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Committee Profile

Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC)
44th Parliament, 1st Session

Hon. Hedy Fry, LPC (chair)

L’hon. Hedy Fry
  • Constituency: Vancouver Centre (British Columbia)
  • Profession/Occupation: Physician
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 1993

Biography (from the political party’s website)

The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry was first elected to Parliament for Vancouver Centre in 1993, becoming the first rookie to defeat a sitting Prime Minister. Re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, and 2015, she is now the longest-serving female MP in Canadian history.

Inspired by Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s vision for a just society, Dr. Fry immigrated to Canada in 1970, practicing family medicine at St. Paul’s Hospital for decades. She was a leader in the medical community, serving as president of the Vancouver Medical Association (VMA), BC Medical Association (BCMA), and the Federation of Medical Women. She also hosted the popular medical information show Doctor, Doctor on CBC television.

Following her election in 1993, Dr. Fry was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health. From 1996 to 2002, she was in Jean Chrétien’s Cabinet as Canada’s Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Status of Women, where she focussed on social policy, arts and culture, women’s equality, the environment, homelessness, same-sex benefits, and equal marriage.

From 2006 to 2015, she held a number of leadership roles in the Official Opposition as Critic for Canadian Heritage, Critic for Sport and the 2010 Games, and Critic for Health—where she was responsible for developing the Liberal Party of Canada’s 2015 Health platform.

In addition to her duties as a Member of Parliament, Dr. Fry currently serves as head of Canada’s delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCEPA),and is the OSCEPA’s Special Representative for Gender Issues. She also Chairs the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians for Population Development.

She has three adult sons and four young grandchildren.

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John Nater, CPC (vice-chair)

John Nater
  • Constituency: Perth—Wellington (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: Lecturer, political assistant, policy analyst
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2015

Biography (from the political party’s website)

John Nater was raised on his family farm in Logan Township (now West Perth). He learned from a young age the importance of hard work and contributing to the community. This inspired him to a life of public service.

He was elected and proudly served on West Perth Municipal Council from 2010 to 2014 representing the Mitchell Ward. From 2012 to 2015, he worked as a Lecturer at King’s University College.

He also has experience in the public service working as a Grievance Analyst with the Correctional Service of Canada and a Policy Analyst with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Affairs and Policy Management (BPAPM) from Carleton University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Queen’s University.

He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Perth—Wellington in the 42nd General Election on October 19, 2015 and re-elected in the 43rd General Election on October 21, 2019.

In September 2020 John was named Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development.

He and his wife Justine live in Mitchell with their children Ainsley, Bennett and Caroline.

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Martin Champoux, BQ (vice-chair)

Martin Champoux
  • Constituency: Drummond (Quebec)
  • Profession/Occupation: Communications Specialist
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2019

Biography (from the political party’s website)

A communications specialist, Martin Champoux has made a name for himself over a 30-year career in the Quebec media, notably at the helm of the culinary show Qu’est-ce qui mijote? on TVA. He has distinguished himself in the region as director of communications, marketing and development for the Village québécois d'antan. He was also involved in the organization of the Classic Soucy-UV Mutuelle, for the benefit of the Sainte-Croix / Heriot Foundation and the improvement of health care in the MRC of Drummond.

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Chris Bittle, LPC

Chris Bittle
  • Constituency: St. Catharines (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: Lawyer
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2015

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Chris Bittle completed his undergraduate degree at Queens University in 2002. Following graduation, he attended Law School at the University of Windsor. After completing his Law Degree in 2005, he returned to St. Catharines to practice law as a civil litigator. In addition to practicing law, he also served as Chair of Quest Community Health Centre, a not-for-profit Community Health Centre in St. Catharines. At Quest, his passion for equity and his desire to address systemic barriers to prosperity were emphasized as it became clear the challenges faced by so many in our community also included a lack of access to affordable housing, mental health and addiction services and reliable, affordable public transit.

In 2015 he was elected Member of Parliament as a first-time candidate for public office. Since being elected, he has used his platform to speak out against intolerance, racism and bigotry that exists in our community. He has also worked hard to deliver results for residents of St. Catharines including the full rehabilitation of the Port Dalhousie Piers, historic investments in public transit and affordable housing and a meaningful reduction in the number of residents who live in poverty.

