Deb Matthews

The Honourable Deb Matthews MPP
Deputy Premier of Ontario
Incumbent
Assumed office February 11, 2013
Preceded by	Dwight Duncan
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for London North Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office October 2, 2003
Preceded by	Dianne Cunningham
Personal details
Born	1953 (age 71–72) London, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Residence	London, Ontario

Deborah Drake Matthews (born c. 1953) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in 2003. She represents the riding of London North Centre. She has served as a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty and is a cabinet minister and Deputy Premier of Ontario in the new government of Kathleen Wynne.

Background

Matthews was born in London, Ontario. She is the third of nine children born to Donald Jeune Matthews, former president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Her mother is Joyce Eleanor Matthews, and her sister is Shelley Peterson, the wife of former Ontario Premier David Peterson.

She graduated from St. George’s Public School and A.B. Lucas Secondary School. She studied at the University of Western Ontario where she earned a PhD in social demography. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled the "Consequences of immigrant concentration in Canada, 2001–2051." She worked at a number of positions in private business and also taught at the University of Western Ontario. Matthews was honoured twice on the University Students' Council Teaching Honour Roll at the University of Western Ontario.

Politics

Matthews has been involved in the Liberal Party since 1975, when she helped run Peterson's campaign in the old riding of London Centre. She co-chaired the Liberal Party's provincial campaigns in the elections of 1987 and 1995. Matthews was elected as President of the Ontario Liberal Party in 2003 and held the post until resigning in late 2006.

In the 2003 election, Matthews defeated Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Dianne Cunningham by almost 7,000 votes.

On October 23, 2003, she was appointed parliamentary assistant to Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Community and Social Services.

In the 2007 election, Matthews defeated Progressive Conservative Rob Alder by over 10,000 votes. She was appointed as the Minister of Children and Youth Services and Minister Responsible for Women's Issues after the election.

On December 4, 2008, Matthews introduced Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy as chair of the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction. The long-term reduction plan set a target to reduce the number of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over 5 years.

On October 7, 2009, Matthews was named Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to replace David Caplan.

In the 2011 election, Matthews defeated Progressive Conservative Nancy Branscombe by over 6,000 votes. She was reappointed as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on October 20, 2011.

In 2012, Matthews came under pressure because of revelations at Ornge, Ontario's air ambulance service. Members of the opposition Progressive Conservative and New Democratic parties called for her to resign. In response to the revelations at Ornge, Matthews announced an OPP investigation.

During the Liberal Party leadership race in 2013, she was an early supporter of Kathleen Wynne's candidacy to lead the party.

Following the 2014 election, Matthews was shuffled from Health to a revamped role as President of the Treasury Board, where she will be front and centre in the government's bid to return to budgetary balance by 2017-2018.

Cabinet positions

Provincial Government of Kathleen Wynne
Cabinet Post (1)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
Dwight Duncan	Deputy Premier of Ontario 2013–present President of the Treasury Board and also Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy	Incumbent
Provincial Government of Dalton McGuinty
Cabinet Posts (2)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
David Caplan	Minister of Health and Long-Term Care 2009–2014	Eric Hoskins
Mary Anne Chambers	Minister of Children and Youth Services 2007–2009 Also Responsible for Women's Issues	Laurel Broten

Electoral record

Ontario general election, 2011

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Deb Matthews	19,157	43.81%	-2.86%
	Progressive Conservative	Nancy Branscombe	12,628	28.88%	+4.40%
	New Democratic	Steve Holmes	9,875	22.58%	+6.07%
	Green	Kevin Labonte	1,512	3.46%	-8.88%

Ontario general election, 2007

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Deb Matthews	21,669	46.7%	+3.27%
	Progressive Conservative	Rob Alder	11,366	24.5%	-4.42%
	New Democratic	Steve Holmes	7,667	16.5%	-8.03%
	Green	Brett McKenzie	5,730	12.3%	+10.62%

Ontario general election, 2003

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Deb Matthews	20,212	43.43%	+22.54%
	Progressive Conservative	Dianne Cunningham	13,460	28.92%	-11.29%
	New Democratic	Rebecca Coulter	11,414	24.53%	-11.93%
	Green	Bronagh Joyce Morgan	780	1.68%	+0.88%
	Family Coalition	Craig Smith	432	0.93%	-0.09%
	Freedom	Lisa Turner	242	0.52%	+0.18%

External links

• Official website
• Ontario Legislative Assembly Parliamentarian History