The Honourable
Ya'ara Saks
PC MP
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
Associate Minister of Health
Assumed office
July 26, 2023
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byCarolyn Bennett
Member of Parliament
for York Centre
Assumed office
October 26, 2020
Preceded byMichael Levitt
Personal details
Born (1973-03-09) March 9, 1973
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CitizenshipCanada, Israel[1]
Political partyLiberal
Alma materMcGill University, Hebrew University

Ya'ara Saks PC MP (born March 9, 1973) is a Canadian politician who serves as the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health. She was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election on October 26, 2020,[2] following the resignation of Michael Levitt. She represents the riding of York Centre as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Early life

A dual citizen of Canada and of Israel,[1] Saks was born in Toronto to an Israeli father and has lived in both Israel (1995 to 2006) and Canada.[3] She attended McGill University for her undergraduate education, and then completed her Master's degree in international relations and diplomacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[3] Before entering politics, Saks owned a yoga studio in York Centre (in the north end of Toronto) and was the director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities, a charity that focuses on mental health.[3]

Views on Israeli politics

Saks has been deeply critical of the direction of the Netanyahu government in Israel for its treatment of its Israeli Arab citizens and the 2018 Nation-State law and has expressed the concern that it is leading Israel to be "deeply racist towards its minorities and ... not to see itself as a light and shelter or future home to asylum seekers fleeing war," as well as its elevation of leadership at the expense of the justice system.[4]

Despite her differences with the Likud government, Saks has stated that she is "an unapologetic Zionist who believes passionately in the State of Israel" and that she condemns the BDS Movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel), considering it antisemitic.[1]

Canadian federal politics

Saks won the 2020 York Centre federal by-election as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Upon being sworn in as a member of Canada's House of Commons (along with fellow rookie parliamentarian Marci Ien) it took the number of female MPs in Canada to 100, which, at 30%, is the highest proportion of women in that chamber in its history.[5]

In December 2021 she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. [6]

In February 2022, when speaking in the House about confirming the Emergencies Act in response to the "Freedom Convoy" protest, Saks claimed that "honk honk" (a phrase used by convoy supporters in reference to truck horns) was "an acronym for 'heil Hitler'".[7] Saks provided evidence for her claim on Twitter, citing antifascist researcher and organizer Gwen Snyder, who posted a 4chan post that promoted using the claim as a prank[8] — similar to the site's previous hoax that the "OK" hand gesture was code for “white power”.[9]

In July 2023 she was appointed Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health.[10]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: York Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalYa'ara Saks17,43047.3+1.6
ConservativeJoel Yakov Etienne13,94937.8–4.0
New DemocraticKemal Ahmed3,75310.2+4.4
People'sNixon Nguyen1,7264.7+1.1
Total valid votes/Expense limit 36,85898.6
Total rejected ballots 5071.4
Turnout 37,36553.4
Eligible voters 69,971
Liberal hold Swing +2.8
Source: Elections Canada
Canadian federal by-election, October 26, 2020: York Centre
Resignation of Michael Levitt
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalYa'ara Saks8,25345.70−4.50
ConservativeJulius Tiangson7,55241.82+5.11
New DemocraticAndrea Vásquez Jiménez1,0465.79−4.05
People'sMaxime Bernier6423.56–
GreenSasha Zavarella4612.55−0.70
IndependentJohn Turmel1040.58–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 18,058
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 18,058 25.64 −36.12
Eligible voters 70,434
[11]
Liberal hold Swing −4.81

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Statement From York Centre Liberal Candidate Ya'ara Saks". Canadian Jewish Record. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  2. ↑ Muriel Draaisma, "Federal Liberals hold onto Toronto Centre, York Centre in byelections". CBC News, October 26, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Sarick, Lila (5 October 2020). "Israeli-Canadian Ya'ara Saks is Liberal Hopeful in York Centre". Canadian Jewish Record.
  4. ↑ Saks, Ya'ara (12 September 2019). "On September 17th I'm Electing to Take Israel Off the Mantel to Teach My Kids Another Way". Confessions of a Backbench Mom. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  5. ↑ Paez, Beatrice (27 October 2020). "Byelection results should give Liberals 'pause' after strong showing from Greens, Conservatives, say experts". The Hill Times. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Prime Minister welcomes new parliamentary secretaries". Prime Minister of Canada. December 3, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Toronto MP thinks a Freedom Convoy term is call for Hitler". National Post. 2022-02-22. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  8. ↑ Nerozzi, Timothy (2022-02-22). "Canadian MP claims 'honk honk' is code for 'heil Hitler'". Fox News. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  9. ↑ "When is the 'OK' gesture not OK?". BBC News. 16 May 2019.
  10. ↑ "Prime Minister announces changes to the Ministry". Prime Minister of Canada. July 26, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  11. ↑ Elections Canada. "Official Voting Results". Retrieved October 27, 2020.
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