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Alumni in Government

York University has a reputation for preparing engaged global citizens who have an impact in communities at home and around the world. Many of our graduates go on to make significant contributions in local, provincial and federal governments as senior leaders in the public service and as elected officials. Below are our outstanding alumni who are making a difference at all levels of government. This list also includes those who previously taught at York.

The Hon. Gary Anandasangaree

Minister of Public Safety

Liberal MP
Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON

LLB ‘05 Osgoode

Roman Baber

Conservative MP
York Centre,
ON

BA ‘02 LA&PS

Yvan Baker

Liberal MP
Etobicoke Centre,
ON

BBA ‘00 Schulich

Shalene Curtis-Micallef

Deputy Minister of Justice
Government of Canada

LLB ‘95 Osgoode

Scot Davidson

Conservative MP
New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON

BA ‘93 LA&PS

The Hon. Ali Ehsassi

Liberal MP
Willowdale, ON

LLB ‘99 Osgoode

Iqwinder Gaheer

Liberal MP
Mississauga—Malton, ON

BBA ‘15 Schulich

Vince Gasparro

Liberal MP
Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

BA '06 LA&PS

Michael Guglielmin

Conservative MP
Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

BA '17 LA&PS

The Hon. Patty Hajdu

Minister of Jobs and Families

Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Liberal MP
Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Vincent Ho

