- Michelle Simson
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Michelle Simson
MPMember of the Canadian Parliament
for Scarborough SouthwestIn office
2008–2011Preceded by Tom Wappel Succeeded by Dan Harris Personal details Born July 10, 1953 Political party Liberal Spouse(s) George Simson Profession Vice-President and Manager Michelle Simson, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the Ontario electoral district of Scarborough Southwest in the 2008 Canadian federal election. She is a member of the Liberal Party.
Before being elected she was the vice-president and general manager of a leasing firm located in Scarborough and was a former president of the Ontario Women's Liberal Commission.
After the election, Simson was a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics and an associate member of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. She currently sits as a member of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
She is also the Co-chair of the National Liberal Caucus Communications Committee and Treasurer of the GTA/Ontario Liberal Caucus.
Contents
Political career (2008-present)
On July 7, 2009, Simson made history by becoming the first federal politician in Canada[1] to publicize her claimed expenses for the fiscal year on her website,[2] saying:
"I have been a taxpayer a lot longer than I ever have been an MP, and as a taxpayer this was a real bone of contention. ... It was all about accountability. I may not succeed, but in my little piece of the world, my constituents can go on my website and will be able to see how the money is spent. It's their money. That's the bottom line."
On November 6, 2009, Simson's motion M-354, which called upon the government to develop and adopt a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare, was unanimously adopted.[3]
"This declaration is an agreement among people and nations to recognize that animals are sentient, suffer, have welfare needs, and to ultimately end animal cruelty worldwide. Thousands of Canadians have signed petitions in support of a UDAW and this declaration is actively supported by Canada's foremost animal protection organizations." [4]
Simson is also a founding member and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on palliative and Compassionate Care (PCPCC), a new non-partisan Parliamentary group aimed at promoting awareness of glaring deficiences in Canada's palliative and compassionate care framework.
Personal life
Simson is married to husband George and they have one son, Eric.
References
- ^ Woods, Allan (July 7, 2009). "MP pulls back expense curtain". The Star (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/661862. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
- ^ "Michelle Simson, MP's Financial Disclosure". http://michellesimsonmp.ca/financial.html.
- ^ "UDAW campaign reaches critical milestone". http://www.wspa.ca/latestnews/2009/udaw_campaign_reaches_critical_milestone.aspx.
- ^ "Parliament Adopts Animal Welfare Motion". http://www.messagerlachine.com/article-404515-Parliament-Adopts-Animal-Welfare-Motion.html.
External links
Categories:- Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Canadian women Members of Parliament
- Living people
- Women in Ontario politics
- 1953 births
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