Appearance before the Standing Committee on Finance (July 7, 2020): Biographies of members 

Wayne Easter - Chair

Liberal – Malpeque (Prince Edward Island)

Biography

Wayne Easter was raised on a family farm in North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island. As President of the National Farmers Union for eleven years, he advised a variety of national and international governments on farm policy and free trade issues.

In 1988 he received an Honourary Doctorate of Law from UPEI for his contribution to agriculture and social activism. In 1992 he was awarded the Governor General’s Canada 125 Medal for community service.

Wayne Easter entered politics in 1993 when he was elected the Member of Parliament for the riding of Malpeque, PEI. He has been elected eight times.

In Parliament, Wayne Easter has served as the Solicitor General of Canada, Parliamentary Secretary for both Fisheries and Agriculture, and was critic of Agriculture, Trade, and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness while a Member of the opposition.

In 2015 Wayne Easter was elected Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance.

A longtime Member of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, Wayne Easter was elected Co-Chair of the Canada-US IPG in February 2016.

Wayne Easter and his wife Helen live in North Wiltshire, and have two grown children, Kimberley and Jamie, and four grand-children.

Julie Dzerowicz

Liberal – Davenport (Ontario)

Biography

Prior to being elected to the House of Commons, Julie Dzerowicz had spent over 20 years in the private sector in senior level positions, in banking, investment banking, and biotech. Spending over 5 years at BMO in progressively senior positions – culminating in an executive role – she was instrumental in the introduction of e-mail money transfer as an innovative money transfer option in Canada, among other accomplishments. She also has broad public service experience, having served as a senior staff member to an Ontario Cabinet Minister. In 2011, she was the Vice-Chair of the Ontario Liberal Platform Committee where she was instrumental in developing the 2011 provincial Liberal campaign platform.

Julie Dzerowicz is passionate about issues of immigration, in particular, she is a strong advocate for increasing the number of skilled trade workers with a clear pathway to citizenship, finding solutions to the skilled non-status / undocumented workers in Canada, increasing the number of privately sponsored refugees (i.e. changing government policy that government moves away from publicly sponsored refugees to private and/or hybrid), and resolving the long-standing claims of legacy refugees.

She is a strong proponent of social justice issues and a passionate environmentalist. Among her highest priorities, for which she strongly advocates in the House, include immigration, gender equality, education and environment. She co-founded Project Neutral and was a founding board member of JUMP Math.

Peter Fragiskatos

Liberal – London North Centre (Ontario)

Biography

Peter Fragiskatos was first elected Member of Parliament for the riding of London North Centre in 2015. 

A former political scientist at King’s University College, he is now combining his passion for politics with a drive to serve his community. 

Prior to being elected, Peter Fragiskatos also served as a media commentator. His works have been published by major Canadian and international news organizations including Maclean’s Magazine, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, BBC News, and CNN. Very active in London’s Greek community, he ran a youth mentorship program and assisted with the organization of the annual Greek summer festival for several years. He served on the Board of Directors of Anago Resources and the Heritage London Foundation. He is an active volunteer who has worked with many local not-for- profit groups such as the London Food Bank, the Cross Cultural Learner Centre and Literacy London – a charity dedicated to helping adults improve their reading and writing skills.

Peter Fragiskatos has a Political Science degree from Western University, a Master’s degree in International Relations from Queen’s University, and holds a PhD in International Relations from Cambridge University.

Sean Fraser - Parliamentary Secretary

Liberal – Central Nova (Nova Scotia)

Biography

Sean Fraser, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance. 

Sean Fraser is a devoted father and husband and has the pleasure to serve as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Central Nova after first being elected on October 19th, 2015. 

Sean grew up in Pictou County and has family throughout the Town and County of Antigonish. He graduated from East Pictou Rural High School and holds a law degree from Dalhousie University, a Masters degree in Public International Law from the Netherlands’ Leiden University, and a Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University.

