- Mark Holland
-
Mark Holland 
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Ajax—PickeringIn office
June 28, 2004 – May 2, 2011Preceded by new riding Succeeded by Christopher Alexander Personal details Born October 16, 1974
Pickering, OntarioPolitical party Liberal Spouse(s) Cindy Fournier-Holland [1] Residence Pickering, Ontario Profession investment advisor, politician Website Markholland.ca Mark Holland (born October 16, 1974) is a Canadian politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Liberal Party in the Ontario riding of Ajax-Pickering. Holland was subsequently re-elected in the 2006 and 2008 federal elections.[1] Holland served as the critic for Public Safety and National Security in the shadow cabinet up until 2011, when he fell to Conservative Candidate Christopher Alexander.
Contents
Early life
Born in Pickering, Ontario, Holland majored in political science and history at the University of Toronto and graduated in 1996. He worked as an assistant to Member of Parliament Dan McTeague and at the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. He also worked for the Royal Bank of Canada and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. He served as a city councilor for the city of Pickering from 1997 till 2004 as well as a councilor for the Regional Municipality of Durham from 2000 to 2004. In 2004 Holland served as the acting Mayor of Pickering.
Holland created the Millennium Waterfront Committee in Pickering in 1998 and led the redevelopment of the City of Pickering's waterfront. He also founded the Region of Durham's Youth Partnership Initiative, the City of Pickering's Winterfest and was a member of the Board of Directors for Veridian Corporation. Holland was also a member of the Durham Region Police Services Board, past Vice-Chair of both the Ajax-Pickering Social Development Council and the Ajax-Pickering Block Parent program and a past member of Durham Region Finance and Administration Committee. He continues to be a member of the Durham West Arts Centre, and was one of their founding members.
Politics
Holland was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Ajax-Pickering, Ontario, from 2004 to 2011. He has served as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Vice Chair of the Public Safety and National Security Committee, Critic for Natural Resources, Critic for Public Works and Procurement, Critic for the Canadian Border Services Agency, Associate Critic for Treasury Board, as a member of the Finance Committee, Industry Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Government Operations Committee and on the Cities and Communities Caucus. Holland currently serves in the Liberal shadow cabinet as critic for Public Safety and National Security, he is also the Vice Chair of the Public Safety and National Security Committee.[2][3]
In Parliament, Holland brought up a private members bill to advocate for the cause of lowering the voting age. The bill stipulated that 16–18 year-olds be allowed to vote in federal elections encouraged provincial and municipal jurisdictions to allow the same. He asked that an elections unit be taught in high schools before elections take place, to inform students on current events and issues at debate. By raising this interest in youth first, at the election they will make more informed choices. Furthermore, voting would take place in schools, raising voter turnout. In October 2006, Holland re-introduced as a private members bill a former Liberal government bill to reform the animal cruelty sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, which have changed little since 1892.
Holland has been named by the Globe and Mail as a member of the new 'Rat Pack' and was voted by the Hill Times as the most effective Opposition MP in Question Period and the 'Best Up-And-Comer' four times from 2006 – 2008. Conservative Minister Stockwell Day has referred to Holland as 'Perry Mason on Steroids' and 'the Caped Crusader' during their sometimes heated exchanges in the Public Safety and National Security meetings. CTV called Holland "a one-man rat pack on a mission to change the hill". Macleans has labeled Holland – 'Part Attack Dog – Part King Maker' for his going after Conservatives and for his role in the 2006 leadership campaign.
Aaron Wherry of Macleans Magazine spoke of Holland saying "If you saw Kennedy in Montreal, Holland was inevitably not far behind. Already a favourite of some on Parliament Hill for his oratory skills and his impressive head of hair, Holland is a mere 32 years old – making him a potential leadership candidate for the next 30 years."
Holland supported Gerard Kennedy's leadership bid for the Federal Liberal Party and was Kennedy's Ontario Campaign Chair. When Kennedy dropped off after the 2nd ballot to support former Environment Minister Stéphane Dion, Holland went with him and was seen as key in building a bridge between the two camps. Holland was the Ontario Co-Chair of Michael Ignatieff's 2008 leadership campaign.
On January 18, 2007 Holland was named the Critic for Natural Resources in Dion's shadow cabinet.[4] It was in this capacity that he garnered nationwide attention for stating that greenhouse gas emissions in the Alberta Oil Sands needed to be capped.
Holland is one of the more enthusiastic users of social networking sites Twitter and Facebook amongst Liberal MP's, frequently tweeting, updating his profile and writing notes about government announcements and party policy.[5][6]
Electoral results
Canadian federal election, 2011 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Chris Alexander 24,797 44.01% +6.11% Liberal Mark Holland 21,569 38.28% -6.22% New Democrat Jim Koppens 8,284 14.70% +5.6% Green Mike Harilaid 1,621 2.88% -4.42% United Bob Kesic 71 .13% N/A Canadian federal election, 2008 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Mark Holland 21,675 44.5% -4.9% Conservative Rick Johnson 18,471 37.9% +5.2% New Democrat Bala Thavarajasoorier 4,422 9.1% -3.6% Green Mike Harilaid 3,543 7.3% +3.1% Christian Heritage Kevin Norng 398 0.8 0.0% Libertarian Stephanie Wilson 168 0.3% N/A Canadian federal election, 2006 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Mark Holland 25,556 49.4% -0.4% Conservative Rondo Thomas 16,997 32.7% -0.9% New Democrat Kevin Modeste 6,656 12.8% +0.7% Green Russell Korus 2,192 4.2% -0.3% Christian Heritage Kevin Norng 435 0.8% n/a Canadian federal election, 2004 Party Candidate Votes % Liberal Mark Holland 21,706 49.8% Conservative René Soetens 14,666 33.6% New Democrat Kevin Modeste 5,286 12.1% Green Karen MacDonald 1,951 4.5% Personal life
A life long resident of west Durham, Holland lives in Pickering with his wife, Cindy Fournier-Holland, and his three children from a previous marriage, Braeson, Maia and Riley.[7] He competes in adventure racing, running and is a writer.
References
- ^ Riding Profile – Ajax – Pickering
- ^ Liberal Party Opposition Critics
- ^ Holland to Keep Order on Public Safety Committee
- ^ Stéphane Dion Shadow Cabinet
- ^ Facebook Page
- ^ Mark Holland's Twiitter Page
- ^ Wedding bells ring in Ottawa as Liberal MP Mark Holland ties the knot
External links
- Official site
- How'd They Vote?: Mark Holland's voting history and quotes
- Mark Holland - Parliament of Canada biography
Categories:- 1974 births
- Living people
- Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- University of Toronto alumni
- Mayors of places in Ontario
- People from Pickering, Ontario
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