Jennifer O’Connell was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Pickering—Uxbridge in 2015.
Ms. O’Connell previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance (Youth Economic Opportunity).
A former three-term city and regional councillor for the City of Pickering and Durham Region, Ms. O’Connell has played an active role on several boards and committees over the years, including the Durham Region Finance and Administration Committee. She spent four years as Chair of Pickering’s Waterfront Committee and Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Pickering Advisory Committee. She also served as Deputy Mayor of Pickering.
Through her work as a junior legal assistant and volunteer at a labour law firm, she found her passion for giving a voice to those in need. She learned early on how to channel this passion to achieve real and tangible results, which led her to become the youngest elected politician in her municipal ward.
Ms. O’Connell holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Toronto.