Albina Guarnieri
Encyclopedia
Albina Guarnieri, PC
, MP
(born June 23, 1953) is a former politician
. She was a member of Paul Martin
's Liberal
government and was Canada's 24th Minister of Veterans Affairs
. After 23 years in office, she announced that she would be retiring after the end of Canada's 40th parliament.
, where she graduated with a Master's degree in English. She and her husband live in Mississauga. She is fluent in both official languages.
for the electoral district of Mississauga East
(now Mississauga East—Cooksville
) in 1988 and has been re-elected in each subsequent election. A longtime Martin loyalist, she was a relatively obscure backbencher
during the Chrétien
era. Martin named her Associate Minister of National Defence
and Minister of State
for Civil Preparedness in his first cabinet
. She moved to Veterans Affairs on July 20, 2004.
Guarnieri’s previous parliamentary roles have included serving as Chair of the Standing Committee
on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and Co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Official languages. She has served as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and has been a member of the Standing Committee on Finance.
In Parliament, through private member's bill
s and committee work, Ms. Guarnieri has promoted initiatives to retrain older workers, establish personal training accounts for lifelong learning, combat identity fraud by reforming the Social Insurance Number
ing system, impose consecutive sentencing for multiple murderers, toughen laws against child pornography
, and lower middle-income tax rates.
Guarnieri was initially an opponent of same-sex marriage. However, due to her appointment to Cabinet she was obliged to vote in favour of the same-sex marriage legislation.
In September 2010, Guarnieri announced that she would not seek re-election again since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(born June 23, 1953) is a former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. She was a member of Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
government and was Canada's 24th Minister of Veterans Affairs
Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions...
. After 23 years in office, she announced that she would be retiring after the end of Canada's 40th parliament.
Background
Guarnieri was educated at McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, where she graduated with a Master's degree in English. She and her husband live in Mississauga. She is fluent in both official languages.
Politics
Guarnieri was first elected as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the electoral district of Mississauga East
Mississauga East
Mississauga East was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2003, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 2007. It was located in the city of Mississauga.This riding was created in 1987 from...
(now Mississauga East—Cooksville
Mississauga East—Cooksville
Mississauga East—Cooksville is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.-History:It was created in 2003 from parts of Mississauga Centre and Mississauga East ridings....
) in 1988 and has been re-elected in each subsequent election. A longtime Martin loyalist, she was a relatively obscure backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
during the Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
era. Martin named her Associate Minister of National Defence
Associate Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Associate Minister of National Defence is a member of the Canadian cabinet responsible for various files within the defence department as assigned by the Prime Minister or Defence Minister....
and Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Civil Preparedness in his first cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
. She moved to Veterans Affairs on July 20, 2004.
Guarnieri’s previous parliamentary roles have included serving as Chair of the Standing Committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and Co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Official languages. She has served as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Minister of Canadian Heritage
The Minister of Canadian Heritage is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who heads the Department of Canadian Heritage, the federal government department responsible for Canada's Arts, Culture, Media, Communications network, and Sport....
and has been a member of the Standing Committee on Finance.
In Parliament, through private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
s and committee work, Ms. Guarnieri has promoted initiatives to retrain older workers, establish personal training accounts for lifelong learning, combat identity fraud by reforming the Social Insurance Number
Social Insurance Number
A social insurance number is a number issued in Canada to administer various government programs. The SIN was created in 1964 to serve as a client account number in the administration of the Canada Pension Plan and Canada's varied employment insurance programs. In 1967, Revenue Canada started...
ing system, impose consecutive sentencing for multiple murderers, toughen laws against child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
, and lower middle-income tax rates.
Guarnieri was initially an opponent of same-sex marriage. However, due to her appointment to Cabinet she was obliged to vote in favour of the same-sex marriage legislation.
In September 2010, Guarnieri announced that she would not seek re-election again since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.