Steven Garrett MacKinnon PC MP (born September 28, 1966) is a Canadian politician who has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Gatineau since 2015. A member of the Liberal Party, MacKinnon is the minister of employment, workforce development and labour, as well as the government house leader.

Steven MacKinnon
MacKinnon in 2024
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
Assumed office
December 20, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded by
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Assumed office
January 24, 2025
Interim: January 8–July 19, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byKarina Gould
Minister of Labour
In office
July 19, 2024 – December 20, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded bySeamus O'Regan
Succeeded byHimself
Minister of Seniors
In office
July 19, 2024 – December 20, 2024[1]
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded bySeamus O'Regan
Succeeded byJoanne Thompson
Chief Government Whip
In office
October 28, 2021 – January 8, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byMark Holland
Succeeded byRuby Sahota
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
In office
January 30, 2017 – October 28, 2021
MinisterJudy Foote
Carla Qualtrough
Anita Anand
Preceded byLeona Alleslev
Succeeded byAnthony Housefather
Member of Parliament
for Gatineau
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byFrançoise Boivin
Personal details
Born
Steven Garrett MacKinnon

(1966-09-28) September 28, 1966 (age 58)
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Politician
  • businessman

Early life and education

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MacKinnon was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and studied business at the Université de Moncton and Queen's University.

In addition to his career in politics, MacKinnon has worked in business and public affairs. From 2007 to 2015, he was Senior Vice-President and National Practice Leader at a global public affairs consultancy firm, where he led teams and major projects in mergers and acquisitions and financial communications.

Political career

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As political advisor

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McKinnon served as executive assistant and an advisor to New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna from 1988 to 1995.

A supporter and advisor to former Prime Minister Paul Martin, McKinnon was named Deputy National Director upon Martin's election as party leader and Prime Minister. He acted as the party's communications chief during the 2004 election, and was promoted to national director of the Liberal Party of Canada after the election. In that role, he oversaw a overhaul of the party's constitution and the last competitive leadership contest decided through a delegated convention, both cumulating at the party's convention held in Montreal in December 2006 where fourth place contender Stéphane Dion emerged as the surprised victor. McKinnon announced he resignation as national director the in the week immediately following the convention. He later served as the returning officer for the 2013 federal leadership election.[2]

Parliamentary Career

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MacKinnon first contested for a seat in parliament in the 2011 federal election in Gatineau, finishing third and almost 50 points behind Françoise Boivin, a former Liberal MP running for the New Democratic Party who secured 62% of the votes, and the then-incumbent Bloc Quebecois MP Richard Nadeau by just over 1 point.

Four years later at the 2015 election, MacKinnon returned and defeated Boivin by a 2-to-1 margin. He was relected in 2019 and 2021 with similar margin against Bloc Québécois rival Geneviève Nadeau.

MacKinnon was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in January 2017, and with the exception for the campaign period in 2019 held the role continuously under three ministers until the dissolution of parliament prior to the 2021 election.

Frontbench career

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Following the 2021 election, MacKinnon was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Chief Government Whip and was sworn in as a Privy Councillor.

He was promoted to cabinet in January 2024 on an interim basis as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons during the parental leave of the incoming House Leader Karina Gould. He was made a full member of cabinet in July as Minister of Labour and Minister of Seniors. In the cabinet shuffle that took place at the height of the 2024–2025 Canadian political crisis, MacKinnon relinquished the senior portfolio and consolidated other workforce related portfolios to became the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

In the two weeks following the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, MacKinnon publicly explored a bid in the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election,[3][4] but opted not to enter the race citing the short duration of the race.[5] He later endorsed the candidacy of former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.[6] On January 25, MacKinnon also resume the role of Government House Leader after Karina Gould resigned from cabinet to run in the leadership race; MacKinnon had previously stood in for her during her maternity leave in 2024.[7]

