Parliamentary Secretaries

Mike Lake

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont (Alberta)

Mike Lake was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry in November 2008 and continues to serve in this role.

Mr. Lake has served as a member of the House of Commons standing committees on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and on Public Accounts.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Lake worked for 10 years with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club where he served as National Accounts Manager, Director of Ticket Sales and Group Sales Manager. He is an active member of the Autism Society of the Edmonton Area and has mentored foster children.

Mr. Lake holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction) from the University of Alberta. He and his wife, Debi, have two children.

Deepak Obhrai

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights

Calgary East (Alberta)

Deepak Obhrai was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 2006 and continues to serve in this role. 

In addition, he has also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.

He is a past president of the India-Canada Association, the Monterey Community Association and the Hindu Society of Calgary, as well as the Vice-President of the National Indo/Canadian Council. Mr. Obhrai and his wife, Neena, have three children.

Gerald Keddy

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency 

South Shore-St. Margaret's (Nova Scotia)

Gerald Keddy was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in September 2013.
 
He previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, and to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Prior to his career in politics, Mr. Keddy worked as a farmer, a driller in Nova Scotia's offshore oil industry and a Christmas tree producer and exporter. He is a past president of the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia.

Mr. Keddy is a graduate of Acadia University. He lives in New Ross, Nova Scotia, with his wife, Judy, and their six children.

David Anderson

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Cypress Hills-Grasslands (Saskatchewan)

David Anderson is the Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills - Grasslands, Saskatchewan and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (September 2013).

David was first elected to Parliament in 2000 as a Member of the Canadian Alliance Party and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food for the Canadian Wheat Board in January 2006. The Prime Minister extended his portfolio on October 10, 2007, naming him Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resource. He was re-elected 2008 and retained both portfolios.

David studied at the University of Regina where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He then went on to complete a Masters of Divinity at the Canadian Theological Seminary in 1990.

David lives in Frontier, Saskatchewan and is married to Sheila. They have two adult children, Amy and Andrew and a daughter-in-law Charis.

James Bezan

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Selkirk-Interlake (Manitoba)

James Bezan was first elected to the House of Commons in June 2004 and was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence in September 2013.

Mr. Bezan has chaired a number of parliamentary committees, recently serving as the Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence.

Mr. Bezan is a cattle producer and owned an export and consulting company.  He has also held various positions in agri-businesses.    

Mr. Bezan and his wife Kelly have three daughters, Cortney, Taylor, and Cassidy, and live on a farm by Teulon, Manitoba.

Colin Carrie

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment

Oshawa (Ontario)

Colin Carrie was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment in September 2013.
 
He served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health in November 2008 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry in February 2006.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was the co-owner and operator of a Chiropractic and Wellness clinic in Oshawa, Ontario.

Dr. Carrie has been a vocal advocate for Hepatitis C patients and for families dealing with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Colin has been a strong advocate for improving access to Natural Health Products. He also helped establish the Traditional Chinese Medicine Advisory Council to interact with Health Canada. 

Colin was the founding Chair of the Conservative Automotive Caucus and has been a strong advocate for the manufacturing sector.

Dr. Carrie graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours degree in Kinesiology and from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where he graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic.

He and his wife Elizabeth have three children.

Randy Kamp

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission (British Columbia)

Randy Kamp was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008, and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in February 2006 and continues to serve in this role.

Prior to entering politics, he and his family lived in the Philippines where he was the regional director for an organization that focused on linguistic work among minority language groups.Mr. Kamp has a bachelor's degree in theology.

He and his wife, Ruth, have three children.

Tom Lukiwski

Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre (Saskatchewan)

Tom Lukiwski was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons in November 2008 and continues to serve in this role.
 
Previously, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Democratic Reform.

Prior to entering federal politics, he was the general manager of the Saskatchewan Party from 1997 to 2004. In addition to operating a small business, he has been an active volunteer in his community. He served as Chair for the Peter Gzowski Fundraiser for Literacy, and played key roles with the Bill Clarke fundraiser in support of the fight against Parkinson's disease, the 1992 Labatt Brier and Skate Canada 1989. He was also a member of the marketing board of directors for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Mr. Lukiwski and his wife, Diane, have two children. 

