For the first time, MPs born in the 21st century are headed to the Hill
Canadians elected a total of 112 new MPs this week — including for the first time a handful born this century.
Three incoming Liberal MPs — Jake Sawatzky in B.C., and Amandeep Sodhi and Fares Al Soud in Ontario — were all born in the early 2000s.
Sawatzky, a 25-year-old master's student in counselling psychology, upset longtime NDP MP Peter Julian.
Sawatzky told CBC Radio's On The Coast that he wanted to get into politics to address mental health and addictions issues.
"There's a lot of people that just really aren't receiving the treatment they really desperately need, and I was thinking, one person can only do so much — this is more of a policy thing now," he told host Gloria Macarenko.
WATCH | First-time Liberal candidate unseats longtime NDP MP Peter Julian:
Sawatzky, who was only four when Julian was first elected, said it was also important for him to put his name forward to represent his generation.
"The House of Commons should be representative of all people, including young Canadians," he said. "You can have youth committees and that sort of thing, but the best way to have young people represented is to have young people in government."
The 21st century club almost had (and still could have) a fourth member. Initial results showed Liberal Tatiana Auguste had won a close race in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne, but the validation process later revealed that the Bloc incumbent had won by 44 votes.
That margin is close enough to trigger an automatic judicial recount, meaning it's possible that the riding could flip again in Auguste's favour.
Either way, there are signs the House is getting younger overall.
Conservative Eric Melillo from Ontario also won re-election this week. Born in 1998, he became the first Gen Z MP to be elected to the House when he initially won his riding in 2019.
Sukhman Gill won a seat in B.C. after Monday's vote and will join Melillo as another Gen Z Conservative.
The Conservatives are also adding a handful of new MPs with ties to the sporting world.
Helena Konanz from B.C. is a former world-ranked professional tennis player and coach, having previously competed in such highly touted tournaments as the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.
She's joined by two incoming Conservative MPs from Quebec who have ties to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Jason Groleau is a former member of both the Hull Olympiques and Victoriaville Tigers, while Gabriel Hardy was previously a personal trainer for the Quebec Remparts.
A number of incoming MPs have plenty of political experience, making the transfer from provincial politics into the federal sphere.
Among the more notable names is Roman Baber who was removed from Ontario Premier Doug Ford's caucus in January 2021 over his opposition to pandemic health measures. He would later run for the federal Conservative leadership in 2022 and finish fourth.
Other Conservatives joining Baber are Mike Dawson, a former New Brunwsick MLA, and Éric Lefebvre, a former MNA in Quebec Premier François Legault's government.
Ellis Ross was also elected for the Conservatives. He had previously served as a minister under former B.C. premier Christy Clark.
On the Liberal side, Carlos Leitão is one of the more recognizable figures making the leap from provincial to federal politics. The former Quebec MNA served as the province's finance minister from 2014 to 2018.
Braedon Clark, a former Nova Scotia MLA, will also come to Ottawa as a new member of the Liberal caucus.
Other incoming MPs have shed their provincial NDP stripes to join the federal Liberal team.
Buckley Belanger was initially a Saskatchewan Liberal MLA before switching to the provincial NDP. He's now back in the Liberal fold as he heads to the House of Commons.
Similarly, Stephanie McLean, a former Alberta NDP MLA and minister, ran for the Liberals and won a seat in B.C.
Incoming Liberal MP Tom Osborne was a longtime Newfoundland and Labrador MHA, serving as a minister for both the provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties. He was also Speaker of the House of Assembly for a time.
Among the other new MPs coming to Ottawa is Sima Acan, the first Turkish-Canadian elected to the House of Commons.
Incoming Liberal MP David Myles is also bringing his Juno Award-winning musical talents to the Hill.
