The Honourable Joanne Thompson was first elected as the Member of Parliament for St. John’s East in 2021. She has been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development and the Standing Committee on Finance.

Born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Minister Thompson is committed to advancing social justice, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, and supporting communities. Her passion for helping others was ignited at a young age when she started volunteering at St. Clare’s Hospital. She later trained then worked as a Registered Nurse while attending the Memorial University of Newfoundland part-time. She continued her career in community health until 1990, when she turned her focus to building a family business with her husband, working two jobs while studying to qualify as a graduate gemologist. Prior to entering politics, Minister Thompson most recently served as the Executive Director of The Gathering Place, a community health centre serving vulnerable populations in downtown St. John’s.

Minister Thompson has long been an active volunteer and member of her community, including when she offered hands-on care to St. John’s most vulnerable as a nurse. She again put these skills to work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, when The Gathering Place remained open throughout lockdowns to support local residents. She is the recipient of the Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal in recognition of her dedication, volunteerism, and hard work to make her community a better place.

Minister Thompson is a lifelong learner. In addition to a Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University and a graduate degree in gemology from the Gemological Institute of America, she holds a Master of Business Administration in Social Enterprise from the University of Fredericton.

Minister Thompson lives in St. John’s East with her husband and has three grown children.