Jeff Watson

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Essex (Ontario)

Jeff Watson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport in September 2013.

Mr. Watson worked as the Executive Assistant and Marketing Director for an internationally known promotions company.  He later joined Chrysler Canada and worked on the line at the Trim Division at Chrysler's Windsor Assembly Plant.  Mr. Watson studied political science and history at the University of Windsor. He returned to studies in 2012, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in History.

Mr. Watson and his wife, Sarah, make their home in Amherstburg, Ontario.  They have six children - Sophie, Emma, Elijah, Thaddaeus, Ava, and Beatrice.

Rick Dykstra

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

St. Catharines (Ontario)

Rick Dykstra was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2011. Mr. Dykstra was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage in September 2013.  

Previously, he served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in November 2008.
 
Prior to entering federal politics, he was a partner in a public affairs business operating out of Niagara and Toronto. Mr. Dykstra also spent five years working in a number of roles in the Ontario provincial government, including as Director of Caucus Relations for two provincial premiers, and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Community and Social Services. He has also served as a member of the Niagara Parks Commission.

Mr. Dykstra has a degree in political science from Brock University, and a Master's Certificate in project management from Schulich School of Business at York University. 

Mr. Dykstra and his wife, Kathy, are lifelong residents of St. Catharines and have three children.

Jacques Gourde

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Lotbinière-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière (Quebec)

Jacques Gourde was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2011.

Mr. Gourde was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec in September 2013.
 
He has also served as: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue; Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources; and, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.

Mr. Gourde has a diploma in farm management and was a producer and exporter of hay in Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage. He was also president of the Saint-Narcisse Development Committee and the parish council church warden for six years.

Mr. Gourde and his wife Chantal have five children.

Pierre Lemieux

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Glengarry - Prescott - Russell (Ontario)

Mr. Lemieux was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture in 2008 and continues to serve in this role. Previously, he was Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages.

Mr. Lemieux began his career as an officer in the Canadian Forces where he served for 20 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He is also a professional engineer and is certified with the Project Management Institute. After working as a manager in the high-tech sector, he started his own company, offering project management and consulting services.

Mr. Lemieux is married and has five children.

Kelly Block

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar (Saskatchewan)

Kelly Block was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and was re-elected in 2011.  She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources in September 2013.
 
Prior to her election to the House of Commons, Ms. Block served on the Town Council of Waldheim for three terms, including for two terms as Mayor.  She was also a member of the Saskatoon Regional Health Authority and the Director of Administration at Forest Grove Community Church.

Kelly and her husband Milton have four adult children, two children-in-law and two grandchildren. 

Peter Braid

Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities

Kitchener-Waterloo (Ontario)

Peter Braid was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and was re-elected in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities in September 2013.
 
Mr. Braid has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Government Operations and Estimates Committee and as a member of the Industry Committee.
 
Mr. Braid's background includes experience in business, government and the community.  He was a Director of Operations at Sun Life Financial. He also served in the constituency office of former MP Walter McLean, and worked at the Immigration and Refugee Board. 
 
Mr. Braid and his wife Annette have two daughters, Tamara and Alexandra.

Lois Brown

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development

Newmarket-Aurora (Ontario)

Lois Brown was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008 and re-elected in 2011. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development in 2011 and continues to serve in this capacity.
 
Prior to entering politics, Ms. Brown was the vice president of a disability management company she co-founded with her husband, which worked with large Canadian manufacturers. She was also a public appointee to a governing board of health care professionals from 2001 to 2003, where she was elected vice-chair.

Ms. Brown holds an ARCT degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She and her husband Kelvin have two daughters.

Paul Calandra

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs

Oak Ridges-Markham (Ontario)

Paul Calandra was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011.  He was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs in September 2013.
 
Previously, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage in May 2011.

Mr. Calandra has been a member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. He is a graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa with a B.A. in History and Political Science.

He lives in Stouffville with his wife Melanie and their two daughters.

