Representative Charles Sousa Contact information

Anthony Charles Sousa MP, born on September 27, 1958, is a Canadian politician who has made significant contributions to public service in both provincial and federal politics. He currently serves as the Member of Parliament from Mississauga-Lakeshore since December 12, 2022, representing the Ontario Liberal Party. Prior to his federal role, Sousa held various positions in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and served as the Minister of Finance for Ontario from 2013 to 2018.

Sousa’s journey began in Mississauga, where he grew up as the son of Portuguese immigrants. He pursued higher education and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1982 with a degree in Business Administration. Seeking further expertise, he completed a fellowship at the Institute of Canadian Bankers in 1991 and earned an Executive MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in 1994. His professional career spanned over 20 years at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Financial Group, where he held prominent positions such as Director of Commercial Banking and Director of Marketing at RBC Dominion Securities. Additionally, Sousa owned and operated a factoring company that provided asset-based financing to small businesses.

In addition to his corporate experience, Sousa actively engaged in various business organizations. He was a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, served as a director with the United States Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of the Toronto Board of Trade. In 2003, he was appointed as a director representing Canada to the International Chamber of Commerce. Sousa also played leadership roles in business and professional associations, including the Federation of Portuguese-Canadian Business & Professionals and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Toronto (EUCOCIT). Furthermore, he made valuable contributions to the community by serving as an ambassador for the Credit Valley Hospital Foundation and an honorary chair of the Rainbow Ball Foundation.

Throughout his career, Sousa has been recognized for his outstanding service and dedication. He received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003, followed by the Order of Merit’s Commander (Comendador) induction in 2009. In 2012, he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2015, Sousa was honored as a nobleman to the Confraria Port Wines. His commitment to public service and community engagement has left a lasting impact.

Sousa’s political involvement began with his active participation in the campaign for John Tory’s mayoral bid in 2003. Despite the municipal elections being non-partisan, Sousa supported Tory, a member of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party, as part of the “Grits for Tory” leadership group. His interest in politics grew, leading him to pursue the federal Liberal nomination in 2004 and 2006, where he faced tightly contested races but unfortunately did not succeed.

In 2007, Sousa entered provincial politics and was elected as the representative for Mississauga South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He defeated the incumbent Tim Peterson, who had switched party affiliations to the PC Party. Sousa’s victory with over 46% of the popular vote marked the beginning of his successful political career. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2014, earning the trust and support of his constituents.

Sousa’s remarkable achievements and commitment to public service led to his appointment as a parliamentary assistant to three different ministries. In 2010, he was promoted to cabinet and became the Minister of Labour under Premier Dalton McGuinty. In 2011, he took on the role of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, while also overseeing the PanAm/ParapanAm Games. Sousa introduced important legislation during his tenure

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