Yvan Baker

Yvan Baker MP (born December 8, 1977) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the federal riding of Etobicoke Centre in the 2019 federal election. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Prior to entering federal politics, he served as the Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the provincial riding of Etobicoke Centre from 2014 to 2018.

Yvan Baker

MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Etobicoke Centre
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byBorys Wrzesnewskyj
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Etobicoke Centre
In office
June 12, 2014 – June 7, 2018
Preceded byDonna Cansfield
Succeeded byKinga Surma
Personal details
Born (1977-12-08) December 8, 1977
Toronto, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceEtobicoke, Ontario
OccupationManagement consultant

Background

Baker grew up in the West End Toronto neighbourhood of Etobicoke and attended Toronto French School. He graduated with a BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and went on to work as a commercial banker for Scotiabank.[1][2] He then accepted a position as an Executive Assistant to the Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre[1] Borys Wrzesnewskyj before obtaining his Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.[1][3] After graduation Baker became a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, working out of the New York and Toronto offices before starting his own consultancy based out of Toronto.[1][2] Baker previously taught Master of Business Administration students at Schulich School of Business at York University.[2]

Baker has also worked on several charitable initiatives and community projects. These include serving as a board director for Leave out Violence, the Emerging Leaders Network, and Global Grassroots, where he supported emerging female leaders in Rwanda on projects addressing issues such as lack of access to water, domestic violence and health education.[1] He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[1]

Political career

Provincial Politics

Baker was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 2014 as the MPP for Etobicoke Centre.[4] He currently serves as Parliamentary Assistant to Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance. Previously, Baker served as Parliamentary Assistant to Deb Matthews, President of the Treasury Board from 2014–2016.

Other current legislative roles include Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister Responsible for Digital Government; Commissioner, Board of Internal Economy; and Vice-Chair, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.[5]

Private Members' Public Bills

In May 2015, Baker introduced the Ontario Flag Day Act, 2015 which sought to proclaim May 21 of each year as Ontario Flag Day. The bill passed with the unanimous support of all three parties.[6]

Baker also introduced "Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act", which would make it easier for high school students to research post-secondary educational institutions.[7] This would be done by centralizing data in the areas of admission, student experience and outcomes for recent graduates [8]". The bill was endorsed by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Canadian Federation of Students, the College Student Alliance and the Graduate Student Alliance.[9] The bill didn't make it past first reading.[10]

In 2017 Baker proposed the "Phones Down, Heads Up Act," a bill to fine pedestrians between $50 and $125 for texting while crossing the street.[11][12] The bill attracted criticism from Ontario New Democratic Party MPP Cheri DiNovo and pedestrian-safety advocacy group Walk Toronto, who argued that there is little evidence that distracted walking is a risk, and that it shifts the safety onus from drivers to pedestrians.[13]

Community Involvement

In Etobicoke Centre, Baker hosted Community Recognition Awards annually which highlighted local individuals and organizations for making a difference in the community.[14] The awards were available in four categories; Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Community, Outstanding Volunteer Service to Seniors, Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Community by Youth and Outstanding Service by Professional Staff.[14] Approximately 30 individuals and organizations are honoured every year.[14]

An annual Government and Community Services Fair was co-hosted every year by Baker and Etobicoke—Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn. In 2015, the event featured more than 110 exhibitors from the provincial government, agencies and community organizations.[15]

Baker also hosted monthly Seniors Advisory Group meetings, which discussed topics that are important to seniors in Etobicoke Centre.[16]

Federal Politics

On October 30, 2018, Baker announced his intention to seek the Liberal Party of Canada nomination in the federal riding of Etobicoke Centre.[17]

Election results
2019 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalYvan Baker32,80051.9%
ConservativeTed Opitz21,80434.5%
New DemocraticHeather Vickers-Wong4,8817.7%
GreenCameron Semple2,7754.4%
People'sNicholas Serdiuk6641.1%
LibertarianMark Wrzesniewski2950.5%
Source: Elections Canada[18]
2018 Ontario general election: Etobicoke Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeKinga Surma24,43242.67+9.95
LiberalYvan Baker19,70834.42-15.86
New DemocraticErica Kelly10,31118.01+5.87
GreenShawn Rizvi1,3292.32-0.32
Canadians' ChoicePaul Fromm6311.10
IndependentWallace Richards5911.03
LibertarianBasil Mummery2520.44-0.67
Progressive Conservative gain Swing
Total valid votes 57,254100.0  
Source: Elections Ontario[19]
2014 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalYvan Baker23,84850.28%
Progressive ConservativePina Martino15,52032.72%
New DemocraticChris Jones5,75812.14%
GreenGeorge Morrison1,2542.64%
LibertarianAlexander T. Bussmann5281.11%
The PeopleJohn J. Martins1930.41
FreedomAndrew Kuess1890.40
Vegan EnvironmentalFelicia Trigiani1420.30
Source: Elections Ontario[20]

References
  1. "Newsroom : Biography : Yvan Baker". news.ontario.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  2. "Biography: Yvan Baker MPP Etobicoke Centre". Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  3. "Yvan Baker, a Ukrainian, is running for the Liberals provincially in Etobicoke-Centre". Estonian Life. May 24, 2014.
  4. "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. p. 3.
  5. "Yvan Baker | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". Ontario Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  6. Zhao, Weidong (2016-01-22). "Ontario Flag Day Bill Passes with Unanimous Consent". Ontario Flag Day Bill Passes with Unanimous Consent.
  7. "Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2015". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. October 7, 2015.
  8. "Legislative Assembly of Ontario | Bills & Lawmaking | Current Parliament | Bill 127, Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2015". www.ontla.on.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  9. Yvan Baker (2015-10-16), Pathways Post Secondary Excellence, retrieved 2016-03-10
  10. "Bill 76, Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2016". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. November 28, 2016.
  11. "Toronto MPP proposes fines for texting while crossing the street".
  12. "Remember the zombie law walkers? We counted the drivers who rushed red lights". The Toronto Star. December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017. The "Phones Down, Heads Up Act," proposed by Liberal MPP Yvan Baker, would fine those crossing the street while texting. Walking texters — doing the zombie shuffle — could be fined $50 for a first offence, $75 for a second offence, and $125 for each consecutive offence after that.
  13. DeLaire, Megan (December 13, 2017). "Vote: Is distracted walking a problem worth creating a law for?". Yahoo News. Retrieved December 14, 2017. "There is little or no evidence that the advent of cell phones has led to an increase in deaths due to distracted walking," DiNovo said, citing statistics published by the Ministry of Transportation that show the number of deaths caused by distracted walking did not increase at all between 1993 and 2012. [...] Dylan Reid, spokesperson for pedestrian-safety advocacy group Walk Toronto, criticized the law for law misdirecting attention for pedestrian deaths towards the victims. "When [a] 2015 Toronto Public Health study shows almost two thirds of collisions are drivers' responsibility, distracted walking is minor issue," he said on Twitter.
  14. "Etobicoke Centre MPP Yvan Baker recognizes 'inspirational' people and groups at awards ceremony". www.insidetoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  15. "MPPs team up to host government, community services fair". www.insidetoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  16. "MPP Yvan Baker's Seniors' Advisory Meeting". SNAP Etobicoke. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  17. "Yvan Baker on Twitter".
  18. "Candidates for Etobicoke Centre". Elections Canada. 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  19. "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  20. "Candidates for Etobicoke Centre". Elections Ontario. 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
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