Catherine McKenna

The Honourable
Catherine McKenna
PC MP
26th Minister of the Environment
and Climate Change
Assumed office
November 4, 2015
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Preceded by Leona Aglukkaq
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Ottawa Centre
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Paul Dewar
Personal details
Born (1971-08-05) August 5, 1971
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Scott Gilmore[1]
Children 3
Residence The Glebe, Ottawa
Alma mater
Profession Lawyer
Website catherinemckenna.liberal.ca

Catherine Mary McKenna PC MP (born August 5, 1971) is a Canadian Liberal politician, who was elected to represent the riding of Ottawa Centre in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election. She was appointed as Minister of Environment and Climate Change in the Cabinet, headed by Justin Trudeau, on November 4, 2015. She holds a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from McGill University.[2]

Education

McKenna holds a master's degree from the London School of Economics where she studied International Relations, and a law degree from McGill University. She also holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto.

After graduating from École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame (her father insisted that all his children be bilingual despite not knowing any French himself)[3] and then Saint Mary Catholic Secondary School[4] in Hamilton, Ontario, McKenna attended the University of Toronto and studied French and International Relations. After graduating from the University of Toronto, she filmed a documentary in Asia, "Real Travels: 60 days in Indonesia." McKenna then completed a master's degree in International Relations at the London School of Economics and a law degree at McGill.[5]

While studying at the University of Toronto, McKenna was captain of the national champion varsity swim team. She continues to train and compete with the National Capital YMCA Masters Swim Team.[6]

Career

McKenna is trained as a human rights and social justice lawyer.[7] McKenna is the co-founder of Canadian Lawyers Abroad, a University of Ottawa-based charity that helps Canadian law students and law firms do pro bono legal work in developing countries.[1][7][8]

McKenna was a senior negotiator with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in East Timor which culminated in the Timor Sea Treaty providing for the joint exploitation of petroleum resources in a part of the Timor Sea.[9] She is also a lecturer at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs.[7]

McKenna has practised law at leading firms in Indonesia, focusing on international trade, competition, investment and constitutional issues. In 2002, she joined Stikeman Elliott LLP, working in the areas of competition, trade, and constitutional law.[5] During this time she was senior counsel on the Right Honourable Antonio Lamer's review of Canada's military justice system.[10]

Teaching

McKenna has taught at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and was a board member at the Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.[10]

Charity

McKenna was, before entering politics, the Executive Director of Level, a charity that she cofounded.[6] Level is described as a catalyst for positive and social change. They believe that uniting the power of people, education and law will lead to a more equitable and just society.[11] McKenna is also known for her Dare to Dream program that mentors and inspires Aboriginal students through justice education and outreach activities by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal lawyers. The program was piloted in Toronto and has now expanded to Calgary and Ottawa.[6]

Federal politics

McKenna on November 4, 2015, shortly before being sworn into cabinet.
McKenna speaking at Chatham House in 2017

In the 2015 federal election, McKenna defeated longtime New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament (MP) Paul Dewar in the riding of Ottawa Centre.[12] McKenna said that she knocked on 100,000 doors during her 522 days as a candidate.[13] McKenna was elected with 43% of the votes compared to Dewar's 38%.[14] McKenna had campaigned on issues such as reforming the National Capital Commission, funding for a new main branch of the Ottawa Public Library, and opposing the proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism.[12]

McKenna is one of 50 women elected to the Liberal caucus.[13]

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

McKenna was appointed Minister of Environment and Climate Change in Justin Trudeau's first cabinet on November 4, 2015.[15] One of her first appearances as Minister of Environment and Climate Change was at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.[16]

In December 2016, McKenna led a clean-technology sector business delegation with Canadian and Chinese companies in China. Additionally, she served as the international executive vice-chair of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development and co-chaired the council's annual general meeting with China's Minister of Environmental Protection, Minister Chen Jining.[17]

McKenna has described her "Climate Barbie" label as a sexist insult.[18]

Personal life

Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, she is the eldest of four children of Dr. John McKenna, an Irish dentist and his Quebec-born wife Pat McKenna, who still live in the southwest part of Hamilton.[3][4][19] On August 14, 1999, McKenna married entrepreneur and writer Scott Gilmore, with whom she has lived since 2002 in The Glebe, Ottawa.[1][3] They have two daughters and one son.[3] The actor Patrick Gilmore is Catherine's brother-in-law.

Community involvement

McKenna is the past Vice-President of the Glebe Community Association and has served as a board member of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa and the Good Morning Creative Arts and Preschool.[10]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalCatherine McKenna32,11142.66+22.54$192,865.14
New DemocraticPaul Dewar29,09838.54−13.62$196,692.80
ConservativeDamian Konstantinakos10,94314.49−7.14$74,191.60
GreenTom Milroy2,2462.97−2.06$5,564.56
LibertarianDean T. Harris5510.73––
RhinocerosConrad Lukawski1670.22–$2.96
MarijuanaJohn Andrew Omowole Akpata1600.21––
CommunistStuart Ryan1240.16––
Total valid votes/Expense limit 75,500100.00 $233,540.54
Total rejected ballots 3860.51–
Turnout 75,88682.82–
Eligible voters 91,625
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +18.08
Source: Elections Canada[20][21][22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Small NGO, big results". Ottawa Citizen. January 7, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  2. ↑ Sibley, Robert (October 20, 2015). "McKenna upsets Dewar in Ottawa Centre". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McKercher, Ian (April 9, 2015). "Catherine McKenna and the future we want for our children". The Glebe Report. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Peters, Ken (November 4, 2015). "Hamilton women who packed some political punch". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Catherine McKenna – Master of Global Affairs". Master of Global Affairs. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Biography". catherinemckenna.liberal.ca. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Wood, Michael (August 15, 2015). "Ottawa Centre profile: Liberal candidate Catherine McKenna". Metro News. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  8. ↑ Taylor-Vaisey, Nick (October 3, 2014). "An escalator pitch from Catherine McKenna on Canada in 2020". Maclean's. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Catherine McKenna bio". Government of Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 Toolkit, Web Experience. "The Honourable Catherine McKenna". Prime Minister of Canada. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  11. ↑ Level. "About Level". Level. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Helmer, Aedan (October 20, 2015). "Catherine McKenna scores huge victory in NDP stronghold". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Blanchfield, Mike. "Chief, mayors, refugees: rookie Liberals bring diverse job experience to caucus". www.thecanadianpress.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  14. ↑ "CBC News: Election 2015 roundup". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Full list of Justin Trudeau's cabinet". CBC News.
  16. ↑ "Environment minister looking for 'ambitious' deal at climate summit". CTVNews. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change leads clean-technology business delegation to China and meets with the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development". Canada NewsWire. December 3, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  18. ↑ DiManno, Rosie. "On 'Climate Barbie' and the art of the insult". The Star. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  19. ↑ Catherine McKenna [@cathmckenna] (October 18, 2015). "Tomorrow's a big day. Thankful that I have my mom & dad in town. I owe so much to them. #RealChangeStartsAtHome #lpc" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ↑ "Voter Information Service - Who are the candidates in my electoral district?". www.elections.ca.
  21. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
  22. ↑ Canada, © 2013 - Élections. "Résultats du soir d'élection - Circonscriptions". enr.elections.ca.
29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Leona Aglukkaq Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
November 4, 2015–present		 Incumbent
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