Bob Dechert

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

Mississauga-Erindale (Ontario)

Bob Dechert was elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. He was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in September 2013.
 
Previously, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in May 2011 and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in March 2010. Mr. Dechert has served as a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the Finance Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Special Committee on Afghanistan.

Mr. Dechert is a former senior partner with the law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, and a former president of the Empire Club of Canada.

Mr. Dechert has lived in Mississauga for many years with his wife Ruth Clark.

Cathy McLeod

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and for Western Economic Diversification

Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo (British Columbia)

Cathy McLeod was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008 and was re-elected in 2011. Ms. McLeod was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and for Western Economic Diversification in September 2013.

Previously, she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue in January 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. McLeod was mayor of Pemberton and a director for the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. She also worked as a registered nurse and managed a number of health care centres.

Ms. McLeod has a master's degree in international primary health care from the University of London. She and her husband Gord have three children.

Andrew Saxton

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

North Vancouver (British Columbia)

Andrew Saxton was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and was re-elected in 2011. Mr. Saxton was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance in September 2013.
 
Previously, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board in November 2008, and, concurrently, Parliamentary Secretary for Western Economic Diversification following his re-election in May 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Saxton was Chief Executive Officer of King George Financial Corp., a real estate investment firm, and was on the Board of Directors of Canaco Resources, a gold exploration company. Mr. Saxton has worked for Credit Suisse at their Switzerland, New York and Vancouver offices, and for HSBC at their Hong Kong and Singapore offices. He is a former member of the board of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of British Columbia and Yukon.

Mr. Saxton graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in administrative and commercial studies.

Scott Armstrong

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development

Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley (Nova Scotia)

Scott Armstrong was first elected to the House of Commons in November 2009 and was re-elected in May 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development in September 2013.
 
Mr. Armstrong was an elementary school principal for over 10 years.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University, a master's degree in Social Science Education from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Southern Mississippi.  He has volunteered on the Children's Aid Society Board and the Hospital Foundation Board.

Eve Adams

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Mississauga-Brampton South (Ontario)

Eve Adams was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  Ms. Adams was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health in September 2013.
 
Previously, she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs in May 2011.

Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Adams was a Councillor for the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel for seven years. Earlier in her career, she worked for the provincial government of Ontario, serving in the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Citizenship and the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology. She went on to become the Executive Director of an accounting association. Ms. Adams has served on the Boards of Directors of Enersource, the Living Arts Centre, and the Red Cross. She has been active in Neighbourhood Watch, the MS Society and the Terry Fox Run.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Dan Albas

Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board

Okanagan-Coquihalla (British Columbia)

Dan Albas was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board in September 2013.

Mr. Albas has served on the Standing Committees on Government Operations and Estimates and on Justice and Human Rights.  Previously, he was elected to the Penticton City Council in 2008 and was the owner of Kick City Martial Arts.  He was campaign chair for the United Way of South Okanagan-Similkameen in 2006-07 and 2010-11.  

Dan and his wife Tara reside in West Kelowna, where they raise their four daughters.

Parm Gill

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs

Brampton-Springdale (Ontario)

Parm Gill was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs in September 2013.
 
Mr. Gill has served on the Standing Committees on Canadian Heritage, Health, Procedure and House Affairs, and on Public Safety and National Security.  He has been involved in organizations such as the Peel Regional Police, Toys-for-Tots, Champions 4 Change, Salvation Army, Family Life Resource Centre, Amar Karma Organ Donation Society, Canadian Cancer Society, and the Canadian Eye Sight International.

Mr. Gill resides in Brampton with his wife Amarpal, his two sons, Raman and Daman, and his daughter Parmeet.

Robert Goguen

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice 

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe (New Brunswick)

Robert Goguen was first elected to the House of Commons in May 2011. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in 2011 and continues to serve in this role.

Mr. Goguen is a lawyer and has practiced in Moncton, New Brunswick, for over 25 years. He has served as Chair of the Canada Pension Plan Review Tribunal in New Brunswick and throughout Canada, and has lectured on bankruptcy and insolvency matters at Mount Allison University and the Université de Moncton.

