Chandra Pasma

Chandra Pasma
MPP
Pasma in 2022
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Ottawa West—Nepean
Assumed office
June 2, 2022
Preceded byJeremy Roberts
Critic, Poverty, Homelessness Reduction, and Education[1]
Assumed office
July 13, 2022
LeaderPeter Tabuns (interim)
Personal details
Political partyOntario New Democratic Party
SpouseMatt Helleman[2]
Children3
Residence(s)Qualicum-Graham Park, Ottawa
OccupationResearcher/Policy Analyst

Chandra Pasma (born c. 1980)[3] is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election.[4] She represents the district of Ottawa West—Nepean as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.[5]

Background

Before her election as MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, Pasma worked as a public policy researcher for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Previously, she served as an advisor to the federal New Democratic Party.

Pasma has also worked for Citizens for Public Justice, and prior to that worked for Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie until 2006.[6]

Political career

On July 13, 2022 Pasma was named as the Official Opposition critic for poverty and homelessness reduction by interim ONDP leader Peter Tabuns.[7] She was later made education critic after Marit Stiles resigned to run for the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election.

On November 23, 2022 Pasma put forward a private member's bill, Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act which would require apartment buildings to possess emergency generators capable of powering water pumps and elevators.[8] The bill was prompted by the impacts of the May 2022 Canadian derecho in Ottawa; which left many apartment residents without water for over ten days, and trapped residents with mobility issues.[9][10] The bill was defeated on second reading by a vote of 30-66; being opposed by the majority Progressive Conservative government.[11]

In the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election Pasma endorsed Marit Stiles in her successful bid for leadership of the party; replacing outgoing leader Andrea Horwath.[12]

Electoral record

2022 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Chandra Pasma 15,696 37.54 +5.06 $125,025
Progressive Conservative Jeremy Roberts 14,610 34.94 +2.12 $90,418
Liberal Sam Bhalesar 9,384 22.44 −6.86 $67,587
Green Steven Warren 1,475 3.53 −0.30 $4,298
Ontario Party Vilteau Delvas 649 1.55   $5,110
Total valid votes/Expense limit 41,814 98.58 -0.34 $127,707
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 601 1.42 +0.34
Turnout 42,415 47.42 -9.62
Eligible voters 91,223
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +1.47
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.
2018 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Jeremy Roberts 16,590 32.82 −1.06
New Democratic Chandra Pasma 16,415 32.48 +18.06
Liberal Bob Chiarelli 14,810 29.30 −15.54
Green Pat Freel 1,937 3.83 −2.35
None of the Above Colin A. Pritchard 542 1.07
Libertarian Nicholas Paliga 251 0.50 -0.18
Total valid votes 50,545 98.92
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 552 1.08 -0.43
Turnout 51,097 57.04 +1.10
Eligible voters 89,575
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.24
Source: Elections Ontario[13]

References

  1. ^ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
  2. ^ "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean".
  3. ^ "'Long haulers still suffering months after initial illness". Ottawa Citizen. July 22, 2020. p. A3. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Chandra Pasma takes Ottawa West-Nepean for NDP". CBC News Ottawa, June 2, 2022.
  5. ^ Jacquie Miller and Megan Gillis, "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean". Ottawa Citizen, June 2, 2022.
  6. ^ "Round and round they go". Ottawa Citizen. February 22, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  7. ^ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
  8. ^ "Hansard Transcript 2022-Nov-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  9. ^ Pasma, Chandra (2023-02-13). "Apartments and condos need generators for emergencies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  10. ^ Blewett, Taylor (2023-02-14). "Should emergency generators be required of landlords? An Ottawa MPP trying to make it happen, but city councillors not sold". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  11. ^ "Hansard Transcript 2023-Feb-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  12. ^ "Toronto MPP Marit Stiles running for Ontario NDP leader". CBC News. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  13. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2019.


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