Education
McMeekin completed his Bachelor"s degree in Social Work at McMaster University and his Master"s Degree in social work from Wilfrid Laurier University.
McMeekin completed his Bachelor"s degree in Social Work at McMaster University and his Master"s Degree in social work from Wilfrid Laurier University.
He represents the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale. He served as a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty and is a minister in the new government of Kathleen Wynne. He has served as executive director of the Burlington Social Planning Council, and was for a time the chair of part-time studies at Mohawk College (where he also taught courses).
After retiring from Council, he moved to Flamborough, Ontario, a rural community which lies on the outskirts of Hamilton, and later served a term of six years as mayor.
McMeekin was also for a number of years Flamborough"s representative on the Hamilton-Wentworth regional council, which the provincial government of Mike Harris eliminated in 2000 by amalgamating the city and outlying regions into a single political entity. Although the seat had gone overwhelmingly for the Progressive Conservatives the previous year, McMeekin managed to defeat Personal Computer candidate Priscilla de Villiers by over 9,000 votes.
The Conservatives had spent $211,989 on his competitor, nearly $80,000 in excess of McMeekin"s $132,143. Local opposition to amalgamation was generally cited as the reason for this shift.
In the provincial election of 2003, McMeekin defeated Tory candidate Mark Mullins by a somewhat reduced margin.
He served as parliamentary assistant to John Gerretsen in his capacity as the Minister responsible for Seniors from October 23, 2003 to September 27, 2004. On September 27, 2004, he was appointed assistant to Jim Watson, the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services. In the provincial election of 2007, McMeekin defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Chris Corrigan.
On October 30, 2007, McMeekin was named a cabinet minister, responsible for Government and Consumer Services.
He was re-elected in 2011 and appointed Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In 2013, McMeekin supported Kathleen Wynne in her bid to become Liberal leader.
McMeekin was re-elected in 2014. Shortly after the election, she appointed McMeekin as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Cabinet positions.
He is a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in a by-election in 2000. Before entering provincial politics, McMeekin was a member of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council representing Ward 7 (Hamilton Mountain).