Indira Naidoo-Harris

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

Indira Naidoo-Harris is a former Canadian 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.

Background

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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

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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 years 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]

In 2017, Naidoo-Harris was nominated to run for re-election as the Liberal candidate for the newly formed riding of Milton[14] but was defeated in the 2018 election.[15]

After politics

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In August 2019, Naidoo-Harris was appointed as the University of Guelph’s Associate Vice-President of Diversity and Human Rights.[16]

Personal life

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Her son Galen Naidoo Harris was the Liberal candidate in the 2024 Milton provincial by-election, in which he was defeated by the Progressive Conservative candidate Zee Hamid.[17]

Electoral history

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2014 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Indira Naidoo-Harris 33,724 44.79 +5.66
Progressive Conservative Ted Chudleigh 27,937 37.10 -7.37
New Democratic Nik Spohr 9,758 12.96 -0.19
Green Susan Farrant 2,618 3.48 +1.30
Libertarian Kal Ghory 916 1.22 –
Family Coalition Gerry Marsh 346 0.46 -0.04
Total valid votes 75,299 100.0  
Eligible voters 149,633
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +6.52
Source: Elections Ontario[18]


2018 Ontario general election: Milton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Parm Gill 18,249 41.67 +4.12
Liberal Indira Naidoo-Harris 13,064 29.83 -13.26
New Democratic Brendan Smyth 9,740 22.24 +7.83
Green Eleanor Hayward 2,200 5.02 +1.44
Libertarian Benjamin Cunningham 366 0.84
Social Reform Enam Ahmed 170 0.39
Total valid votes 43,789 99.09
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 403 0.91
Turnout 44,192 56.11
Eligible voters 78,764
Progressive Conservative notional gain from Liberal Swing +8.69
Source: Elections Ontario[19]

References

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Hennessey, Melanie (June 16, 2016). "Canadian Champion (Milton, ON), 16 Jun 2016, p. 4". news.milton.halinet.on.ca. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Ontario Newsroom".
  3. ^ "Ontario election 2014: Seat changes highlight election night surprises". CBC News. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014.
  4. ^ Rao, Sunil (November 24, 2010). "Indira Naidoo-Harris plans public service entry". South Asian Focus. Brampton, Ont. p. 1.
  5. ^ Beattie, Samantha (June 13, 2014). "15-year Tory rein in Halton halted by Liberal". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014.
  6. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  7. ^ "General Election by District: Halton". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on September 23, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  8. ^ Slaughter, Graham (June 12, 2014). "Liberal candidate Indira Naidoo-Harris wins Halton in Ontario election". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  9. ^ Hennessey, Melanie (June 13, 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. June 13, 2016.
  11. ^ Benzie, Robert (August 24, 2016). "Wynne taps Naidoo-Harris to be early years and child care minister". Toronto Star.
  12. ^ White, Patrick; Morrow, Adrian (January 12, 2017). "Marie-France Lalonde appointed Ontario corrections minster". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Newsroom : Biography : Indira Naidoo-Harris". news.ontario.ca. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  14. ^ Slack, Julie (August 14, 2017). "Indira Naidoo-Harris nominated as provincial Liberal candidate for Milton". Inside Halton. Milton, Ontario. Milton Canadian Champion. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  15. ^ Slack, Julie (June 8, 2018). "Indira Naidoo-Harris loses Milton riding, but thanks the 'best team possible'". Inside Halton. Milton, Ontario. Milton Canadian Champion. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  16. ^ 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 December 11, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Cilliers, Roland (March 26, 2024). "Ontario Liberals select son of former MPP as candidate for provincial byelection". Inside Halton. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  18. ^ Elections Ontario (2014). "Summary of valid votes cast for each candidate" (PDF). p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  19. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
[edit]
Ontario provincial government of Kathleen Wynne
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Mitzie Hunter Minister of Education
2018 (January - June) 		Lisa Thompson
New position Minister Responsible for Early Years and Child Care
2016 - 2018 		none
Tracy MacCharles Minister of the Status of Women
2017[a] - 2018 		Harinder Malhi
  1. ^ Styled as Minister of Women's Issues until February 14, 2017
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