Kent McDonald from P.E.I., David Bexte from Alberta and Emma Harrison from Ontario join a long list of farmers who have been elected to the House going back to the very first Parliament.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
CCTV Script 06/06/25
The war of words between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, which seemed to escalate almost hourly, has already cost real money in the capital markets. Overnight, Musk's personal net worth reportedly fell by approximately $34 billion. By aligning the timing of their social media exchanges with Tesla's stock movements, a clear pattern emerges: as the feud grew more intense, with language becoming increasingly blunt and emotional, Tesla's share price continued to slide. Many analysts believe that Tesla's stock is likely to remain volatile. To assess its future trajectory, we can start with the trigger of this conflict: a recently passed House spending bill. One provision would eliminate tax credits for electric vehicles—directly impacting Tesla. JPMorgan analysts estimate that the new legislation could cut Tesla's annual profits by around $1.2 billion. However, some market observers note that both Musk and others in the industry had long anticipated that the Trump administration would eventually scrap EV subsidies. This expectation has been priced in—it was only a matter of timing. But of even greater consequence is the second layer of impact: the broader regulatory posture of the White House toward Musk, particularly in the autonomous driving space. Timing is critical. Next week, Tesla is expected to debut its long-awaited Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Progress in self-driving technology has been a key reason many investors remain bullish on Tesla. But the breakdown in Musk's relationship with Trump could undermine those expectations. "there's a view that the battle here going on between musk and Trump, that this is going to continue to sort of, you know, increase, and with that, ultimately does is that autonomous and the regulatory vision does Trump now, now not start to play nice in the sandbox with musk.""Elon Musk, as brilliant as he can be, can also be mercurial and impetuous. CUT TO from a trading perspective, I think the stock could easily trade down into the 250s 260s until you get some support." Beyond the personal feud, the spotlight is also shifting to the broader relationship between Silicon Valley—the U.S. tech hub—and Washington, D.C.—the political center. As Musk and Trump move from allies to adversaries, their split is drawing attention to the evolving dynamic between big tech and federal power. Analysts told CNBC that during Trump's first term, major tech firms often found themselves in the administration's crosshairs. Companies like Meta, Google, and to some extent Apple were all named in antitrust inquiries. Now, the rift between Musk and Trump may open new doors for tech leaders who have had tense relations with Musk. For instance, Jeff Bezos—who also leads a space company—has in recent months made efforts to court Trump more closely, reportedly taking cues from Musk's political playbook. This shift may also present an opportunity for Sam Altman, CEO of AI startup OpenAI. "If you're a startup that's trying to make big names or big headlines with investments for the US, that's probably a good place to be." Still, some analysts caution that this overnight drama may not deserve too much attention. A defining feature of the Trump-era policymaking process has always been its volatility—things can shift dramatically within just a few hours. What ultimately matters is returning to the fundamentals and taking a long-term view of where the industry—and the economy—are heading.
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
U.S. ambassador says Canadians facing device searches, detainment ‘not a pattern'
OTTAWA - The American ambassador to Canada is pushing back on Ottawa's travel advice, saying his country doesn't search phones at the border and arguing some Americans travelling here are having a tough time. 'We welcome Canadians to come in and invest, to spend their hard-earned Canadian dollars at U.S. businesses,' U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra told The Canadian Press in an interview Friday. 'If a Canadian has had a disappointing experience coming into the United States, I'm not denying that it happened, but I'm saying it's an isolated event and it is not a pattern.' In April, Ottawa updated its advice to Canadians travelling to the United States to warn them about the possibility they might be detained if denied entry. 'Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices,' reads the new guidance. There have been reports of Canadians facing intensified scrutiny at the border, having phones searched and, in some cases, being detained. Hoekstra insisted concerns about device searches are not grounded in reality. 'Coming to the U.S., that's a decision for the Canadians to make. Searching devices and all of that is not a well-founded fear. We don't do that. America is a welcoming place,' he said. He said some Americans have expressed similar concerns about Canada. 'I've heard that from Americans coming into Canada as well, OK? Saying, 'You know, we've not received a warm reception when we've gotten to Canadian customs,'' he said. When asked if these reports from American travellers involve arbitrary phone searches and lengthy detainment, Hoekstra said there are consular cases of Americans complaining to the embassy about the Canada Border Services Agency. 