Representative Bardish Chagger Contact information

Bardish Chagger PC MP, a Canadian politician, served as a Cabinet minister from 2015 to 2021, leaving a notable impact on the political landscape of Canada. Born on April 6, 1980, Chagger is a member of the Liberal Party and has been representing the riding of Waterloo in the House of Commons since the 2015 federal election.

Chagger’s early life was shaped by her parents’ immigration from Punjab, India to Waterloo in the 1970s. Coming from a Sikh family, she grew up with a strong influence of her father, Gurminder “Gogi” Chagger, who was an active member of the Liberal Party and held Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in high regard. Chagger’s first foray into politics occurred during the 1993 federal election when she volunteered for Andrew Telegdi’s successful campaign in Waterloo at the young age of 13.

After completing her education at the University of Waterloo, where she initially aspired to become a nurse, Chagger became an executive assistant to Andrew Telegdi, who served as the Member of Parliament for Waterloo from 1993 to 2008. She developed valuable experience in this role before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in science. Following Telegdi’s defeat in 2008, Chagger took on the position of director of special events for the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre.

Chagger’s journey into federal politics gained momentum when she volunteered for Justin Trudeau’s leadership bid in 2013. Encouraged by her passion for public service, the Liberal Party selected her as their candidate for the newly reconstituted Waterloo riding. In the 2015 federal election, she secured victory by capturing 49.7% of the vote, defeating the two-term Conservative incumbent Peter Braid, who had previously ousted her former employer, Andrew Telegdi.

Shortly after her election, Chagger was appointed as the Minister of Small Business and Tourism on November 4, 2015. This marked the beginning of her influential role in the Canadian government. As Minister, she championed initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses and fostering tourism growth across the country.

Notably, Chagger achieved a historic milestone in Canadian politics when she became the first female Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. On August 19, 2016, she assumed this position, replacing Dominic Leblanc. While leading the government, Chagger continued to serve as Minister of Small Business and Tourism until the July 18, 2018 cabinet shuffle.

During her tenure as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Chagger embarked on efforts to modernize the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. In her role, she released a discussion paper titled “Modernization of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons” on March 10, 2017. The paper proposed various reforms to enhance transparency, accountability, and accessibility for Members of Parliament and the public. Some of the proposed changes included electronic voting, alterations to Question Period, and improvements to the process of prorogation.

However, opposition members expressed concerns about certain proposals, leading Chagger to abandon key recommendations outlined in the discussion paper. Despite this, she remained committed to implementing reforms from the 2015 Liberal election platform, such as introducing a Prime Minister’s Question Period and enhancing the Speaker’s powers regarding omnibus bills and legislative programming.

Chagger’s political career faced a significant challenge in July 2020 when she became the first witness to testify in front of a parliamentary committee investigating the awarding of a sole-sourced contract to WE Charity. As the individual who signed the contracts with WE Charity and having met with them prior to the announcement of the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program, Chagger was

involved in a controversial situation. The committee sought to examine the organization’s ties to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau. It was revealed that the contract, initially reported to be worth at least $19.5 million, would pay WE Charity up to $43.5 million to administer the student volunteer grant program. Chagger testified that the decision to outsource the program was recommended by the public service, specifically Assistant Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development, Rachel Wernick.

Throughout her political career, Bardish Chagger has made substantial contributions to the Canadian government, particularly in the areas of small business, tourism, and parliamentary modernization. Her achievements and experiences have positioned her as a notable figure in Canadian politics, shaping the nation’s political landscape for years to come.