Anna Gainey
MP
Member of Parliament
for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount
Assumed office
June 19, 2023
Preceded byMarc Garneau
President of the Liberal Party of Canada
In office
February 22, 2014 – April 21, 2018
LeaderJustin Trudeau
Preceded byMike Crawley
Succeeded bySuzanne Cowan
Personal details
Born (1978-12-13) December 13, 1978
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Political partyLiberal
SpouseTom Pitfield
Parent

Anna Gainey MP (born December 13, 1978) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in a by-election on June 19, 2023. Gainey represents Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She had previously served as the party's president between 2014 and 2018,[1] during and following its electoral success in the 2015 Canadian federal election.

Gainey is the daughter of former Montreal Canadiens player and general manager Bob Gainey.[2] She is married to the son of Michael Pitfield, a senator.[3]

Early life and career

As the daughter of Hockey Hall of Fame winger Bob Gainey, Gainey was raised in the municipality of Westmount in Montreal, Canada. She therefore grew up as a bilingual Anglophone Quebecer. Her sister Laura was swept overboard from a sailing ship during a gale near Cape Cod in 2006.[4]

Gainey studied Political Science at McGill University, before completing a Master's Degree in International Relations at the London School of Economics.

Federal politics

Following graduation, Gainey worked as a policy advisor to the Ministers of National Defence and Veterans Affairs, Bill Graham and John McCallum.[5] During this time, she became a close friend of future Canadian Prime Minister and fellow Montrealer Justin Trudeau, actively advising on his campaign to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.[6] Shortly after Trudeau's success, Gainey announced her intention to run for President of the party.

Gainey became President of the Liberal Party at the age of 36 in February 2014, succeeding businessman Mike Crawley. She won re-election in 2016, before stepping-down from the position in April 2018, at the end of her second term.

Following a break from federal politics, Gainey was briefly Chief Executive of the Policy think-tank Canada 2020, the advisory board of which is chaired by economist Mark Carney.[7]

In spring 2023, Gainey successfully ran for the Liberal nomination in the federal riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, beating Vice-President and general counsel of Air Canada, Fred Headon.[5] This was following the resignation of the riding's previous MP, Marc Garneau.[8] In the subsequent by-election, Gainey was elected with 50.87% of the vote.

References

  1. ↑ "Liberal candidate projected winner in Montreal-area federal byelection, Tory takes Manitoba seat". CBC News. June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  2. ↑ Bellavance, Joël-Denis (April 11, 2023). "Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount: Anna Gainey souhaite succéder à Marc Garneau". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ Obituary: Hon. Michael Pitfield
  4. ↑ Delacourt, Susan (22 February 2014). "Liberals elect Anna Gainey, a Trudeau confidante, as new party president". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 Rana, Abbas (10 April 2023). "Anna Gainey, Trudeau confidante, seeking nomination in safe Quebec Liberal riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount". The Hill Times. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Liberals hold on to NDG-Westmount seat in federal byelection". CBC News. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "About Us". Canada 2020. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Dangerfield, Katie (8 March 2023). "Marc Garneau, former Liberal cabinet minister, resigns as MP". Global News. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
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