Electoral record

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2021 Canadian federal election: Gatineau
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Steven MacKinnon 26,267 50.0 -2.1 $55,420.93
Bloc Québécois Geneviève Nadeau 12,278 23.4 +2.0 $13,121.18
Conservative Joel Bernard 5,752 11.0 +0.7 $3,144.49
New Democratic Fernanda Rengel 4,508 8.6 -2.4 $51.11
People's Mathieu Saint-Jean 2,264 4.3 +3.3 $4,401.73
Green Rachid Jemmah 783 1.5 -2.6 $0.00
Free Luc Lavoie 411 0.8 N/A $564.48
Rhinoceros Sébastien Grenier 178 0.3 N/A $0.00
Marxist–Leninist Pierre Soublière 56 0.1 ±0.0 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 52,497 98.5 $113,382.26
Total rejected ballots 818 1.5
Turnout 53,315 63.8
Registered voters 83,618
Liberal hold Swing -2.0
Source: Elections Canada[8]
2019 Canadian federal election: Gatineau
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Steven MacKinnon 29,084 52.1 -1.66 $67,009.65
Bloc Québécois Geneviève Nadeau 11,926 21.4 +11.96 none listed
New Democratic Eric Chaurette 6,128 11.0 -15.56 $24,553.38
Conservative Sylvie Goneau 5,745 10.3 +2.11 $16,427.02
Green Guy Dostaler 2,264 4.1 +2.47 $0.00
People's Mario-Roberto Lam 560 1.0 $1,439.79
Marxist–Leninist Pierre Soublière 76 0.1 -0.06 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 55,783 100.0
Total rejected ballots 787
Turnout 56,570 67.0
Eligible voters 84,463
Liberal hold Swing -6.81
Source: Elections Canada[9][10]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Steve MacKinnon 31,076 53.76 +39.96
New Democratic Françoise Boivin 15,352 26.56 -35.57
Bloc Québécois Philippe Boily 5,455 9.44 -5.49
Conservative Luc Angers 4,733 8.19 +0.18
Green Guy Dostaler 942 1.63 +0.49
Independent Guy J. Bellavance 148 0.26
Marxist–Leninist Pierre Soublière 94 0.16
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,800 100.0   $221,304.70
Total rejected ballots 522
Turnout 58,322
Eligible voters 83,651
Source: Elections Canada[11][12][13]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Françoise Boivin 35,262 61.83 +35.71
Bloc Québécois Richard Nadeau 8,619 15.11 -14.04
Liberal Steve MacKinnon 7,975 13.98 -11.34
Conservative Jennifer Gearey 4,532 7.95 -8.86
Green Jonathan Meijer 639 1.12 -1.45
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,027 100.00
Total rejected ballots 365 0.64
Turnout 57,392 64.36
Eligible voters 89,171

References

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  1. ^ https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/4-ministers-to-get-new-portfolios-8-liberal-mps-to-be-promoted-in-trudeau-cabinet-shuffle-sources-1.7153105
  2. ^ Meet Steve MacKinnon, Liberal.ca.
  3. ^ Rana, Abbas (January 4, 2025). "If Trudeau announces he's stepping down, expect another cabinet shuffle, say Liberal sources". The Hill Times. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  4. ^ https://globalnews.ca/news/10943578/mark-carney-liberal-caucus-leadership/
  5. ^ Buckley, Charlie (January 12, 2025). "Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon will not run for Liberal leadership". CTV News. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  6. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6621647
  7. ^ Vigliotti, Marco (January 25, 2025). "MacKinnon takes over as government House leader". iPolitics. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "Confirmed candidates — Gatineau". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  9. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  10. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  11. ^ "Voter Information Service - Who are the candidates in my electoral district?". www.elections.ca.
  12. ^ "Elections Canada On-line - Élection Canada en-ligne". www.elections.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  13. ^ "Résultats du soir d'élection - Circonscriptions". enr.elections.ca. Élections Canada.
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29th Ministry – Cabinet of Justin Trudeau
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Seamus O'Regan Minister of Labour
July 19, 2024 – present
Incumbent