Prior to running for office, Sean had a successful legal career with one of Canada’s top-ranked law firms. Sean is a long-time volunteer, having served as the Vice-President of a local branch of the United Nations Association of Canada, acted as a Research Fellow with the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, and provided pro bono legal services to the Boys and Girls Club and underprivileged community members.

Sean is dedicated in his service to the constituents of Central Nova with priorities like economic development and job creation, social justice, a healthy environment, and ensuring that Canada does right by the world.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity, Sean lends his voice and thoughtful consideration to the Government’s fiscal policy.

Between his official duties, Sean enjoys spending time with his wife Sarah, and their daughter Molly. Sean keeps a keen eye on the world of sports, and unwinds with his guitar or bagpipes.

Fun fact – Sean’s been playing the bagpipes for over 20 years!

Annie Koutrakis

Liberal – Vimy (Québec)

Biography

Daughter of immigrants who arrived in Canada in the 1950s, she built her career in finance and succeeded brilliantly, stood out enough to become Vice-President of a Fortune 500 investment firm.

She lived in Laval for 26 years, is the mother of two children and stepmother of two. Annie wants to serve her fellow citizens and to inspire young women to build great careers. She has tirelessly proven her commitment as board member of many charities, whether related to public health in Laval or within the community. 

Annie was the first woman to be elected president of the Hellenic Community of Montreal. 

She made the decision to serve all citizens of Vimy. Annie will work tirelessly with Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team to support families and grow the middle class in Vimy.

Michael V. McLeod

Liberal – Northwest Territories

Biography

Michael McLeod earned his diploma in Management Studies from Arctic College and began his career as a self-employed contractor. This experience provided Michael with an understanding of the needs of small business owners and their families. 

He has also worked as Tourism Development Officer for the Government of the Northwest Territories. He was a member of the Northwest Territories Tourism, NWT Public Utilities and Mackenzie Valley Environment Impact Review Boards. The latter’s mission, conducting fair and timely environmental assessments remains a key interest.

Michael is active in his community and prior to the election served as a Master Corporal in the Canadian Junior Rangers. He enjoys spending his free time outdoors hunting and fishing.

Michael Cooper

Conservative – St. Albert-Edmonton (Alberta)

Biography

Michael Cooper is the Conservative Member of Parliament for St. Albert-Edmonton.

Early in his term, Michael was tasked by Conservative Interim Leader Rona Ambrose with leading the complex issue of physician-assisted dying within the Conservative MP caucus. As Vice-Chair of the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying, Michael helped author a dissenting report to provide protections for vulnerable persons, improved palliative care, and conscience protections for medical practitioners. Some of the recommendations in the Conservative dissenting report were adopted by the government in Bill C-14, the government’s legislative response to the Supreme Court of Canada’s Carter decision that struck down the blanket Criminal Code prohibition on physician-assisted dying.

Since his election, Michael has been a strong advocate for victims and strengthening Canada’s criminal justice system. Michael sponsored Bill S-217, known as Wynn’s Law, in honour of the late Constable David Wynn who was shot and killed by a career criminal who was out on bail, because his extensive criminal history was not disclosed at the bail hearing. Wynn’s Law would amend the Criminal Code to make it mandatory for the criminal history of bail applicants to be introduced at bail hearings to help prevent what happened to Constable Wynn. 

Michael has also worked closely with victims of impaired driving. He has advocated for mandatory sentences for impaired driving offences. 

Michael successfully passed his Private Members’ Bill C-417 through all stages of the House of Commons with unanimous all-party support. Bill C-417 seeks to amend the Criminal Code to carve out a narrow exception to the jury secrecy rule so that former jurors can disclose all aspects of their jury service with a mental health professional. This legislation would protect the integrity of the jury secrecy rule while ensuring that former jurors who are suffering from mental health issues arising from their jury service can get the help they need and deserve. Michael’s Bill would implement a key recommendation of the unanimous report of the Justice Committee on Juror Supports.

During his term Michael has had other legislative accomplishments. He successfully passed Wynn’s Law at second reading stage and urged the government to repeal zombie laws to prevent another injustice like the one experienced by the McCann family.

