Anita Anand

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For the British journalist, see Anita Anand (journalist).
The Honourable
Anita Anand
PC MP
File:Anand November 2019.png
Minister of National Defence
Assumed office
October 26, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byHarjit Sajjan
Receiver General for Canada
Minister of Public Services and Procurement
In office
November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byCarla Qualtrough
Succeeded byFilomena Tassi
Member of Parliament
for Oakville
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byJohn Oliver
Personal details
Born
Indira Anita Anand[1]

1967 (age 56–57)[2]
Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceOakville, Ontario
Alma materQueen's University (BA)
Wadham College, Oxford (BA)
Dalhousie University (LLB)
University of Toronto (LLM)
Profession
  • Lawyer
  • politician

Anita Anand PC MP is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the President of the Treasury Board of Canada since July 2023. She has represented the riding of Oakville in the House of Commons since the 2019 federal election, sitting as a member of the Liberal Party. Anand previously served as minister of public services and procurement from 2019 to 2021, and minister of national defence from 2021 to 2023[3]. She is the first Hindu to become a federal minister in Canada.[4][5]

Before her political career, Anand was a professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law specializing in corporate governance and the regulation of capital markets.[6] She was previously the J.R. Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance at the Faculty.[6] She was also a scholar-in-residence at the law firm Torys LLP.[7] As of October 2019, Anand is on leave from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law [6] for the duration of her time as an elected official.

As stated on her social media, Anand uses the personal pronouns "she" and "her" in English, and "elle" in French.

Early life and education[edit]

Indira Anita Anand was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Her parents were both physicians; her mother Saroj Daulat Ram was an anesthesiologist[8], and her father Sundaram Vivek ("Andy") Anand was a general surgeon, known for pioneered gastric bypass surgery in Canada [9]. Her father was from Tamil Nadu and her mother was from Punjab.[4] Anand has two sisters: Gita Anand, who is an employment lawyer in Toronto, and Sonia Anand, who is a medical doctor and researcher at McMaster University.

The family relocated to Ontario in 1985 and Anand and her husband John[10] raised their family in Oakville. The couple has four children.[11]

Anand holds four degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in political studies from Queen's University; a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in Jurisprudence from Wadham College, Oxford University; a bachelor of laws from Dalhousie University; and a master of laws from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1994.[10]

Anand has held academic positions at Yale, Queen's University and Western University. Before her election, Anand was a law professor at the University of Toronto.[12]

Personal life[edit]

Anand, her husband John, and four children have lived in Oakville, Ontario for 18 years.[13]

Over her 18 years in Oakville, Anand has served her local community in a number of ways. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Lighthouse for Grieving Children, the Oakville Hospital Foundation and Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc.[14][15] She was also the inaugural chair of the Ontario Securities Commission Investor Advisory Panel.[12]

Academic career[edit]

Anand is an expert in corporate governance, investor rights, and financial market regulation. Since her election, Anand has been on leave from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto.

Anand began her legal career as an associate at Torys from 1994 to 1997 (with leave to pursue her master's degree), after articling at Torys from 1992 to 1993. She then pursued her teaching career by serving as assistant professor (adjunct) from 1997 to 1999 at the Faculty of Law of Western University.[6] In 1999, she became assistant professor in the Faculty of Law at Queen's University, obtaining tenure and advancing to the rank of associate professor in 2003.[6] She received a U.S.-Canada Fulbright award in 2005[16] and attended Yale Law School as a visiting lecturer in law (fall 2005) teaching comparative corporate governance. She was also visiting Olin scholar in law and economics at Yale Law School (2005-2006).

She left Queen's University for the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto in 2006 where she was a full professor. She served as associate dean from 2007 to 2009. From 2010 to 2019, Anand also served as the academic director of the Centre for the Legal Profession, as well as for its Program on Ethics in Law and Business. At the time of her election, she was a senior fellow of Massey College, as well as being cross-appointed to the Rotman School of Management as the director of policy and research at the Capital Markets Research Institute, and to the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.[6]

The Government of Canada web site provides the following additional background information:[10]

Minister Anand has completed extensive research on the regulation of financial markets, corporate governance, and shareholder rights, and has appeared regularly in the media to discuss these topics. In 2015, she was appointed to the Government of Ontario's Expert Committee to Consider Financial Advisory and Financial Planning Policy Alternatives. She has conducted research for Ontario's Five-Year Review Committee, the federal Wise Person's Committee, and the Task Force to Modernize Securities Legislation in Canada.

On September 17, 2019, it was announced that Anand would receive the Yvan Allaire Medal from the Royal Society of Canada. The medal is bestowed annually for an outstanding contribution in governance of private and public organizations.[17][18] The Society stated that Anand's research "significantly altered global thinking about best practices for boards of directors, including the importance of diversity on boards".[19]

Political career[edit]

2019 federal election[edit]

On June 12, 2019, Anita Anand won the Liberal nomination for the riding of Oakville, Ontario, after the incumbent John Oliver announced that he would not run in the 2019 election.[14] She defeated former member of Provincial Parliament Kevin Flynn[20] and lawyer Tamur Shah for the nomination.[21] On October 21, 2019, Anand won the riding of Oakville with 30,265 votes.[22]

Anand was sworn in as the member of Parliament for Oakville on November 22, 2019, to represent Oakville in the House of Commons in the 43rd Canadian Parliament.

