Jeff Leal

Jeff Leal (born 1954 in Peterborough, Ontario) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Peterborough for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Leal received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from Trent University in 1978, and a degree in Business Administration from the University of Windsor in 1981. He served as a Peterborough city councillor from 1986 to 2003, in Otonabee Ward. He was the city's second deputy mayor, and also worked as a health and safety representative for Coyle Corrugated Containers before his election to the provincial parliament.

Leal first ran for the Ontario legislative in the provincial election of 1999, but was defeated by Progressive Conservative incumbent Gary Stewart in Peterborough by about 2,500 votes. Leal won his party's nomination again for the 2003 election, and defeated Stewart by over 6000 votes during a significant provincial shift from the Tories to the Liberals.

On September 27, 2004, Leal was named parliamentary assistant to Mary Anne Chambers, the Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

On Monday, June 11, 2005, Leal was given a new role as Parliamentary Assistant in the Ministry of Economic Development & Trade. In this Ministry, Leal became Chair and a board member of the Small Business Agency of Ontario.

In November 2005, he was named Parliamentary Assistant in the Ministry of Energy. In September 2006, he was named Parliamentary Assistant in the Ministry of the Environment.

External links

* [http://www.jeffleal.onmpp.ca/ MPP Website]
* [http://jeffleal.ca Campaign Website 2007]