In 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed him Deputy House Leader of the Government in the House of Commons making him the youngest Member of Parliament to ever hold that office. In 2019, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transportation. In 2021, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

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Michael Coteau, LPC

Michael Coteau
  • Constituency: Don Valley-East (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: Trustee, instructor
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2021

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Michael Coteau has served as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley East since 2011. During his time in government, he was appointed as the Minister of Children and Youth Services, as well as the Minister Responsible for Anti-Racism. Previously, he was Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, as well as Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, and before that, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Prior to entering the provincial government, he was elected as a school board trustee for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in 2003, 2006 and 2010. As a trustee, he advocated for student nutrition, community use of space and the use of educational technology. He initiated the ‘Community Use of Schools’ motion that drastically cut user fees and made schools more accessible to groups that offer programs for children. He helped introduce nutritional changes in schools that supported healthy food programs and increased awareness of student hunger.

He worked as an ESL instructor and curriculum developer before becoming a community organizer for a United Way agency in Scarborough. He was also the Marketing Manager for ABC Life Literacy, where he was responsible for the organizing of the Family Literacy Day across Canada, and was Executive Director of Alpha Plus, a national literacy organization mandated to support adult education through the use of technology.

He grew up in Don Valley East and attended Don Mills Middle School and Victoria Park Collegiate Institute. He holds a degree from Carleton University in Political Science and Canadian History. He and his wife Lori live in Toronto with their two daughters, Maren and Myla.

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Lisa Hepfner, LPC

Lisa Hepfner
  • Constituency: Halmilton Mountain (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: News reporter/announcer
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2021

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Lisa Hepfner is a veteran journalist with twenty-plus years of journalism excellence in Hamilton.

She is a mother, a community volunteer, and has been awarded the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award.

She earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Calgary, a Journalism degree at Ryerson University and a Master’s degree from McMaster University, right here in Hamilton.

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Anthony Housefather, LPC

Anthony Housefather
  • Constituency: Mont-Royal (Quebec)
  • Profession/Occupation: Attorney, lawyer, mayor
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2015

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Anthony Housefather was elected as Member of Parliament for Mount Royal on October 19, 2015. In February 2016, he was elected as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, which has the power to examine and to produce reports on the policies, programs and expenses of the Department of Justice.

Moreover, he has two Law Degrees (B.C.L. and LL.B.) from McGill University and an MBA from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business. Until he was elected an MP, he served as Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and General Counsel at Dialogic Corporation.

He was first elected to office in 1994. He was initially elected as a municipal councillor in Hampstead, then elected in Côte-Saint-Luc/Hampstead/Montreal West, and served as Mayor of Côte-Saint-Luc between 2005 and 2015.

On a personal level, he participates in numerous activities in his community. He is a member of the drama society and swim team. His performance in swimming earned him seven medals at the 2013 Maccabiah Games, in Israel. He has also been a volunteer for many years within a number of organizations serving the English speaking and Jewish communities.

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Tim Louis, LPC

Tim Louis
  • Constituency: Kitchener—Conestoga (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: Musician
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2019

Biography (from the political party’s website)

As a successful business owner, professional musician, and community charity volunteer, Tim Louis is a community leader who understands how to create well-paying new jobs for the families of Kitchener—Conestoga. He has lived in the Forest Heights area of Kitchener for the past 25 years, where he and his wife are raising their two children.

He has firsthand experience with the challenges that middle-class families face every day, right here. He understands the connections to the manufacturing sector, the arts, the tech sector, as well as farming and agriculture. He believes that together, we can prioritize infrastructure, jobs, protecting our farmlands through sustainability and local initiatives, and increasing services for our aging population and young families.

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Kevin Waugh, CPC

Kevin Waugh
  • Constituency: Saskatoon—Grasswood (Saskatchewan)
  • Profession/Occupation: Broadcaster
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2015

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Kevin Waugh was born in Saskatoon and has lived in the riding for most of his life. For nearly four decades, he has been an active community member of this city and enjoyed a wonderful career in communications.

Prior to running for Federal Office in 2015, he served as a trustee with the Saskatoon Board of Education and was on the Saskatchewan School Boards Association Executive.

He has been a big local supporter of many organizations and sat on many non-profit boards throughout the years.

He is the recipient of the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal for “long standing community involvement”. He has helped many organizations over the years fundraise for childrens’ initiatives like the YMCA Strong Kids program, which allows children to experience summer camp.

He was elected as a Member of Parliament in October 2015 and was appointed Deputy Critic for Canadian Heritage and National Historic Sites. In September 2017 his role changed from Canadian Heritage as he was then asked to represent caucus as the Deputy Critic for the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee.

