Sophia Aggelonitis
Encyclopedia
Sophia Aggelonitis is a Canadian
politician. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing the riding
of Hamilton Mountain
and served as the province's Minister of Revenue
and Minister Responsible for Seniors
in the Liberal
government of Premier
Dalton McGuinty
. She is the daughter of Greek immigrants and was raised in Welland
, Ontario before moving to Hamilton
in 1994.
to supermarkets and specialty food stores in Southern Ontario. She volunteered with the Hamilton AM Rotary Club and a number of other community organizations, including the local Theatre Aquarius, Canadian Club of Hamilton, Phoenix Place and the Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice fundraising committee. After serving four years on the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, she was subsequently elected its president in March 2007, but resigned at the end of June to pursue the Liberal nomination after Marie Bountrogianni
announced that she would not seek another term in office.
, the Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She subsequently served as Parliamentary Assistant to Takhar
at the new Minister of Small Business and Consumer Services. As a successful entrepreneur and former President of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Aggelonitis was also asked by Premier Dalton McGuinty
to chair the Small Business Agency of Ontario
to encourage better communication between government and small business.
She later served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Hon. Ted McMeekin
, Minister of Consumer Services, and to the Hon. Sandra Pupatello
, Minister of Economic Development and Trade
(concentrating in the latter role on matters related to small business).
In addition, Aggelonitis served as a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, as a member of the Standing Committee on Social Policy, the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs and was appointed by the Premier as the Chair of the Restaurant and Hospitality Caucus.
In 2009, Aggelonitis introduced private member's bill 205, An Act to proclaim Mental Health Awareness Day, calling for the last day of Mental Health Week each year to be proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Day.
On January 18, 2010, Aggelonitis was named Minister of Consumer Services.
On August 18, 2010, she was named Minister of Revenue
and Minister Responsible for Seniors
. In those capacities she has presided over legislation to combat contraband tobacco and the implementation of stronger protections for retirement home residents.
|-
|Sophia Aggelonitis
|align="right"|17,383
|align="right"|37.2
|align="right"|
|-
|Bryan Adamczyk
|align="right"|15,649
|align="right"|33.5
|align="right"|
|-
|Bob Charters
|align="right"|10,991
|align="right"|23.5
|align="right"|
|-
|Ivan Miletic
|align="right"|2,172
|align="right"|4.7
|align="right"|
|-
|Mary Maan
|align="right"|493
|align="right"|1.1
|align="right"|
|}
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...
politician. She was 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 Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain (provincial electoral district)
Hamilton Mountain is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1977...
and served 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...
and Minister Responsible for Seniors
Ontario Seniors' Secretariat
Ontario Seniors' Secretariat is responsible for senior citizens issues in the Canadian province of Ontario.The current Minister Responsible for Seniors is the Honourable Sophia Aggelonitis....
in the Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
government of 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...
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 is the daughter of Greek immigrants and was raised in Welland
Welland
-Places:* River Welland in the east of England* Welland, Worcestershire, a village in England* Welland River in Ontario, Canada, named after its English counterpart* Welland Canal, named after the Canadian river...
, Ontario before moving to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
in 1994.
Background
Prior to her election to the legislature, Aggelonitis was an entrepreneur, manufacturing and distributing a "Sauces by Sophia" brand of tzatzikiTzatziki
Tzatziki, tzadziki, or tsatsiki is a Greek meze or appetizer, also used as a sauce for souvlaki and gyros. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, sometimes lemon juice, and parsley. Tzatziki is always served cold...
to supermarkets and specialty food stores in Southern Ontario. She volunteered with the Hamilton AM Rotary Club and a number of other community organizations, including the local Theatre Aquarius, Canadian Club of Hamilton, Phoenix Place and the Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice fundraising committee. After serving four years on the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, she was subsequently elected its president in March 2007, but resigned at the end of June to pursue the Liberal nomination after Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni BA, MEd, D.Ed is a psychologist, politician, and was the President and Executive Director of ROM Governors. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a cabinet minister in the government of Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty.Bountrogianni was born in Hamilton,...
announced that she would not seek another term in office.
Political career
Aggelonitis was elected with 37.2% of the vote, defeating the NDP candidate by close to 2,000 votes. Following the election she was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Hon. Harinder TakharHarinder Takhar
Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Takhar was born to a Sikh family in the Indian state of Punjab, with a background in farming and civil service work. He moved to Canada in 1974, and arrived in Mississauga, Ontario in 1977...
, the Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She subsequently served as Parliamentary Assistant to Takhar
Harinder Takhar
Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Takhar was born to a Sikh family in the Indian state of Punjab, with a background in farming and civil service work. He moved to Canada in 1974, and arrived in Mississauga, Ontario in 1977...
at the new Minister of Small Business and Consumer Services. As a successful entrepreneur and former President of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Aggelonitis was also asked by 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....
to chair the Small Business Agency of Ontario
Small Business Agency of Ontario
The Small Business Agency of Ontario is an agency of the Government of Ontario, operating as part of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. It was established by the government of Dalton McGuinty in 2005....
to encourage better communication between government and small business.
She later served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Hon. Ted McMeekin
Ted McMeekin
Ted McMeekin is a politician residing in Flamborough Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale for the Liberal Party of Ontario...
, Minister of Consumer Services, and to the Hon. Sandra Pupatello
Sandra Pupatello
Sandra Pupatello was a politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2011 as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party, serving as a Minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty....
, Minister of Economic Development and Trade
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (Ontario)
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for programs to attract and retain business and economic development in the province...
(concentrating in the latter role on matters related to small business).
In addition, Aggelonitis served as a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, as a member of the Standing Committee on Social Policy, the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs and was appointed by the Premier as the Chair of the Restaurant and Hospitality Caucus.
In 2009, Aggelonitis introduced private member's bill 205, An Act to proclaim Mental Health Awareness Day, calling for the last day of Mental Health Week each year to be proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Day.
On January 18, 2010, Aggelonitis was named Minister of Consumer Services.
On August 18, 2010, she was named 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...
and Minister Responsible for Seniors
Ontario Seniors' Secretariat
Ontario Seniors' Secretariat is responsible for senior citizens issues in the Canadian province of Ontario.The current Minister Responsible for Seniors is the Honourable Sophia Aggelonitis....
. In those capacities she has presided over legislation to combat contraband tobacco and the implementation of stronger protections for retirement home residents.
Electoral record
|-
|Sophia Aggelonitis
|align="right"|17,383
|align="right"|37.2
|align="right"|
|-
|Bryan Adamczyk
|align="right"|15,649
|align="right"|33.5
|align="right"|
|-
|Bob Charters
|align="right"|10,991
|align="right"|23.5
|align="right"|
|-
|Ivan Miletic
|align="right"|2,172
|align="right"|4.7
|align="right"|
|-
|Mary Maan
|align="right"|493
|align="right"|1.1
|align="right"|
|}