Patty Hajdu
- Born
- November 3, 1966 — Montreal
- Family
- Mother of two adult sons
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Lakehead University; Masters of Public Administration, University of Victoria
- Career
- Worked in harm prevention, homelessness, and substance misuse prevention; head of the drug awareness committee of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit; creative director and graphic designer in marketing; executive director at Shelter House
- Political Experience
- Minister of Status of Women (2015–2017), Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour (2017–2019), Minister of Health (2019–2021), Minister of Indigenous Services (2021–2025), Minister of Jobs and Families (2025-)
- Notable
- Spent early years in Chisholm, Minnesota; raised by her aunt and uncle; lived on her own at age 16 while finishing high school
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering federal politics, Patty Hajdu had a career focused on public health and social issues in Thunder Bay. She was the executive director of Shelter House, a local homeless shelter, and also worked on projects related to drug policy, harm reduction, and community health. Her public disclosures with the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner have listed assets such as a rental property and various publicly traded securities.
Key Relationships & Connections
As a long-serving cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hajdu is a senior member of the Liberal Party's leadership team. She has held several high-profile portfolios, including Minister of Health and her current role as Minister of Indigenous Services, indicating a close working relationship with the Prime Minister and other key cabinet members. In her capacity as Minister of Indigenous Services, she works directly with the leaders of national Indigenous organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council.
Public Controversies
As Minister of Health during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patty Hajdu faced criticism for her early assessments of the virus's risk to Canada. Her statements, which were based on the World Health Organization's advice at the time, suggested the risk was low and that border closures were not an effective containment measure. These positions were later reversed as the pandemic's severity became clear, and her initial comments became a source of political controversy. Later in her tenure as Health Minister, Hajdu was involved in a significant dispute with Parliament over the government's refusal to release unredacted documents concerning the firing of two scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. The government, citing national security, took the Speaker of the House of Commons to court to prevent the release of the documents to a parliamentary committee, a move that was widely criticized as a breach of parliamentary privilege.
Where Patty falls on key policy spectrums
Your Money
People & Society
How We're Governed
Land & Community
How does Patty Hajdu's voting record line up with your values?
Mr. Speaker, we actually have a serious proposal to save jobs, and we are putting the money behind it. What we are not doing is standing up there and criticizing every single idea— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mr. Speaker, the only thing I hear in the House of Commons today is the members of Parliament from the Conservative Party who have clearly given up. We are not chasing after things that we actually cannot bring to fruition. We are working on the things we can control. When the Premier of Ontario, the aluminum industry, the steel industry, the automotive industry and the critical mineral industry
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have done with the temporary foreign worker program. We have worked closely with provinces and territories to ensure that flexibilities are there for provinces that need short-term labour availability when there are no Canadians to take the jobs. What does not help is an opposition party that demonizes immigration and demonizes immigrants, making it harder
Mr. Speaker, when members of Parliament have letters like that from constituents, it is important to share that information. I am very glad that member of Parliament has. I hope that he is telling Candace about the opportunities that exist for her and her family.
Prime Minister Mr. Speaker, I have some good news for workers in Cambridge and all across Ontario. The Premier of Ontario and thestood together yesterday and said that they were going to control the things they can control. One of the things we can control is investing in our companies to make sure they can produce steel for the automotive sector, for the critical industries that are powering our
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might want to speak to his caucus about not demonizing immigration. In fact, so often we hear from members on the opposition bench about how immigrants are stealing Canadians' jobs. They are forgetting about the hard work immigrants do to build a life here, to contribute to our economies and in fact to build businesses. He should speak to the members of his caucus
Mr. Speaker, when industry speaks and tells the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario what kinds of supports they need, we listen. We listen, because we know we can actually pivot these industries and support Canadian workers. When northern Ontario puts its hand up and says it wants to be part of the solution and wants faster action on the Ring of Fire, we partner with Ontario. We
Mr. Speaker, any mother who is facing hardship and has to sell things on Facebook Marketplace to feed her child is something I think we could all say would be an abomination in Canada. That is why I think that member of Parliament should go and tell that mother, Julia, that he voted against the school nutrition program, that he voted against the Canada child benefit program and that he voted
Mr. Speaker, I do not know Candace's background, but I can tell members this. We are working hard to make sure every single Canadian has a pathway into good jobs. Not only that, there are great jobs out there. We are making sure that people have the skills that they need to take up those good jobs. I would be happy to correspond with Candace and tell her about some of the work that we are doing
Kenora Mr. Speaker, the question has been asked and answered, but I will ask a question. Why is it that this opposition party cannot stand with Canadians, the Province of Ontario and the premier, as we have, to protect steel workers, to protect the steel industry, to protect the automotive industry and, yes, to invest in the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario? I know the member of Parliament forhas