Helena Jaczek

In 2003, Jaczek ran as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Oak Ridges. Issues included tax rates and health care.[4] She lost to incumbent Frank Klees by 2,521 votes.[5] In 2007, Jaczek won the newly formed riding of Oak Ridges—Markham by 7,013 votes beating Conservative candidate Phil Bannon and New Democrat Janice Hagan. Population growth was the main issue in the campaign as the riding of Oak Ridges-Markham was the most populous in the province as of the 2006 census.[6][7] She was re-elected in the 2011, and 2014 elections.[8][9]

Jaczek was appointed as a Parliamentary assistant (PA) to the Minister of Health Promotion on October 30, 2007. On September 11, 2009 she was made PA to the Minister of Environment. In February 2013, Jaczek was appointed as PA to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.[10] Jaczek also served as Caucus Chair and was a sitting member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee on Social Policy. She has also served on several other Standing Committees including Government Agencies, Finance and Economic Affairs, and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on General Government. She also previously served as Liberal Caucus Chair.

Jaczek was also a member of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions. This special Committee held public hearings around the province, visiting mental health and addictions facilities and several First Nations communities to better understand the Mental Health and Addictions program challenges facing Ontario. The Committee's work and recommendations were presented in the report, Navigating the Journey to Wellness.

In 2009, Jaczek proposed a private member's bill, Bill 117 would have prohibited riders under the age of 15 from riding motorcycles. Data presented to the house showed that 46 under-15 aged riders were hospitalized between 2005–06. She said, "The research is alarming." Motorcycle enthusiasts disputed the numbers saying that most of the injuries were from off-road activities such as dirt bikes and motocross. As of 2010, the bill had passed first reading. However, when the legislature was prorogued on March 4, 2010, the bill died on the order paper. According to the clerk of the Standing Committee on Justice Policy the bill was not carried forward.[11][12]

In September 2010, Jaczek co-sponsored a private member's bill to amend the Arthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure)2000. The amendment would require a franchisor to provide a prospective franchisee with an educational document prior to entering into a franchise agreement that would include a self-evaluation criteria to ensure the perspective franchisee was fully aware of the work involved in operating the business and the required capital investment.

In March 2012, Jaczek introduced a private member's bill, Bill 40 that proclaims March 26 as Epilepsy Awareness Day. She also introduced a private member's resolution that would investigate ways to encourage organ donations in the province.[13]

In February 2013, Jaczek introduced Bill 16, "An Act to amend the Municipal Act, 2001 to provide that the head of council of The Regional Municipality of York must be elected." The bill received the support of all three parties during debate in the legislature on June 6, 2013 where it was referred to the Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly. The bill died on the order paper because of the 2014 Ontario General Election. However, in November 2016, the government introduced legislation that included a provision to ensure the direct election of Chair of the Regional Municipality of York Council and the other remaining Region (Niagara and Peel) who do not democratically elect their Chair and CEO.

On June 24, 2014, she was appointed by Premier Kathleen Wynne as the Minister of Community and Social Services and was the Vice Chair of Health, Education and Social Policy Cabinet Committee.[14]

As a Cabinet Minister, Jaczek led the government's plan to reform social assistance, which includes overseeing Ontario's Basic Income Pilot as well as the establishment of the Income Security Reform Working Group who was tasked with developing ideas for a more holistic, client-centred approach to a broader income security. Jaczek has also overseen considerable reform in the developmental services sector, which includes the closing of all sheltered workshops in Ontario and has led the implementation of Ontario's Strategy to End Human Trafficking.

Jaczek was appointed Chair of Cabinet in addition to her role as Minister of Community and Social Services on January 17, 2018.

On February 26, 2018, she was appointed Minister of Health and Long-Term Care after the resignation of the preceding Health Minister, Eric Hoskins.

She lost re-election in the 2018 Ontario general election.

In June 2019, there was speculation that Jaczek might enter federal politics and run as a Liberal Party of Canada candidate in Markham—Stouffville in the 2019 Canadian federal election, against the incumbent Independent MP Jane Philpott. Philpott had previously been elected as the Liberal member but had been removed as a candidate following her expulsion from the Liberal caucus in the wake of the SNC-Lavalin affair. In July 2019, Jaczek announced that she would be seeking the Liberal Party nomination in the riding.[15]

She was elected in the 2019 federal election to represent Markham—Stouffville in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.[16]