Leeanna Pendergast (born ) is a Canadian former politician. She was a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

member of the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...

from 2007 to 2011, representing the riding of

Kitchener—Conestoga Kitchener—Conestoga (formerly known as Kitchener—Wilmot—Wellesley—Woolwich) is a federal electoral district (Canada), electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. Its pop ...

Background

Pendergast was born in

Kitchener, Ontario ) , image_flag = Flag of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , image_seal = Seal of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_shield=Coat of arms of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_blank_emblem = Logo of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , blank_emblem_type = ...

in 1962. She obtained a bachelor's degree from the

University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality ...

. She has also studied at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

and at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in England, receiving numerous degrees including a MA, BEd and MEd. She worked at numerous high schools in the region, serving as the vice-principal of four schools and as an education consultant for the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Pendergast has helped develop various programs for youth in Kitchener, including the Safe Schools Initiative and the Breakfast Program for Needy Students. She has also chaired the Education Foundation golf classic, raising money for literacy and numeracy initiatives. She and her husband, Richard, have lived in Conestogo, just outside Kitchener, and is a Vice-Principal at Sir John A. MacDonald Public School. She has three sons, Adam, Alexander and Benjamin.

Politics

In the 2007 provincial election she was elected in the riding of

defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Harris by about 1,500 votes. On October 30, 2007, she was named the

parliamentary assistant In UK politics, a parliamentary assistant is an unelected partisan member of staff employed by a Member of Parliament (MP) to assist them with their parliamentary duties. Parliamentary assistants usually work at the House of Commons in the U ...

to the Minister Responsible for Women's Issues,

Deb Matthews Deborah Drake Matthews is a former Canadian politician who served as the 10th deputy premier of Ontario from 2013 to 2018. A member of the Liberal Party, Matthews was the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for London North Centre from 2003 ...

. On September 11, 2009, Pendergast was named the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education. She was the co-chair of the Working Group on Financial Literacy, tasked with submitting a report to the curriculum council with recommendations on how to seamlessly integrate financial literacy into the Ontario curriculum from Grades 4 to 12. In the 2011 provincial election, Pendergast faced Michael Harris again. This time, Harris defeated Pendergast by 3,700 votes.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pendergast, Leeanna 1962 births Alumni of the University of Oxford Canadian educators Canadian women educators Living people Ontario Liberal Party MPPs Politicians from Kitchener, Ontario People from Woolwich, Ontario University of Toronto alumni University of Waterloo alumni Women MPPs in Ontario 21st-century Canadian politicians 21st-century Canadian women politicians