Margarett R. Best is a former Canadian politician. She was a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

member of the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA; ) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal as ...

(MPP) from 2007 to 2013 and represented the riding of Scarborough—Guildwood. She was a cabinet minister in the government of

Dalton McGuinty Dalton James Patrick McGuinty Jr. (born July 19, 1955) is a Canadian former politician who served as the 24th premier of Ontario from 2003 to 2013. He was the first Liberal leader to win two majority governments since Mitchell Hepburn nea ...

Background

Best, an

African Canadian Black Canadians () are Canadians of full or partial Afro-Caribbean or sub-Saharan African descent. Black Canadian settlement and immigration patterns can be categorized into two distinct groups. The majority of Black Canadians are descendants ...

, was born in Jamaica. She was educated at the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus and

Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the ''Journal of Law and Social Policy'', and the ''Osgoode Hall Law Journal ...

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

. She was a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada Solicitor's Examination Blueprint Committee, the Board of the Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham, Sheena's Place Breakfast Committee, and the College Compensations and Appointment Council.

Politics

Best was first elected to the

in the 2007 Ontario election. She was appointed Minister of Health Promotion and Sport by

. In 2008, she introduced legislation banning smoking in cars when children were present. The Bill called the ''Smoke-Free Ontario Amendment Act'' imposed a fine of $250 for transgressors. She was the lead minister in Ontario's successful bid for the

2015 Pan American Games The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...

and the

2015 Parapan American Games The 2015 Parapan American Games, officially the V Parapan American Games and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 ParaPan-Am Games, were a major international multi-sport event for Disabled sports, athletes with disabilities, celebrated in the tra ...

. Best was re-elected in the 2011 election. She was the first African-Canadian woman to be re-elected to the Provincial Legislature in the Province of Ontario. Following the election, she was appointed Minister of Consumer Services. In her capacity as Minister of Consumer Services, she introduced Bill 82, ''The Wireless Services Agreements Act, 2012'', an act to strengthen consumer protection with respect to consumer agreements relating to wireless services accessed from a cellular phone, smartphone or any other similar mobile device. The bill died when McGuinty prorogued the Ontario Legislature in October 2012. Best also did extensive work on reforming the ''Condominium Act'', including developing the framework for legislative reform of the act and leading the consultation process. She worked on the amendments to the ''Not for Profit Business Corporations Act'' and the ''Delegated Administrative Authorities Act'', which was introduced as part of the 2012 budget. She was a member of the Health Education and Social Policy Committee and the Legislation and Regulation Committee of the 39th and 40th Parliament of Ontario, and she sat on the Poverty Reduction Committee of the 39th Parliament of Ontario. In February 2013, she was appointed

parliamentary assistant In British politics and some Commonwealth nations, a parliamentary assistant is an unelected partisan staff member employed by a Member of Parliament (MP) to assist them with their parliamentary duties. Parliamentary assistants usually work ...

to the

Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

by the new premier

Kathleen Wynne Kathleen O'Day Wynne ( ; born May 21, 1953) is a former Canadian politician who served as the 25th premier of Ontario and leader of the Ontario Liberal Party from 2013 to 2018. She was Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario), member of provinci ...

. Her exclusion from Wynne's first cabinet was initially reported as a demotion for political reasons,"Kathleen Wynne picks Charles Sousa as finance minister after Sandra Pupatello declines"
''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

'', February 10, 2013. although it was later revealed that Best had asked to have her duties reduced for undisclosed health reasons."Former minister Margarett Best resigning as MPP"
''

'', June 27, 2013. On June 27, 2013, she announced her resignation as MPP.

Awards and recognition

In 2006, Best was awarded the African Canadian Achievement Award. She was awarded another African Canadian Achievement Award in 2011 for excellence in politics. In 2008, she was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the

Northern Caribbean University Northern Caribbean University (NCU) is a university in Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica. NCU is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and also has campuses in Kingston, Montego Bay Montego Bay () is the capital of the Pa ...

. Best has also received the BBPA Women of Distinction Award and, in October 2009, was bestowed with a 2009 National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada Award in the Distinguished Services category of Equality/Social Justice. She was named one of Canada's most influential women in Sports and Physical Activity in 2010 and received a City of Toronto Diversity Award in 2011. In 2012, she received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work as a public servant and the 2012 Canadian Association of Black Lawyers(CABL)Pathfinder Award. She was awarded the Jackie Robinson's Fortitude Award, named one of Canada's 100 most Accomplished Black Women in 2016, and named the 2017 Canadian National Laureate for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. Best has also been recognized by the Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham for her commitment to social and gender equality issues. She received a "Reaching Out and Giving Back Award" from the Prospect Primary School Alumni Association of Canada, and a Professional Award of Excellence from the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Cabinet posts

Electoral record

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Best, Margarett 1958 births Black Canadian politicians Canadian women lawyers Jamaican emigrants to Canada Lawyers in Ontario Living people Members of the Executive Council of Ontario Ontario Liberal Party MPPs Osgoode Hall Law School alumni People from Scarborough, Ontario Politicians from Toronto University of Toronto alumni Women government ministers of Canada Women MPPs in Ontario Black Canadian women 21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario 21st-century Canadian women politicians Black Canadian lawyers Black Canadian activists