Jennifer Kay French[1] (born 1978) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in 2014. She represents the riding of Oshawa.
Jennifer French | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) French in 2022 | |
| Critic, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Highways | |
| Assumed office August 23, 2018 | |
| Leader | Andrea Horwath and Peter Tabuns (interim) |
| Critic, Youth Engagement; and Citizenship and Immigration | |
| In office December 2, 2016 – June 7, 2018 | |
| Leader | Andrea Horwath |
| Critic, Community Safety and Correctional Services | |
| In office March 23, 2015 – December 2, 2016 | |
| Leader | Andrea Horwath |
| Critic, Pensions | |
| In office June 25, 2014 – March 23, 2015 | |
| Leader | Andrea Horwath |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Oshawa | |
| Assumed office June 12, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Jerry Ouellette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 5, 1978 [citation needed] Winchester, Ontario |
| Political party | New Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Oshawa, Ontario |
| Profession | Teacher |
Background
French was born in Winchester, Ontario, near Ottawa. She grew up in the United States after moving there with her family. She returned to Canada to attend Queen's University where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. She spent three years teaching in Japan before returning to earn a master's degree in science with a teaching specialty. She moved to Oshawa where she spent eight years teaching elementary school.[2][3]
Politics
French ran in the 2014 provincial election as the New Democratic candidate in the riding of Oshawa. She defeated Progressive Conservative incumbent Jerry Ouellette by 7,692 votes.[4][5]
She was the party's critic for pension issues, switched to critic for Community Safety and Correctional Services on March 23, 2015, and then to critic of Youth Engagement and critic of Citizenship and Immigration as of December 2, 2016.[6][7]
She was reelected in the 2018 and 2022 elections.
As of August 11, 2024, she serves as the Official Opposition critic for Transportation, Infrastructure, and Highways.
Electoral record
| 2022 Ontario general election: Oshawa | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Jennifer French | 17,170 | 42.07 | −2.81 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Alex Down | 16,423 | 40.24 | −1.49 | ||||
| Liberal | Catherine Mosca | 3,726 | 9.13 | +1.23 | ||||
| Green | Katarina Dunham | 1,641 | 4.02 | +0.41 | ||||
| New Blue | Daryl Janssen | 1,006 | 2.47 | |||||
| Ontario Party | Dave Forsythe | 843 | 2.07 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 40,809 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 195 | |||||||
| Turnout | 41,004 | 39.48 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 103,705 | |||||||
| New Democratic hold | Swing | −0.66 | ||||||
Source(s)
| ||||||||
| 2018 Ontario general election: Oshawa | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Jennifer French | 24,301 | 44.88 | -1.82 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Bob Chapman | 22,594 | 41.73 | +11.20 | ||||
| Liberal | Makini Smith | 4,278 | 7.90 | -11.12 | ||||
| Green | Deborah Ellis | 1,957 | 3.61 | -0.14 | ||||
| Libertarian | Jeannette Gory | 523 | 0.96 | +0.96 | ||||
| None of the Above | Cheryl Kelly | 490 | 0.91 | +0.91 | ||||
| Eligible voters | 97,605 | |||||||
| Turnout | 54,143 | 55.57 | +4.76 | |||||
| New Democratic hold | Swing | +6.61 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Ontario[8] | ||||||||
| 2014 Ontario general election: Oshawa | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Jennifer French | 22,227 | 46.70 | +10.52 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Jerry Ouellette | 14,532 | 30.53 | -11.72 | ||||
| Liberal | Esrick Quintyn | 9,052 | 19.02 | +1.53 | ||||
| Green | Becky Smit | 1,785 | 3.75 | +1.13 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 47,608 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 650 | 1.37 | ||||||
| Turnout | 48,258 | 50.19 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 96,154 | |||||||
| New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | +11.12 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Ontario[9] | ||||||||
References
- ^ @ONPARLeducation (13 July 2022). "Within the halls of the Legislature are walls that contain the names of every Member of Provincial Parliament elected to Ontario's Legislature since 1867. The names for the 42nd Parliament were recently added. For the first time a Member's name was inscribed in Oji-Cree syllabics" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Vella, Erica (June 13, 2014). "Jennifer French wins Oshawa for NDP".
- ^ Szekely, Reka (June 20, 2014). "Meet Jennifer French: Oshawa's new MPP". Clarington This Week. Metroland Media.
- ^ "General Election by District: Oshawa". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
- ^ Westhead, Rick (June 12, 2014). "PC's Elliott holds Whitby-Oshawa but NDP's French surprises in Oshawa in Ontario Election". Toronto Star.
- ^ Reevely, David (June 25, 2014). "Horwath sticks around, names NDP shadow cabinet".
- ^ "Jennifer K. French, MPP". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ "General Election Results by District, 061 Oshawa". Elections Ontario. 2014. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.