Michael is a lifelong resident of St. Albert and an active community volunteer. He is a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Albert Catholic Parish and a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Albert Rotary Club and the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce.

A graduate of the University of Alberta, Michael received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, both with distinction. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 2010. Prior to being elected Michael worked as a civil litigator at a leading Edmonton law firm.

James Cumming

Conservative – Edmonton Centre (Alberta)

Biography

The former President & CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, the largest urban chamber in Canada, James is an active leader in Edmonton’s business and non-profit volunteer communities.

He actively supports non-profit organizations such as Junior Achievement, Northlands Park, Edmonton Construction Association, Alberta Art Stabilization Fund, Norlien Foundation, Alberta Opportunity Corporation, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, to name a few. A recipient of NAIT’s Alumni Award of Distinction and Top 50 Alumni, James is a current member of the World Presidents’ Organization and the Harvard University Alumni OPM 27.

Marty Morantz

Conservative – St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley (Manitoba)

Biography

Marty served as Finance Chair for the City of Winnipeg where he delivered three straight balanced budgets and spent nearly four years on the Executive Policy Committee and his dedication, as Chair of Infrastructure, to making record investments in streets and infrastructure. In Charleswood, where he has served as City Councillor since 2014, he fought for and delivered many important projects like the brand-new sports courts at LaFleche Park and the re-crowning of the football field at Oak Park High School.

Marty has also served on the boards of Shalom Residences Assisted Living, the Refit Centre Foundation, Community Respite Services, Manitoba Families for Effective Autism Treatment (MFEAT), the Jewish National Fund, Young Adult Division, the Jewish Federation (CJA) Charitable Allocations Committee, and the Special Needs Steering Committee at the Gray Academy.

Marty has a B.A. in political studies from the University of Manitoba, and received his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. For 23 years, he practiced law as a partner at Levene Tadman LLP in Winnipeg in the areas of real estate, corporate, commercial, and wills and estates. During his tenure, he acted as senior counsel to several large financial institutions and real estate management firms.

In 2009, Morantz became President of Jernat Investments Ltd., a property investment and financial services firm with holdings primarily in multi-unit apartment buildings.

Marty has also had a very active political career having served on the Winnipeg South-Centre EDA as well as the Tuxedo and River Heights PC Associations. In 2011, he ran provincially for the PC Party of Manitoba in River Heights after which he was elected to Winnipeg’s City Council in 2014.

Pierre Poilievre - Official Opposition Critic for Finance & Vice-Chair

Conservative – Carleton (Ontario)

Biography

At age 38, Pierre Poilievre is undefeated in five elections and has served for 13 years as the Member of Parliament for Carleton (formerly Nepean-Carleton). 

Prior to the 2015 election, Pierre served as Minister of Employment and Social Development where he oversaw the rollout of the increased Universal Child Care Benefit. 

In 2013, Pierre became Minister of Democratic Reform responsible for drafting the Fair Elections Act and stickhandling it through Parliament. The bill contained measures aimed at cracking-down on the undue influence of money in politics, made it easier for people to vote, and require they show identification before doing so.

That law built on his work as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Board President, wherein he helped then-Minister John Baird pass the Federal Accountability Act through Parliament. Later, he served as the Prime Minister’s Parliamentary Secretary (2008-2011), during which he co-authored the Conservative 2011 election platform, which helped the party win a majority government.

In his constituency, Pierre has become known for championing causes brought to him by constituents.

Pierre lives in Greely, Ontario, a village in south Ottawa.