'We've said, 'OK this may have been an isolated event. There may have been a Canadian border person who was having a bad day, and thought they'd take it out on, you know, somebody across the border,'' he said. In a statement, the CBSA said its officers follow a code of conduct and the federal ethics code that both require them to treat everyone equally, and the agency investigates any complaints of mistreatment. 'Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a way that upholds the values of integrity, respect and professionalism at all times,' wrote spokeswoman Karine Martel. 'Treating people with respect, dignity and fairness is fundamental to our border services officers' relationship with the public and a key part of this is serving all travellers in a non-discriminatory way.' Hoekstra said travel to the U.S. is up to individuals. 'If you decide that you're not going to come down or whatever, that's your decision and you're missing an opportunity. There are great things to see in America,' Hoekstra said. He also noted the case of CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, who recently said she prepared to visit the U.S. last month as if she was 'going to North Korea' — with a 'burner phone' that didn't carry any personal information — only to experience a warm welcome. 'It's like, (let's) get past the rhetoric and let's look at the real experiences that people are having here,' Hoekstra said. Airlines have been cutting flights between Canada and the U.S. due to a slump in demand, and Flight Centre Travel Group Canada reported a nearly 40 per cent drop in flights between the two countries year-over-year in February. A survey in early May conducted by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies found 52 per cent of respondents feel that 'it is no longer safe for all Canadians travelling to the United States,' with 29 per cent disagreeing and 19 per cent saying they were unsure. Roughly the same proportion said they personally feel unwelcome in the U.S. LGBTQ+ groups have opted against attending World Pride events in Washington and United Nations events in New York, citing scrutiny at the border as the Trump administration scales back protections for transgender and nonbinary people. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
North missed £140bn of transport investment over last government, research finds
The North of England would have received an extra £140 billion in transport investment under the previous government if funding levels had been the same as in London, research has claimed. Independent analysis by think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) looked at Treasury figures between 2009/10 and 2022/23, during which time the Conservatives were in power. It reached the figure, which it said was enough to build seven Elizabeth Lines, by considering the amount of spending per person across the different English regions over that period. While England as a whole saw £592 spent per person each year, London received double that amount with £1,183 spent per person, the IPPR said. The entire North region saw £486 spent per person, with the North East and North West seeing £430 and £540 spent per person respectively. This amounted to £140 billion of missed investment for the North, more than the entire £83 billion estimate of capital spending on transport in the region since 1999/2000, according to the analysis. The region with the lowest amount of investment over the period was the East Midlands with just £355 spent per person. Among the most divisive transport investment projects for the previous government was the HS2 rail project, which was axed north of Birmingham in October 2023. Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak pledged to 'reinvest every single penny, £36 billion, in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands', including improvements to road, rail and bus schemes. Earlier this week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a £15.6 billion package for mayoral authorities to use on public transport projects across the North and Midlands ahead of the spending review. It is expected to include funding to extend the metros in Tyne and Wear, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, along with a renewed tram network in South Yorkshire and a new mass transit system in West Yorkshire. Marcus Johns, senior research fellow at IPPR North, said: 'Today's figures are concrete proof that promises made to the North over the last decade were hollow. It was a decade of deceit. 'We are 124 years on from the end of Queen Victoria's reign, yet the North is still running on infrastructure built during her rein – while our transport chasm widens. 'This isn't London bashing – Londoners absolutely deserve investment. But £1,182 per person for London and £486 for northerners? The numbers don't lie – this isn't right. 'This Government have begun to restore fairness with their big bet on transport cash for city leaders. 'They should continue on this journey to close this investment gap in the upcoming spending review and decades ahead.' Former Treasury minister Lord Jim O'Neill said: 'Good governance requires the guts to take a long-term approach, not just quick fixes. So the Chancellor is right in her focus on the UK's long-standing supply-side weaknesses – namely our woeful productivity and weak private and public investment. 'Backing major infrastructure is the right call, and this spending review is the right time for the Chancellor to place a big bet on northern growth and begin to close this investment chasm. 'But it's going to take more than commitments alone – she'll need to set out a transparent framework for delivery.'