Minister of Public Services and Procurement[edit]

On November 20, 2019, Anand was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council and as procurement minister at Rideau Hall.[23]

Procurement of Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic[edit]

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Anand and her department acted quickly to bulk buy personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for Canada's health care system. In order to ensure reliable access to PPE in a hyper-competitive market, Anand and her department adopted an aggressive procurement strategy and engaged a large number of suppliers to diversify Canada's supply chains.[24] Through this strategy, the federal government also funded large-scale domestic production of medical supplies.[25]

The pandemic caused the federal government to rapidly increase its usual procurement tempo in order to purchase rapid tests, reagents, and swabs used for laboratory-based testing.[26] In April 2021, Anand told the House of Commons Health Committee that Public Services and Procurement Canada had procured over 2.5 billion articles of personal protective equipment, "with a substantial amount of that equipment being made right here, at home."[27]

Procurement of COVID-19 Vaccines[edit]

Beginning in the summer of 2020, the Canadian government signed contracts with the producers of seven leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates,[28][29] and the producers of supplies needed to package and administer those vaccines.[30] Anand told The New York Times that “because we do not know which vaccine [...] is going to be successful, ultimately we must bet on multiple vaccines at the same time." Summing up her approach, she stated, “We are not putting all our eggs in one basket.”[31]

Initially, Canada's target was to receive enough vaccines to fully immunize all eligible Canadians by September 30, 2021.[32] Anand told The Guardian that she pressed "very, very aggressively for early deliveries from the suppliers."[33] Negotiations for early delivery were successful, allowing Canada to meet and then surpass its immunization target two months ahead of schedule. By the end of July 2021, Canada had received a cumulative total of more than 66.4 million vaccines.[34][35]

By August 2021, Canada had attained the highest vaccination rate in the world.[36]

Anand also worked to finalize Canada's agreements with vaccine producers regarding the procurement and delivery of COVID-19 vaccine doses for children. After Health Canada approved the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in paediatric populations under the age of 12 years on November 19, 2021, the first paediatric doses of the vaccine arrived in Canada two days later, on November 21, 2021.[37]

2021 Federal Election[edit]

Anand was re-elected to Parliament following the 2021 Canadian federal election. She defeated consecutive Kerry Colborne with 46% of the vote. [38]

Minister of National Defence[edit]

On October 26, 2021, Anand was sworn in as Minister of National Defence at Rideau Hall. She is only the second woman in Canadian history to take on the role of national defence minister, after former prime minister Kim Campbell in the 1990s.[39] Anand stated that her top priority is tackling sexual misconduct and building a durable culture change in the Canadian Armed Forces.[40]

On November 4, 2021, Anand announced that she accepted in full an interim recommendation from former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour that the investigation and prosecution of military sexual misconduct cases be referred to Canada's civilian justice system. In a statement to the Globe and Mail, retired Colonel and military lawyer Michel Drapeau called the decision a "welcomed sign of leadership" and "a timely and powerful signal to the military justice system and victims that changes are coming.”[41]

On November 19, 2021, Anand gave her first major speech as Minister of National Defence as the keynote speaker at the Halifax International Security Forum. Anand laid out her three main priorities: building a durable culture change in the Canadian Forces, better equipping Canada's military by raising military spending, and ensuring that Canada continues to support peace and stability around the world through its military deployments.[42]

On December 13, 2021, Anand offered an official apology on behalf of the Government of Canada to all those affected by sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence. She was joined by General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, who apologized on behalf of the military, and Deputy Minister Jody Thomas, who apologized on behalf of the department.[43]

Electoral record[edit]