Gabriel Ste-Marie - BQ Finance Critic & Vice-Chair

Bloc Québécois – Joliette (Québec)

Biography

Économiste de formation, Gabriel Ste-Marie est le porte-parole du Bloc québécois en matière de finances et de commerce international. Il a fait de la lutte aux paradis fiscaux son premier cheval de bataille en déposant dès son arrivée à Ottawa la motion M-42 pour boucher l’échappatoire fiscale de la Barbade, de loin la plus importante destination voyage de l’argent des grandes entreprises canadiennes. Le travail de M. Ste-Marie dans ce dossier avait d’ailleurs été relevé par France Inter en 2017. Le député de Joliette s’est également démarqué en se rendant à Washington pour coaliser des appuis aux industries québécoises de l’acier de l’aluminium aux États-Unis, en plus d’être publié dans des médias américains. Il a également défendu les producteurs sous gestion de l’offre du Québec en faisant adopter une motion unanime de la Chambre des communes demandant leur pleine indemnisation pour les pertes liées aux accords de libre-échange avec l’Europe, la zone Pacifique et l’Amérique du Nord. 

Peter Julian - NDP Finance Critic

New Democratic Party – New Westminster (British Columbia)

Biography

First elected Member of Parliament for Burnaby-New Westminster in 2004, re-elected in 2006 (by 4,000 votes), in 2008, in 2011 (by 6,000 and 7, 000 votes) and for New Westminster-Burnaby in 2015 (by 8,000 votes).

During his twelve years in Parliament, Peter has worked hard for the people of Burnaby-New Westminster by helping them with federal issues such as employment insurance, pensions, citizenship and immigration. He has held dozens of well-attended local community forums where he listens to people’s concerns and takes action to help. Charlie Smith of the Georgia Straight newspaper has called Peter “one of the region’s hardest working politicians”.

As NDP Transport Critic, Peter lead the successful fight in the House of Commons to stop the infamous SMS transport safety Bill-an attempt to turn safety over to air transport companies themselves-what Peter termed “self-serve safety”.

Peter Julian is a prominent critic on past Government’s handling of the softwood lumber file which he alleged resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of Canadian jobs the forest industries, including job losses locally in New Westminster with the closure of three mills. 

Peter Julian stood up in Parliament for Canadians as a vocal opponent to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) that threatened Canada’s sovereignty as a nation through deep integration with the United States and Mexico. His “Stop SPP” Tour took him to more than 30 Canadian cities and galvanized thousands of Canadians in opposition to the SPP. The Standing Committee on International Trade held the first ever public hearings in Parliament on the so-called “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP) of North America thanks to Peter’s efforts in the House of Commons as NDP International Trade Critic.

As Energy Critic, Peter worked on emerging opportunities provided by clean renewable technologies, including job creation. Peter strongly supports research and investment in renewable, alternative, clean energy. They are key to Canada’s environmental and economic future, as we transition into the new clean economy. Peter worked hard with industries, civil society, and experts, to push sustainable energy policies to the forefront in Parliament.

In October 2014, in his capacity as Official Opposition House Leader, Peter co-organized the first ever National Clean Energy Forum in Parliament with his colleagues: MP Anne Minh-Thu Quach (Salaberry-Suroît) former Official Opposition Deputy Critic for Industry and MP François Choquette (Drummer, QC), former Official Opposition Deputy Critic for Environment. The forum consisted of four panels of prominent Canadian and international experts: Renewable Energies, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Industries & Urban Centers, and International Models.

Peter is a strong advocate for disability rights. He particularly focuses on tax treatment of persons with special needs and their disability tax eligibility. His advocacy takes him across the country on extensive tours, visiting communities across Canada, where he provides seminars focused on accessing disability tax credits. Thousands of Canadians have attended his public meetings in more than 100 communities across Canada.

Ever since before he became a Member of Parliament, Peter has been a long-term fighter for holding extractive companies accountable. Peter’s Bill on mining accountability would allow communities abroad to sue mining companies for human right violations and was endorsed by the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers. Peter has been actively engaged on campuses across Canada with civil society and NGOs, working together for Mining Justice.

Peter 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, Peter held a number of jobs as a manual labourer and factory worker for local small businesses. After dropping out of school, Peter, 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, Peter 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), Peter rose to become the National Executive Director of the Council, Canada’s largest citizen’s organization.

In New Westminster, Peter 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.