Monique Smith
Encyclopedia
Monique M. Smith is a politician in Ontario
, Canada
. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing the riding
of Nipissing
for the Liberal Party. Her father, Richard Smith
, also represented Nipissing in the legislature from 1965 to 1977, and her mother Marthe Smith campaigned for the riding in 1987.
Smith was born and raised in North Bay
, Ontario, the largest city in the Nipissing riding. She has a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Toronto
, and a law degree from Queen's University. After graduating, she worked at the Toronto
law firm of McCarthy Tétrault
until 1997, when she resigned to work as chief of staff for provincial Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty
. She served as director of operations for the Liberals in the 1999 provincial election
, which the party lost.
After this election, Smith became executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, and represented the organization across the country. She returned to North Bay in 2002, and worked for the firm of Larmer and Larmer.
Smith first ran for political office in the 2003 provincial election
, in the Nipissing riding (until recently held by former Progressive Conservative
Premier
Mike Harris
). Despite her roots in the North Bay community, she was often described as a "Toronto lawyer" and a "parachute candidate" by the Tory campaign. These criticisms were unsuccessful, and she defeated her Conservative opponent Al McDonald
by just over 3000 votes.
The Liberals won the election, and Smith was subsequently named parliamentary assistant to George Smitherman
, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. In December 2003, Smitherman commissioned her to undertake a comprehensive review of the province's long-term care system. The review was published in May 2004 calling for more funding and inspections.
On October 30, 2007 following the provincial election, Premier Dalton McGuinty
appointed Smith into cabinet as the province's Minister of Revenue
.
In a cabinet shuffle on September 18, 2008, Smith was appointed as the province's Minister of Tourism.
On February 4, 2009 Smith was appointed Government House Leader
. She continued as Ontario's Minister of Tourism until she was appointed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in January 2010.
On November 19, 2010, Smith announced that she will not run in the 2011 election
.
|-
|Monique Smith
|align="right"|13,730
|align="right"|41.94
|align="right"|-7.90
|-
|Bill Vrebosch
|align="right"|13,373
|align="right"|40.85
|align="right"|-0.62
|-
|Henri Giroux
|align="right"|4,135
|align="right"|12.63
|align="right"|+5.40
|-
|Amy Brownridge
|align="right"|1,258
|align="right"|3.84
|align="right"|+2.38
|-
|Suzanne Plouffe
|align="right"|238
|align="right"|0.73
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Monique Smith
|align="right"|18,003
|align="right"|49.84
|align="right"|+6.70
|-
|Al McDonald
|align="right"|14,978
|align="right"|41.47
|align="right"|-8.95
|-
|Terry O'Connor
|align="right"|2,613
|align="right"|7.23
|align="right"|+2.37
|-
|Jaimie Board
|align="right"|528
|align="right"|1.46
|align="right"|+0.51
|}
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, representing the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Nipissing
Nipissing (electoral district)
Nipissing was a federal electoral district that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1896 to 2004. It was located in the northeastern part of Ontario, Canada....
for the Liberal Party. Her father, Richard Smith
Richard Smith (politician)
Richard Stanley Smith was the Liberal MPP for Nipissing in Ontario from 1965 to 1977.His daughter, Monique Smith is the current MPP for the riding.-External links:...
, also represented Nipissing in the legislature from 1965 to 1977, and her mother Marthe Smith campaigned for the riding in 1987.
Smith was born and raised in North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, Ontario, the largest city in the Nipissing riding. She has a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and a law degree from Queen's University. After graduating, she worked at the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
law firm of McCarthy Tétrault
McCarthy Tétrault
McCarthy Tétrault LLP is a law firm with offices in Canada’s major commercial centres and in London, UK. It provides business law, litigation, tax, real estate, and labour and employment law services....
until 1997, when she resigned to work as chief of staff for provincial Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
. She served as director of operations for the Liberals in the 1999 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, which the party lost.
After this election, Smith became executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, and represented the organization across the country. She returned to North Bay in 2002, and worked for the firm of Larmer and Larmer.
Smith first ran for political office in the 2003 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, in the Nipissing riding (until recently held by former Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
). Despite her roots in the North Bay community, she was often described as a "Toronto lawyer" and a "parachute candidate" by the Tory campaign. These criticisms were unsuccessful, and she defeated her Conservative opponent Al McDonald
Al McDonald
Al McDonald is a politician in Ontario, Canada, currently the mayor of North Bay, Ontario. He was previously a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2002 to 2003, and ran unsuccessfully for the Conservative Party of Canada in the 2004 federal election.McDonald...
by just over 3000 votes.
The Liberals won the election, and Smith was subsequently named parliamentary assistant to George Smitherman
George Smitherman
George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. In December 2003, Smitherman commissioned her to undertake a comprehensive review of the province's long-term care system. The review was published in May 2004 calling for more funding and inspections.
On October 30, 2007 following the provincial election, Premier Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
appointed Smith into cabinet as the province's Minister of Revenue
Ministry of Revenue (Ontario)
The Ministry of Revenue administers most of the province's major tax statutes as well as a number of tax credit, incentive and benefit programs. The tax revenues collected provide the fiscal foundation upon which many of the government's programs rely...
.
In a cabinet shuffle on September 18, 2008, Smith was appointed as the province's Minister of Tourism.
On February 4, 2009 Smith was appointed Government House Leader
Government House Leader (Ontario)
The Ontario Government House Leader is the provincial cabinet minister responsible for planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...
. She continued as Ontario's Minister of Tourism until she was appointed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in January 2010.
On November 19, 2010, Smith announced that she will not run in the 2011 election
Ontario general election, 2011
The 40th Ontario general election was held on October 6, 2011 to elect members of the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Ontario Liberal Party will form a minority government, with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario serving as the Official Opposition and the Ontario New...
.
Electoral record
|-
|Monique Smith
|align="right"|13,730
|align="right"|41.94
|align="right"|-7.90
|-
|Bill Vrebosch
Bill Vrebosch
Bill Vrebosch was the provincial Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidate in the riding of Nipissing in the 2007 Ontario election. He is a long serving municipal politician, serving on council in the township of East Ferris as deputy reeve, reeve and mayor since 1978.Vrebosch attended...
|align="right"|13,373
|align="right"|40.85
|align="right"|-0.62
|-
|Henri Giroux
|align="right"|4,135
|align="right"|12.63
|align="right"|+5.40
|-
|Amy Brownridge
|align="right"|1,258
|align="right"|3.84
|align="right"|+2.38
|-
|Suzanne Plouffe
|align="right"|238
|align="right"|0.73
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Monique Smith
|align="right"|18,003
|align="right"|49.84
|align="right"|+6.70
|-
|Al McDonald
Al McDonald
Al McDonald is a politician in Ontario, Canada, currently the mayor of North Bay, Ontario. He was previously a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2002 to 2003, and ran unsuccessfully for the Conservative Party of Canada in the 2004 federal election.McDonald...
|align="right"|14,978
|align="right"|41.47
|align="right"|-8.95
|-
|Terry O'Connor
|align="right"|2,613
|align="right"|7.23
|align="right"|+2.37
|-
|Jaimie Board
|align="right"|528
|align="right"|1.46
|align="right"|+0.51
|}