Lieutenant Colonel
Karen McCrimmon
OMM CD MPP
McCrimmon speaking at a community discussion night, January 28, 2014
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Kanata—Carleton
Assumed office
July 27, 2023
Preceded byMerrilee Fullerton
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
In office
August 31, 2018 – August 15, 2021
MinisterRalph Goodale
Preceded byMark Holland
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
In office
January 30, 2017 – August 31, 2018
MinisterMarc Garneau
Preceded byKate Young
Succeeded byTerry Beech
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office
December 2, 2015 – January 27, 2017
MinisterKent Hehr
Preceded byPierre Lemieux
Succeeded bySherry Romanado
Member of Parliament
for Kanata—Carleton
In office
October 19, 2015 – September 20, 2021
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJenna Sudds
Personal details
Born
Karen A. Martin

1959 (age 64–65)
Weston, Ontario, Canada
Political party
(provincial)
SpouseRob McCrimmon
Children2
ResidenceWoodlawn, Ontario[1]
Alma materUniversity of Windsor (BA)
ProfessionMediator, soldier
AwardsOrder of Military Merit
Canadian Forces' Decoration with clasp
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/service Canadian Army
 Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1975–1980 (Army)
1980–2006 (Air Force)
Rank Lieutenant-Colonel
UnitThe Windsor Regiment
Commands429 Transport Squadron
Battles/warsGulf War
Afghanistan War

Karen A. McCrimmon[1] OMM CD MPP (née Martin; born 1959) is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, mediator, and politician. She is the member of provincial parliament (MPP) for Kanata—Carleton and was elected in a by-election on July 27, 2023 as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party. She previously served as the Member of Parliament for Kanata—Carleton from 2015 to 2021. After a 31-year military career, McCrimmon retired as a lieutenant colonel. She was the first female navigator and the first woman to command a Canadian Forces air force squadron. She became involved in federal politics with the Liberal Party of Canada in 2008. In 2011, McCrimmon was the Liberal candidate for the federal election in the Carleton—Mississippi Mills riding and, in 2013, she unsuccessfully bid for the Liberal leadership. She was first elected to Parliament in the 2015 federal election and re-elected in 2019. She did not seek re-election in 2021, citing health issues.

Background

McCrimmon was born in Weston, Ontario.[2] Her father, Charles Martin, was a metallurgic technician employed by the A.V. Roe Company working on the Avro Arrow CF-105 fighter aircraft.[3] Her mother, Isabel, emigrated from Scotland on her own, at the age of 20. When the Arrow project was cancelled in 1959, her father found work with Trans-Canada Airlines and moved his family to Timmins, Ontario. In 1971, the family moved to Windsor, Ontario.

While in high school, McCrimmon joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.[3] In 1975, she joined The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) as a Reservist. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Windsor in Russian and linguistics,[2] and originally wanted to work in Canada's diplomatic corps.[3]

McCrimmon then joined the Regular Force in 1980 and became an air navigator, the first woman to gain such a qualification.[4]

In 1995, she was made a member of the Order of Military Merit and, in 1998, was promoted lieutenant-colonel and given command of 429 Transport Squadron, becoming the first woman to command a Canadian Forces flying squadron.[4] In 2000, she headed the Transport and Rescue Standardization and Evaluation Team. In July 2006, she was posted to Ramstein, Germany to serve as a Senior Staff Officer at the NATO Air Headquarters.[4] She did a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2004 where she was responsible for NATO Airlift Co-ordination.[4] She retired from the Forces in 2006.[5]

Politics

McCrimmon became involved in federal politics with the Liberal Party in 2008. She was the Liberal candidate for the riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills in the 2011 federal election, but lost to the Conservative incumbent Gordon O'Connor.[6] In December 2012, she announced her bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada[7][8] and, on April 14, 2013, she placed sixth, losing to Justin Trudeau.[9]

In the 2015 federal election, McCrimmon was the Liberal candidate in Kanata—Carleton, essentially the Ottawa portion of Carleton—Mississippi Mills. She defeated Conservative candidate Walter Pamic by a 7,600-vote margin as the Liberals swept to a majority government.[3] She was the first Liberal in 48 years to win the riding or its predecessors in the absence of vote-splitting on the right.