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Rachael Thomas, CPC

Rachael Thomas
  • Constituency: Lethbridge (Alberta)
  • Profession/Occupation: sociologist, youth and young adult consultant
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2015

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Being raised on a small farm in southern Alberta instilled a strong work ethic and resourcefulness.

Her entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to innovation and strong work-ethic was made evident at the age of 11 when she started her own small business, raising dogs and running a boarding kennel. She ran the business for 6 years, generating enough income to cover the cost of her post-secondary education and pay for her participation in four international humanitarian missions.

After attending college in Saskatchewan for several years, she moved to Lethbridge to pursue a double-degree consisting of a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (Political Science, Sociology, and Psychology). She graduated with great distinction.

She has over 16 years of diverse work experience in both private and not-for-profit sectors. She currently works as an independent youth and young adult consultant. She spent two years travelling across the nation to interview 18-34 year olds in order to understand the social, cultural and spiritual trends of the rising generation.

As the first project of its kind in Canada, her research was co-published under the banner of James Penner and Associates in 2012. Her passion for building bridges between generations has taken her across Canada as a consultant and public speaker. She understands the trajectory of the emerging generation and the existing and forthcoming needs of our nation. She is uniquely prepared to lead in a manner that gleans from the wisdom of the past, serves the present, and builds for the future.

She has been a life-long volunteer. She currently plays an active role on the Community and Social Development Committee (an advisory committee to City Council), serves on the Canadian Mental Health Youth Anti-stigma Leaders Steering Committee and volunteers regularly at her church and for various community events, including the Lethbridge 2019 Canada Winter Games bid events, and 2015 Alberta 55+ Winter Games.

She also enjoys a number of leisure activities. For the last 8 years she has been a member of a local Dragon Boat team and competed in the Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival at Henderson Lake. In addition to spending time with family and friends, Rachael enjoys taking advantage of the unique beauty of this region by walking in the coulees or camping in the Rockies whenever possible.

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Leslyn Lewis, CPC

Leslyn Lewis
  • Constituency: Haldimand—Norfolk (Ontario)
  • Profession/Occupation: Lawyer
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2021

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Born in Jamaica, Leslyn Lewis emigrated to Canada at age 5 and grew up in East York, Ontario. Lewis graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with high distinction from the University of Toronto as a student of Trinity College. She also holds a Master of Environmental Studies from York University with a concentration in Business and Environment from the Schulich School of Business, and a Juris Doctor and Doctor of Philosophy (international law) from York's Osgoode Hall Law School.

She has practiced law since approximately 2000 and is the managing partner of Lewis Law, specializing in commercial litigation and international trade practice, with a focus on energy policy,and has hosted the television show Law Matters.

In 2018 she was appointed under Premier Doug Ford to the board of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and was later named to the foundation's committee responsible for dispensing funds for youth programs.

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Peter Julian, NDP

Peter Julian
  • Constituency: New Westminster—Burnaby (British Columbia)
  • Profession/Occupation: executive director, manual worker and financial administrator
  • First elected as Member of Parliament in 2004

Biography (from the political party’s website)

Peter Julian was born and raised in the New Westminster-Burnaby area where his family has lived for four generations. After graduating from New Westminster Secondary School, he held a number of jobs as a manual labourer and factory worker for local small businesses. After dropping out of school, as an adult learner, later attended the University of Quebec in Montreal and graduated with a degree in Political Science (International Relations).

Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he worked as a Financial Administrator. He is a former Executive Director of the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (WIDHH) and, under his leadership; WIDHH won consecutive Canadian Consumers’ Choice Awards for Excellence in Business (2003-2004). He was instrumental in building the British Columbia Disability Employment Network, a consortium of community groups, organizations and non-profit societies dedicated to serving people with disabilities.

A founding member of the Council of Canadians (CoC), he rose to become the National Executive Director of the Council, Canada’s largest citizen’s organization.

In New Westminster, he co-founded the Save St. Mary’s Hospital Community Coalition that fought tirelessly to save this community hospital.

He is a former volunteer with Emergency Social Services, Royal City Soccer, East Burnaby Minor Baseball, the United Way and the United Church.

He has been both a soccer coach & a basketball coach.

Instrumental in building the British Columbia Disability Employment Network.

Former National Policy Coordinator and Assistant and Acting Federal Secretary of the New Democratic Party of Canada.

Longtime member of the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce and proud member of the Burnaby Board of Trade.

He is fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge in American Sign Language.

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