ontario section of the Canadian Federation of Students.[8]

Political career

Harden was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[10] He is a self-described democratic socialist[11] and

On August 23, 2018, Harden was appointed Official Opposition Critic for Accessibility & Persons with Disabilities; Pensions; Seniors' Affairs.[12] Harden's parliamentary roles include sitting on the Standing Committee on Social Policy.[9]

Harden is a supporter of the BDS movement.[13] In November 2022, Harden was criticized for an interview in which he spoke about hateful language in activism related to Israel and Palestine. Harden ultimately issued a brief written apology for perpetuating anti-Semitic tropes.[14] In the interview, Harden takes a pro-Palestinian position and said: "I think it's important to remain steadfast against all supremacist ideologies, all forms of prejudice and racism. When I'm at Palestinian solidarity demonstrations, if I hear people making antisemitic remarks, I take a point of pulling that person aside and saying "you're not helping."[15]

In June 2023, Harden alleged that he was punched whilst counter-protesting during an anti-"gender ideology" protest outside of a school.[16]

Electoral record
2022 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticJoel Harden30,31154.34+8.26
LiberalKatie Gibbs12,59622.58-10.20
Progressive ConservativeScott Healey8,77315.73-0.30
GreenShelby Bertrand2,7184.87+1.35
New BlueGlen Armstrong7981.43
None of the AboveMarc Adornato2330.42-0.26
CommunistStuart Ryan1530.27+0.10
IndependentThomas Borcsok820.15
Ontario People's FrontRaymond Samuels590.11
IndependentJosh Rachlis580.10
Total valid votes 55,78199.60
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 2660.40
Turnout 56,04755.82
Eligible voters 100,415
New Democratic hold Swing +9.27
2018 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticJoel Harden29,67546.08+25.69
LiberalYasir Naqvi21,11132.78-18.89
Progressive ConservativeColleen McCleery10,32716.03-2.08
GreenCherie Wong2,2663.52-4.22
None of the AboveMarc Adornato4370.68
LibertarianBruce A. Faulkner3850.60-0.96
CommunistStuart Ryan1100.17-0.35
Canadians' ChoiceJames Sears920.14
Total valid votes 64,403100.0  
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +22.29
Source: Elections Ontario[17]

References
  1. "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  2. "Tuition blocking education dreams". Ottawa Citizen. August 17, 1998. p. A5. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  3. @nilikm (14 Jan 2022). "Join us at 7pm tonight (Jan 14). It's @JoelHardenONDP's 50th bday party!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. "Joel Harden – Bringing a much-needed grassroots perspective to politics". 5 April 2018.
  5. "NDP MPP Joel Harden Speaking to CCU at 50th Anniversary Convention - Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU)". ccu-csc.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  6. "Ten York University alumni win in 2022 Ontario election | Alumni and Friends - Division of Advancement". Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  7. "Five things you should know about Joel Harden - Kitchissippi times". kitchissippi.com. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  8. "Joel Harden: Educator, activist, and writer".
  9. "Media Kit". Joel Harden, MPP for Ottawa Centre. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  10. "NDP Joel Harden elected in Ottawa Centre". CBC News Ottawa, June 7, 2018.
  11. "High-profile Liberal incumbent Naqvi gets rolled by NDP's Harden in Ottawa Centre".
  12. https://www.ontariondp.ca/sites/default/files/18-0820critic20portfolios-3.pdf
  13. "Interview: Joel Harden on running for ONDP nomination in Ottawa-Centre". socialist.ca. Sep 2, 2017. Retrieved Aug 14, 2020. I said, "if I'm asked a question about what I think about BDS for example, I'm not going to pretend that that's somebody I'm not. I'm going to say, on a personal level I support BDS." It's because I believe in justice for the Palestinian people, and I believe in justice for Arabs and Jews in the region.
  14. "Ottawa New Democrat MPP apologizes for 2021 comments that 'perpetrated an antisemitic stereotype'". Ottawa. 2022-11-20. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  15. Larson, Peter. "OFIP Interview with Joel Harden". Peter Larson. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  16. Fox, Liam (June 9, 2023). "Ottawa protest over 'gender ideology' met with hundreds of counter-protesters". Canadian Press. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  17. "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
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