Conservative MP
Richmond Hill South, ON

MBA & JD '17 Schulich & Osgoode
LLM '21 Osgoode

The Hon. Ahmed Hussen

Liberal MP
York South—Weston—Etobicoke, ON

BA ‘02 LA&PS

The Hon. Helena Jaczek

Liberal MP
Markham—Stouffville, ON

MBA ‘94 Schulich

Jamil Jivani

Conservative MP
Bowmanville—Oshawa North, ON



BA ‘10 LA&PS

Iqra Khalid

Liberal MP
Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON

BA ‘07 LA&PS

Philip Lawrence

Conservative MP
Northumberland—Clarke, ON

LLB '05 Osgoode, MBA ‘05 Schulich

Leslyn Lewis

Conservative MP
Haldimand—Norfolk, ON

PhD '19 Osgoode, JD ‘97 Osgoode, MA '97 EUC

Taki Sarantakis

President, Canada School of Public Service

MA ‘93 LA&PS

Anita Vandenbeld

Liberal MP
Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

MA '96 LA&PS

George Anderson

NDP MLA
Nanaimo-Lantzville, BC

JD ‘18 Osgoode

Deepak Anand

PC MPP
Mississauga—Malton, ON

MBA ‘07 Schulich

Michelle Cooper

PC MPP
Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

BA '90 LA&PS & MA '94 LA&PS

Rob Cerjanec

OLP MPP
Ajax, ON

BA '12 LA&PS & MBA '22 Schulich

Bonnie Crombie

Leader, Ontario Liberal Party

MBA ’92 Schulich

Raj Dhir

Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation

LLM ‘96 Osgoode


Doug Downey

Attorney General
PC MPP
Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

LLM ‘08 Osgoode

Shannon Fuller

Deputy Minister and Associate Secretary of the Ontario Cabinet

BA ‘00 LA&PS

Chris Glover

NDP MPP
Spadina—Fort York, ON

Adjunct Faculty

Hardeep Grewal

PC MPP
Brampton East, ON

John Jordan

PC MPP
Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON

BA ‘84 LA&PS

The Hon. Michael Kerzner

Solicitor General
PC MPP
York Centre, ON

BA ‘86 LA&PS

The Hon. Todd McCarthy

Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks
PC MPP
Durham, ON

LLB '87 Osgoode

Maud Murray

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction

LLB '06 Osgoode

Tom Rakocevic

NDP MPP
Humber River—Black Creek, ON

MSc ‘06 Science, BEd ‘06 Education, BSc ‘00 Science

Janet Routledge

NDP MLA
Burnaby North, BC

BA ‘76 LA&PS

Nicole Sarauer

NDP MLA
Regina Douglas Park, SK

LLM ‘24 Osgoode

Laura Smith

PC MPP
Thornhill, ON

Marit Stiles

Leader of the Official Opposition
NDP MPP
Davenport, ON

Peter Tabuns

NDP MPP
Toronto—Danforth, ON

Effie Triantafilopoulos

PC MPP
Oakville—North Burlington, ON

LLM ‘99 Osgoode

Ali Veshkini

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure

BA '03 LA&PS

Dr. Catherine Zahn

Chair, Ontario Health

BSc ’74 Science

Daniele Zanotti

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

BA '91 LA&PS

Paul Ainslie

Councillor - Scarborough Guildwood
City of Toronto

BA ‘90 LA&PS

Mary Asselstine

Councillor - Ward 4
King Township

MA ‘85 EUC

Roberta Bald

Councillor - Town of Midland

JD ’97 Osgoode
LLM '09 Osgoode

Marty Beelen

Councillor - Ward 5
Clearview Township

MBA ’91 Schulich

Ken Boshcoff

Mayor
City of Thunder Bay

MES ’75 EUC

Brad Bradford

Councillor - Beaches-East York City of Toronto

BES ’09 FES

Guy Burry

District and Township Councillor
Ward C - Muskoka Lakes

BA ‘82 LA&PS

Godwin Chan

Regional and Local Councillor and Deputy Mayor
City of Richmond Hill

JD ’98 Osgoode

Scott Crone

Councillor
Ward 3 - East Gwillimbury

BA ’92 LA&PS

Steven Del Duca

Mayor
City of Vaughan

LLB ‘07 Osgoode

Mario Ferri

Local and Regional Councillor
City of Vaughan

BA ‘78 LA&PS

John Gallo

Councillor - Ward 5
Town of Aurora

BA ’93 LA&PS

Virginia Hackson

Mayor
Town of East Gwillimbury

BEd ’99 Education

Yvonne Hamlin

Mayor
Town of Collingwood

LLB ’78 Osgoode

Shira Harrison McIntyre

Councillor - Ward 7
Town of New Tecumseth

BA ‘98 LA&PS

Alan Ho

Regional Councillor
City of Markham

BAS ‘99 LA&PS

Eric Jolliffe

Chairman
Regional Municipality of York

BA ’85 LA&PS

Martin Medeiros

Regional Councillor
Wards 3 & 4 - Brampton

BA ’97 LA&PS

Nick Mantas

Councillor
Ward 22 – City of Toronto

BA LA&PS ’09

Amy Martin

Mayor
Norfolk County

BA ’13 Health

James Pasternak

Councillor - York Centre
City of Toronto

BA ‘82 LA&PS

Anthony Perruzza

Councillor - Humber River-Black Creek
City of Toronto

BA ‘86 LA&PS

Mario G. Racco

Local and Regional Councillor
City of Vaughan

BA ‘81 LA&PS

Wayne Redekop

Mayor
Town of Fort Erie

LLB ‘75 Osgoode

Clare Riepma

Councillor Ward 1
City of Barrie

MES ‘82 EUC

Rowena Santos

Regional Councillor Wards 1 & 5 - Brampton

BBA ’01 Schulich

Dianne Saxe

Councillor - University-Rosedale
City of Toronto

JD ‘74 Osgoode
LLM '91 Osgoode
PhD '91 Osgoode

Debbie Schaefer

Councillor Ward 5 – King Township

MBA ‘84 Schulich

Matthew Shoemaker

Mayor
City of Sault Ste. Marie

LLM '19 Osgoode

Anub Simson

Councillor
Ward 1 - Adjala-Tosorontio

BA ‘12 LA&PS

Harkirat Singh

Councillor Wards 9 & 10 – Brampton

MBA ‘13 Schulich
PhD '91 Osgoode

Thomas Vegh

Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor
Ward 1 – Town of Newmarket

BA ‘85 LA&PS

Steve Yamada

Regional Councillor
Town of Whitby

BA ‘01 LA&PS
MPPAL '21 LA&PS

Gwen Boniface

Senator
Ontario

BA ‘82 LA&PS
LLB ‘88 Osgoode

Andrew Cardozo

Senator
Ontario

BA '80 LA&PS

Tony Ince

Senator
Nova Scotia

Marilou McPhedran

Senator
Manitoba

LLB '76 Osgoode

Paulette Senior

Senator
Ontario

BA '90 Health & Social Science

Toni Varone

Senator
Ontario

BA '80 LA&PS