This week, Canadians elected a total of 112 new Members of Parliament, marking a significant shift in the composition of the House of Commons. Among the newly elected MPs are a handful of individuals born in the early 2000s, making them the first MPs to be born in this century.
One of the notable newcomers is Jake Sawatzky, a 25-year-old master’s student in counselling psychology from British Columbia. Sawatzky, who ran as a Liberal candidate, pulled off an upset victory by unseating longtime NDP MP Peter Julian. In his campaign, Sawatzky emphasized the importance of addressing mental health and addictions issues, stating that many people are not receiving the treatment they desperately need. He expressed his desire to advocate for policy changes in these areas once he takes his seat in the House of Commons.
Sawatzky’s win is part of a larger trend towards a younger and more diverse representation in Canadian politics. Amandeep Sodhi and Fares Al Soud, both born in the early 2000s, were also elected as Liberal MPs in Ontario. Additionally, Tatiana Auguste, another young Liberal candidate, came close to winning in Quebec and may still have a chance pending a recount.
The House of Commons is also welcoming Eric Melillo, the first Gen Z MP to be elected in 2019 and re-elected this week. Sukhman Gill, another young Conservative MP from British Columbia, will join Melillo in representing the younger generation in Parliament.
In addition to the younger MPs, the Conservatives are adding new members with backgrounds in sports. Helena Konanz, a former professional tennis player, and Jason Groleau and Gabriel Hardy, former hockey players, are among the new Conservative MPs with sports connections.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
Several incoming MPs have transitioned from provincial politics to the federal level. Roman Baber, a former Ontario MPP, made headlines for his opposition to pandemic health measures and later ran for the federal Conservative leadership. Other notable provincial politicians making the transition include Mike Dawson from New Brunswick, Éric Lefebvre from Quebec, and Ellis Ross from British Columbia.
On the Liberal side, former Quebec finance minister Carlos Leitão, former Nova Scotia MLA Braedon Clark, and former Saskatchewan MLA Buckley Belanger are among those making the leap to federal politics. Stephanie McLean, a former Alberta NDP MLA, also joined the Liberals and won a seat in British Columbia.
The newly elected MPs bring a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to the House of Commons. From musicians like David Myles to farmers like Kent McDonald and David Bexte, the incoming MPs reflect the rich tapestry of Canadian society. As they take their seats in Parliament, they will work together to address the pressing issues facing the country and represent the interests of their constituents.
