Linda Jeffrey

Background

Jeffrey was born in Cork, Ireland, and moved to Brampton in 1983.

Career

In 2014, she was elected as Mayor of Brampton. She served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne. She was elected as a city councillor for Brampton"s Ward 2 in 1991, and helped to negotiate the sale of Brampton Hydro toward the end of the decade (in addition to representing Brampton on the provincial Hydro One Board of Directors).

She served as Acting Mayor of Brampton in May 2001, making at least one official appearance with the title.

Although previously associated with the Progressive Conservatives, Jeffrey switched to the Liberals to run in the provincial election of 2003. She defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative Joe Spina by 1,005 votes in Brampton Centre.

She was re-elected in the redistributed riding of Brampton-Springdale in 2007 and 2011. Between 2005 and 2010 she served in a variety of positions including Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministers of Children and Youth Services, Democratic Renewal, Intergovernmental Affairs, Citizenship and Immigration and Transportation.

On January 18, 2010, Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed her to cabinet as Minister of Natural Resources.

On October 10, 2011, Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed her to cabinet as Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for Seniors. On February 11, 2013, Premier Kathleen Wynne appointed her to cabinet as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. She was also appointed as Chair of Cabinet by Premier Wynne.

Cabinet positions

On March 25, 2014, she resigned from the legislature in order to run for Mayor of Brampton in the 2014 municipal election.

As of September 30, 2014 she was polling well ahead of the incumbent Susan Fennell. Brampton—Springdale

Brampton Centre.

Achievements

• On March 25, 2014, she resigned from the legislature to run for Mayor of Brampton, which she won on October 27, 2014. The Liberals won the election and she initially served as a backbench supporter of Premier Dalton McGuinty. She won the mayoral election defeating Susan Fennell.

Politics

Jeffrey also chaired the city"s Budget Committee, and increased public access to the city"s budget review process during her time as a councillor.

Membership

From 2003 to 2014 she was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented the ridings of Brampton Centre and Brampton—Springdale.