2021 Canadian federal election: Oakville
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Anita Anand 28,137 46.1 -0.2
Conservative Kerry Colborne 24,430 40.0 +0.9
New Democratic Jerome Adamo 5,373 8.8 +1.3
People's J.D. Meaney 1,970 3.2 +2.0
Green Oriana Knox 1,090 1.8 -3.9
Total valid votes 61,000 99.5
Total rejected ballots 330 0.5
Turnout 61,330 68.3
Eligible voters 89,757
Liberal hold Swing -0.6
Source: Elections Canada[44]
2019 Canadian federal election: Oakville
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Anita Anand 30,265 46.28 -3.11 $88,029.39
Conservative Terence Young 25,561 39.08 -3.41 $98,290.90
New Democratic Jerome Adamo 4,928 7.54 +1.62 none listed
Green James Elwick 3,704 5.66 +3.47 $7,355.08
People's JD Meaney 798 1.22 none listed
Christian Heritage Sushila Pereira 145 0.22 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 65,401 99.26
Total rejected ballots 487 0.74 +0.36
Turnout 65,888 72.94 -0.51
Eligible voters 90,334
Liberal hold Swing +0.15
Source: Elections Canada[45][46]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Canadian Ministry (by order of precedence" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  2. ^ Date information sourced from Library of Congress Authorities data, via corresponding WorldCat Identities linked authority file (LAF).
  3. ^ https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet/honourable-anita-anand
  4. ^ a b "Meet Anita Indira Anand, a law professor who became Canada's first Hindu minister". Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "Anita Anand first Hindu to be appointed cabinet minister in Canada". Hindustan Times. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Anita Anand | University of Toronto Faculty of Law". www.law.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  7. ^ "404 | Torys LLP". www.torys.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  8. ^ https://www.jonesfuneralhome.co/obituaries/Saroj-Ram-MD?obId=25232046
  9. ^ https://www.smithsfh.com/memorials/sundaram-anand/5036053/
  10. ^ a b c "The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of Public Services and Procurement". Government of Canada. November 20, 2019. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  11. ^ "Anita Anand". Liberal Party of Canada. November 25, 2019. Archived from the original on November 4, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Newly elected MP Anita Anand brings a wealth of experience to public services portfolio". Toronto Star. January 3, 2020. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  13. ^ "Anita Anand first Hindu to be appointed cabinet minister in Canada". November 21, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Anita Anand, Oakville's Federal Liberal Candidate". Oakville News. June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  15. ^ "Our Board". www.grievingchildrenlighthouse.org. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "Fulbright Canada Database". Fulbright Canada. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  17. ^ "Three U of T faculty, PhD student honoured with Royal Society of Canada awards of excellence". University of Toronto News. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  18. ^ "Press Release | 2019 Medal and Award Winners | The Royal Society of Canada". rsc-src.ca. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  19. ^ "Newly elected MP Anita Anand brings a wealth of experience to public services portfolio". Toronto Star. January 3, 2020. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  20. ^ "'Honoured to win the support': The Oakville Liberal candidate has been chosen for federal election". InsideHalton.com. June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  21. ^ "Tamur For Oakville – Liberal". Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  22. ^ Canada, Elections. "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". enr.elections.ca. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  23. ^ Machan, Nolan (November 20, 2019). "Public Services and Procurement Minister: Anita Anand". Oakville News. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  24. ^ Tumilty, Ryan (April 16, 2020). "COVID-19: Planning for 'every eventuality,' Canada is ordering all the protective gear it can". National Post.
  25. ^ "First batch of Canadian-made 3M N95 respirators: manufactured and delivered". sciencecentre.3mcanada.ca. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  26. ^ "Testing for COVID-19: Increasing testing supply". Public Health Agency of Canada. October 6, 2020. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  27. ^ "Anita Anand at the Health Committee | openparliament.ca". openparliament.ca. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  28. ^ "Federal government orders supplies to give two doses of COVID-19 vaccine when it's ready". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  29. ^ Ljunggren, David (August 5, 2020). "Canada signs deals with Pfizer, Moderna for experimental COVID-19 vaccines". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  30. ^ "Canadian manufacturers, supply chain gearing up for distribution of future COVID-19 vaccine". Coronavirus. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  31. ^ Austen, Ian (September 11, 2020). "The Vaccine Challenge: 'Not Putting All Our Eggs in One Basket'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  32. ^ Aiello, Rachel (May 11, 2021). "PM says Canada will have enough COVID-19 vaccines for a 'one-dose summer'". CTVNews. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  33. ^ "'I knew supply was coming': how Canada's push for Covid vaccines paid off". the Guardian. August 13, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  34. ^ Raycraft, Richard (July 27, 2021). "Canada has enough vaccine doses for all eligible Canadians, PM says". CBC News. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  35. ^ Cecco, Leyland (August 13, 2021). "'I knew supply was coming': how Canada's push for Covid vaccines paid off". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  36. ^ "'I knew supply was coming': how Canada's push for Covid vaccines paid off". the Guardian. August 13, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  37. ^ Thompson, Nicole (November 21, 2021). "Plane carrying doses of COVID-19 vaccines for kids touches down in Canada". Coronavirus. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  38. ^ https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/federal/2021/results/
  39. ^ Tunney, Catharine (October 26, 2021). "Anand to Defence, Joly to Foreign Affairs: Trudeau announces major cabinet shakeup". CBC News. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  40. ^ "Sex misconduct crisis hurting military recruitment, morale: Defence Minister Anand". National Post. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  41. ^ Kirkup, Kristy; Fine, Sean (November 4, 2021). "Military sexual-assault cases will be moved to civilian justice system, Defence Minister says". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  42. ^ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Politique-. "La ministre de la Défense nationale ouvre le Forum de la sécurité internationale à Halifax". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  43. ^ Gallant, Jacques (December 13, 2021). "Defence minister and top officials apologize for failing survivors of military sexual misconduct". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  44. ^ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  45. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  46. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2021.

External links[edit]

29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
Carla Qualtrough Minister of Public Services and Procurement
November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021 		Filomena Tassi
Harjit Sajjan Minister of National Defence
October 26, 2021 – present 		Incumbent
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