Chandra Pasma
Chandra Pasma | |
|---|---|
 Pasma in 2022 | |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Ottawa West—Nepean | |
| Assumed office June 2, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jeremy Roberts |
| Critic, Poverty, Homelessness Reduction, and Education[1] | |
| Assumed office July 13, 2022 | |
| Leader | Peter Tabuns (interim) Marit Stiles |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Ontario New Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Matt Helleman[2] |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Qualicum-Graham Park, Ottawa |
| Occupation | Researcher/Policy Analyst |
Chandra Pasma (born c. 1980)[3] is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election.[4] She represents the district of Ottawa West—Nepean as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.[5]
Background
Before her election as MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, Pasma worked as a public policy researcher for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Previously, she served as an advisor to the federal New Democratic Party.[citation needed]
Pasma has also worked for Citizens for Public Justice, and prior to that worked for Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie until 2006.[6]
Political career
On July 13, 2022 Pasma was named as the Official Opposition critic for poverty and homelessness reduction by interim ONDP leader Peter Tabuns.[7] She was later made education critic after Marit Stiles resigned to run for the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election. As of August 11, 2024, she continues to serve as the Official Opposition critic for Education.[citation needed]
On November 23, 2022 Pasma put forward a private member's bill, Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act which would require apartment buildings to possess emergency generators capable of powering water pumps and elevators.[8] The bill was prompted by the impacts of the May 2022 Canadian derecho in Ottawa; which left many apartment residents without water for over ten days, and trapped residents with mobility issues.[9][10] The bill was defeated on second reading by a vote of 30-66; being opposed by the majority Progressive Conservative government.[11]
In the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election Pasma endorsed Marit Stiles in her successful bid for leadership of the party; replacing outgoing leader Andrea Horwath.[12]
Electoral record
| 2022 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Chandra Pasma | 15,696 | 37.54 | +5.06 | $125,025 | |||
| Progressive Conservative | Jeremy Roberts | 14,610 | 34.94 | +2.12 | $90,418 | |||
| Liberal | Sam Bhalesar | 9,384 | 22.44 | −6.86 | $67,587 | |||
| Green | Steven Warren | 1,475 | 3.53 | −0.30 | $4,298 | |||
| Ontario Party | Vilteau Delvas | 649 | 1.55 | $5,110 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 41,814 | 98.58 | -0.34 | $127,707 | ||||
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 601 | 1.42 | +0.34 | |||||
| Turnout | 42,415 | 47.42 | -9.62 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 91,223 | |||||||
| New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | +1.47 | ||||||
Source(s)
| ||||||||
| 2018 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Jeremy Roberts | 16,590 | 32.82 | −1.06 | ||||
| New Democratic | Chandra Pasma | 16,415 | 32.48 | +18.06 | ||||
| Liberal | Bob Chiarelli | 14,810 | 29.30 | −15.54 | ||||
| Green | Pat Freel | 1,937 | 3.83 | −2.35 | ||||
| None of the Above | Colin A. Pritchard | 542 | 1.07 | |||||
| Libertarian | Nicholas Paliga | 251 | 0.50 | -0.18 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 50,545 | 98.92 | ||||||
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 552 | 1.08 | -0.43 | |||||
| Turnout | 51,097 | 57.04 | +1.10 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 89,575 | |||||||
| Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.24 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Ontario[13] | ||||||||
References
- ^ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
- ^ "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean".
- ^ "'Long haulers still suffering months after initial illness". Ottawa Citizen. July 22, 2020. p. A3. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
- ^ "Chandra Pasma takes Ottawa West-Nepean for NDP". CBC News Ottawa, June 2, 2022.
- ^ Jacquie Miller and Megan Gillis, "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean". Ottawa Citizen, June 2, 2022.
- ^ "Round and round they go". Ottawa Citizen. February 22, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
- ^ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
- ^ "Hansard Transcript 2022-Nov-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Pasma, Chandra (2023-02-13). "Apartments and condos need generators for emergencies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Blewett, Taylor (2023-02-14). "Should emergency generators be required of landlords? An Ottawa MPP trying to make it happen, but city councillors not sold". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Hansard Transcript 2023-Feb-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Toronto MPP Marit Stiles running for Ontario NDP leader". CBC News. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2019.