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Jennifer French (politician)

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Jennifer French
MPP
French in 2022
Critic, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Highways
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 23, 2018
LeaderAndrea Horwath and Peter Tabuns (interim)
Critic, Youth Engagement; and Citizenship and Immigration
In office
December 2, 2016 – June 7, 2018
LeaderAndrea Horwath
Critic, Community Safety and Correctional Services
In office
March 23, 2015 – December 2, 2016
LeaderAndrea Horwath
Critic, Pensions
In office
June 25, 2014 – March 23, 2015
LeaderAndrea Horwath
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Oshawa
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 12, 2014
Preceded byJerry Ouellette
Personal details
Born (1978-06-05) June 5, 1978 (age 46)
[citation needed]
Winchester, Ontario
Political partyNew Democratic
Residence(s)Oshawa, Ontario
ProfessionTeacher

Jennifer Kay French[1] (born 1978) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in 2014. She represents the riding of Oshawa.

Background

French was born in Winchester, Ontario, near Ottawa. She grew up in the United States after moving there with her family. She returned to Canada to attend Queen's University where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. She spent three years teaching in Japan before returning to earn a master's degree in science with a teaching specialty. She moved to Oshawa where she spent eight years teaching elementary school.[2][3]

Politics

French ran in the 2014 provincial election as the New Democratic candidate in the riding of Oshawa. She defeated Progressive Conservative incumbent Jerry Ouellette by 7,692 votes.[4][5]

She was the party's critic for pension issues, switched to critic for Community Safety and Correctional Services on March 23, 2015, and then to critic of Youth Engagement and critic of Citizenship and Immigration as of December 2, 2016.[6][7]

French was reelected in the 2018.

In 2018, French tabled a private member's bill; known as Bill 43, Freeing Highways 412 and 418 Act. The bill proposed removing tolls on Ontario Highway 412 and Ontario Highway 418.[8] The bill was not passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, but the government did remove the tolls in February 2022, which French called "a long-overdue victory.".[9]

She was reelected for the second time in the 2022 election.

In April 2022, French called for urgent financial support for Oshawa's Back Door Mission, which offers mental health and addictions support.[10][11] In June 2023, the provincial government committed $1.1 million dollars in funding for the mission, which Global News attributed to her advocacy on the matter.[12]

As of August 11, 2024, she serves as the Official Opposition critic for Transportation, Infrastructure, and Highways.

Electoral record

2025 Ontario general election: Oshawa
The 2025 general election will be held on February 27.
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Viresh Bansal
New Democratic Jennifer French
Progressive Conservative Jerry Ouellette
Green Nicholas Sirgool
Indepedent Rahul Padmini Soumian
Total valid votes/expense limit
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
2022 Ontario general election: Oshawa
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Jennifer French 17,170 42.07 −2.81
Progressive Conservative Alex Down 16,423 40.24 −1.49
Liberal Catherine Mosca 3,726 9.13 +1.23
Green Katarina Dunham 1,641 4.02 +0.41
New Blue Daryl Janssen 1,006 2.47  
Ontario Party Dave Forsythe 843 2.07  
Total valid votes 40,809 100.0  
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 195
Turnout 41,004 39.48
Eligible voters 103,705
New Democratic hold Swing −0.66
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.
2018 Ontario general election: Oshawa
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Jennifer French 24,301 44.88 -1.82
Progressive Conservative Bob Chapman 22,594 41.73 +11.20
Liberal Makini Smith 4,278 7.90 -11.12
Green Deborah Ellis 1,957 3.61 -0.14
Libertarian Jeannette Gory 523 0.96 +0.96
None of the Above Cheryl Kelly 490 0.91 +0.91
Eligible voters 97,605
Turnout 54,143 55.57 +4.76
New Democratic hold Swing +6.61
Source: Elections Ontario[13]
2014 Ontario general election: Oshawa
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Jennifer French 22,227 46.70 +10.52
Progressive Conservative Jerry Ouellette 14,532 30.53 -11.72
Liberal Esrick Quintyn 9,052 19.02 +1.53
Green Becky Smit 1,785 3.75 +1.13
Total valid votes 47,608 100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 650 1.37
Turnout 48,258 50.19
Eligible voters 96,154
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +11.12
Source: Elections Ontario[14]

References

  1. ^ @ONPARLeducation (13 July 2022). "Within the halls of the Legislature are walls that contain the names of every Member of Provincial Parliament elected to Ontario's Legislature since 1867. The names for the 42nd Parliament were recently added. For the first time a Member's name was inscribed in Oji-Cree syllabics" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Vella, Erica (June 13, 2014). "Jennifer French wins Oshawa for NDP".
  3. ^ Szekely, Reka (June 20, 2014). "Meet Jennifer French: Oshawa's new MPP". Clarington This Week. Metroland Media.
  4. ^ "General Election by District: Oshawa". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  5. ^ Westhead, Rick (June 12, 2014). "PC's Elliott holds Whitby-Oshawa but NDP's French surprises in Oshawa in Ontario Election". Toronto Star.
  6. ^ Reevely, David (June 25, 2014). "Horwath sticks around, names NDP shadow cabinet".
  7. ^ "Jennifer K. French, MPP". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Bill 43, Freeing Highways 412 and 418 Act (Toll Highway Amendments), 2020". ola.org. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  9. ^ "Tolls to be removed on Highways 412 and 418 come April". Regional Municipality of Durham: Durham Radio News. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  10. ^ McConnell, Liam (2022-04-18). ""Lives are at stake," Oshawa MPP calls for increased provincial support for BackDoor Mission crisis clinic". insauga.com. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  11. ^ O'Meara, Jennifer (2022-04-09). "'It's life or death for some people': Oshawa's Back Door Mission health clinic can't continue without funds". Oshawa: Oshawa This Week. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  12. ^ Parashar, Ojasvini (2023-06-30). "Oshawa's Back Door Mission receives $1.1 million in provincial funding". Global News. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  13. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  14. ^ "General Election Results by District, 061 Oshawa". Elections Ontario. 2014. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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