Mr. Goguen served for 10 years as a board member of Moncton Headstart Inc., and for 5 years as its President. He is also a past President of Enterprise Greater Moncton and has served as President of the Moncton-West/Riverview Rotary Clubs, which, in January 2000, awarded him a Paul Harris Fellowship.

Mr. Goguen lives in Moncton with his wife, Lori Lynn, and their three daughters.

Roxanne James

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness 

Scarborough Centre (Ontario)

Roxanne James was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness in September 2013.
 
Ms. James has close to 20 years of experience in the IT sector.  Prior to being elected to office, she was employed as a real estate professional serving the Greater Toronto Area.  She had also served as a member of the Wexford Heights Business Improvement Area.

Ms. James is married to Robert, a firefighter with the City of Toronto, and they have two children together.

Chungsen Leung

Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism 

Willowdale (Ontario)

Chungsen Leung was first elected to the House of Commons in May 2011 and was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism.

Mr. Leung was an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience both in Canada and abroad. He served as a past director and audit chair of the Xenos Group, a systems engineering corporation, and a director of Active Growth Capital. 

Mr. Leung has been a member of several Trade Missions to the Asia-Pacific Region, and was the founding president of the Richmond Hill and Markham Chinese Business Association.

Mr. Leung has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Carleton University and a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Southern California.

He lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario, with his wife Deborah. They have an adult daughter.

Costas Menegakis

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Richmond Hill (Ontario)

Mr. Menegakis was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in September 2013.  

A businessman and entrepreneur, Mr. Menegakis founded a marketing company in 1988 that presently provides logistics and marketing support services to large national and international corporations.  His community leadership roles include terms on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Toronto Police Chief's Community Advisory Council, Accessible Media Inc. and various Canadian Hellenic organizations.

Mr. Menegakis was born in Montreal, is married to Gail and has two children. 

Mark Strahl

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon (British Columbia)

Mark Strahl was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in September 2013.
 
Mr. Strahl worked as an intern in Ottawa with former Opposition Leader Preston Manning and in the offices of MP Randy Kamp, and former MP Grant McNally.  He has been a member of the Standing Committee on National Defence, of the Standing Committee on Health and of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations.  

Mr. Strahl was born and raised in Chilliwack, BC. He is married to Lisa and they have one son.

Bernard Trottier

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Etobicoke-Lakeshore (Ontario)

Bernard Trottier was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services in September 2013.
 
Mr. Trottier previously worked with Canadian and international companies on strategy, operations and technology assignments.  He was Vice-President of Customer Service and Vice President of Supply Chain with OSF Inc. He also worked with Canadian Pacific Ltd, in improving the operations of the various divisions.  Mr. Trottier is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University (MBA), as well as the University of Alberta (B.Sc.Eng.).  

Mr. Trottier lives in Etobicoke with his wife Susan Schutta and their children Alexandre and Zoë.

Susan Truppe

Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women

London North Centre (Ontario)

Susan Truppe was first elected to the House of Commons in 2011. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Status of Women in May of 2011 and will continue to serve in this role.

Previously, Ms. Truppe has been a constituency assistant to a Conservative Member of Parliament and an Assistant General Manager for a major hotel and conference centre in the London area. Her volunteer work has included spearheading the Pick a Pie for Charity campaign that raises funds for organizations such as the Hutton House, the Special Olympics and breast cancer research, to name a few.

Ms. Truppe resides in London with her husband, Walter, and their son.

Erin O'Toole

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade

Durham (Ontario)

Erin O'Toole was first elected to the House of Commons in November 2012.  He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade in September 2013.
 
Mr. O'Toole graduated from the Royal Military College in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) and was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.  He served at the Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario, and as a Tactical Navigator on the Sea King helicopter in Shearwater, Nova Scotia.  Following completion of his service in the regular forces, Mr. O'Toole transferred to the reserves and attended law school at Dalhousie University. He graduated in 2003 and returned to Ontario, where he practiced corporate law and litigation with two national law firms and served as in-house counsel to a large consumer goods company.

Mr. O'Toole lives in Courtice, Ontario, with his wife Rebecca and their children Mollie and Jack.