Harinder Takhar

Infobox Politician
name = Harinder Takhar


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office1 = MPP for Mississauga Centre
term_start1 = 2003
term_end1 = 2007
predecessor1 = Rob Sampson
successor1 = riding dissolved
office2 = MPP for Mississauga—Erindale
term_start2 = 2007
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = new district
successor2 =
birth_date =
birth_place = Punjab, India
death_date =
death_place =
party = Ontario Liberal Party
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residence = Mississauga, Ontario
occupation = businessman


website = [http://www.hstakhar.com/ Harinder Takhar]
footnotes =
religion = Sikh

Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Takhar was born to a Sikh family in the Indian state of Punjab, with a background in farming and civil service work. He moved to Canada in 1974, and arrived in Mississauga, Ontario in 1977. He currently lives with his family in Mississauga.

Political career

Harinder Takhar was elected to the Ontario Legislature as a Liberal in the 2003 provincial election, and was appointed Minister of Transportation on October 23, 2003, by Premier Dalton McGuinty. He is the first Indian-Canadian to hold a cabinet post in Ontario.

Takhar has been unable to secure promised toll reductions on the privately-owned Highway 407. In December 2005, the consortium that operates the highway announced a fare increase effective January 2006. He has won some funding for public transit, and he has identified transit in the Greater Toronto Area as his ministry's key priority.

Cabinet shuffle

Takhar was reassigned to the new position of Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship on May 23, 2006. Donna Cansfield was assigned Takhar's Transportation portfolio.

Business background

Takhar has held leadership positions with several Canadian companies, including AGRA Industries Limited, Linear Technology Inc./Gennum Corporation and Timex Canada Inc. He served as the president and chief executive officer of the Chalmers Group of Companies until his election to the Ontario legislature.

In 1995, the "Financial Post" recognized the company among Canada's top 100 best-managed private companies. In 1999, Chalmers received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Award of Excellence from the Mississauga Board of Trade.

Takhar received the 2001 Community Service Award from the Society of Management Accountants of Ontario for "demonstrating selflessness and kindness for the benefit of society."

Takhar holds a Master's degree in economics and political science, and an undergraduate degree in English, economics and political science. Takhar has been designated a Certified Management Accountant and professional administrator. He has also taken a number of leadership courses at the University of Toronto and York University, and taught CMA and CGA accredited courses at Sheridan College for thirteen years. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada.