Know all about Anita Anand, Indian-origin woman and contender to succeed Canadian PM Trudeau

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Just six years into her political career, Anita Anand, a Canadian woman of Indian descent is already among the favorites to replace Justin Trudeau as the Prime Minister of Canada, following the latter’s decision to step down from the post on Monday, January 6. If Anand is chosen as Trudeau’s successor, she would make history as the first woman of color to lead Canada.

Trudeau took the decision amidst mounting pressure from party colleague, capping his near decade journey as the Prime Minister of the North American nation.

But who is Anita Anand? She is a senior member of Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada, who entered the country’s Parliament in 2019 following a win from Oakville. Since then, Anand has held several key portfolios, including Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Minister of National Defense, and President of the Treasury Board. Currently, she is Canada’s Transport and Internal Trade Minister, a post she has been serving since 2024.

Anand was born on May 20, 1967 in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Her parents, Saroj D Ram and SV Anand, moved to Canada from India in the early 1960s.

She grew up with her two sisters, Gita and Sonia. At 18, Anand moved to Ontario to pursue a degree in political science.

Anand holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.

Before entering politics, Anand, who married John Knowlton in 1995, worked as a law professor at the University of Toronto, where she held the JR Kimber Chair in investor protection and corporate governance.

According to reports, Anand was the Associate Dean of the University of Toronto as well as the Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Institute at the Rotman School of Management.

Her husband is a Canadian lawyer and business executive. The two met during her post graduation in law at the University of Toronto. The couple has four children.

One of the highlights of her political career came as the Minister of Public Services, where she played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her negotiation skills helped Canada procure better medical supplies, oxygen supplies, masks, PPE kits, vaccine supplies, and rapid antigen tests during the pandemic.

In 2021, she worked as the Minister of National Defense.

During her stint, she brought about fundamental reforms to Canada’s military, including reforms to address cases of sexual misconduct in the country’s armed forces.

Anand has also gained a nationwide reputation for being a strong advocate of inclusiveness — including LGBT+ inclusiveness — and gender equality.

(Photo courtesy: x.com/AnitaAnandMP)

Related posts