McCrimmon was re-elected in 2019, defeating Conservative candidate Justina McCaffrey by a 4,000-vote margin as the Liberals won a minority government. McCrimmon was Chair of the Defence Committee in the 43rd Canadian Parliament.

McCrimmon did not run for re-election in the 2021 federal election. In her August 2021 announcement, she attributed her decision to not seek another term to health issues.[10][11]

On May 29, 2023, McCrimmon was nominated by the Ontario Liberal Party as their candidate for the 2023 Kanata—Carleton by-election.[12] On July 27, 2023, she won the by-election, flipping a seat that was previously held by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.[13][14] She represents much of the same area that she represented federally.[12]

Civilian career

On November 13, 2015, McCrimmon was sworn in as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kanata – Carleton. Prior to her election, she was a consultant for private and public institutions and organizations.[15]

Married to Rob McCrimmon since 1985, the couple have two grown children. Karen McCrimmon is a private pilot and is a member of the Women's Executive Network (WXN), CFUW, FMWC, Royal Canadian Legion, and CWIA.[16]

Honours and decorations

McCrimmon received the following honours and decorations during her military career.

RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Military Merit (OMM)
  • Appointed on September 6, 1995
  • Invested on December 6, 1995[6]
Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • with Bar
General Campaign Star
  • South West Asia Ribbon
Special Service Medal
Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
  • 1 Clasp

Electoral record

Ontario provincial by-election, July 27, 2023: Kanata—Carleton
Resignation of Merrilee Fullerton
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalKaren McCrimmon11,21434.53+11.11
Progressive ConservativeSean Webster10,41632.07-11.54
New DemocraticMelissa Coenraad9,56029.43+5.19
New BlueJennifer Boudreau6361.96-0.42
GreenSteven Warren4421.36-4.13
IndependentJosh Rachlis900.28
Total valid votes 32,358
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 121
Turnout 35.14-16.24
Eligible voters 91,666
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +11.10
2019 Canadian federal election: Kanata—Carleton
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalKaren McCrimmon28,74643.05-8.24$101,971.36
ConservativeJustina McCaffrey24,36136.48-2.73none listed
New DemocraticMelissa Coenraad8,31712.46+5.64$17,833.67
GreenJennifer Purdy4,3876.57+3.88$15,580.62
People'sScott Miller9611.44$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 66,77299.35
Total rejected ballots 4380.65+0.35
Turnout 67,21077.00-1.96
Eligible voters 87,281
Liberal hold Swing -2.76
Source: Elections Canada[17][18]
2015 Canadian federal election: Kanata—Carleton
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalKaren McCrimmon32,44751.24+24.78–
ConservativeWalter Pamic24,82939.21-14.5–
New DemocraticJohn Hansen4,3136.81-8.48–
GreenAndrew West1,7042.69-1.85–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 63,323100 $212,958.74
Total rejected ballots 191––
Turnout 63,514––
Eligible voters 79,831
Liberal notional gain from Conservative Swing +19.64
Source: Elections Canada[19][20]
2011 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Mississippi Mills
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeGordon O'Connor43,72356.95-0.82–
LiberalKaren McCrimmon18,39323.96+1.62–
New DemocraticErin Peters11,22314.62+4.98–
GreenJohn Hogg3,4344.47-5.76–
Total valid votes/Expense limit 76,773100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 1960.25–
Turnout 76,96972.77+3.61
Eligible voters 105,770 ––
Conservative hold Swing -1.22

References

  1. 1 2 "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 Duffy, Andrew (3 April 2011). "Its Army versus air Force". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Egan, Kelly and Darren Major (20 October 2015). "McCrimmon soars to huge Liberal victory in Kanata-Carleton". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ottawa Citizen (14 April 2011). "Liberal Party: Karen McCrimmon". Postmedia. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  5. ↑ MacKinnon, Leslie (12 March 2013). "1st woman to lead air force squadron wants to lead Liberals". CBC News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 Dunn, Derek (13 November 2012). "Riding woman joins Liberal leadership race". Toronto.com. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "McCrimmon makes list of Liberal leadership candidates". West Carleton Review. 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Federal Liberal leadership race". Canada. CBC news. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  9. ↑ MacKinnon, Leslie; Mas, Susana (14 April 2023). "Trudeau to face off against Harper in question period today". CBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Pringle, Josh (8 August 2021). "Former Kanata-Carleton MP running for MPP in same riding". CTV News. Ottawa, Ontario. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  11. ↑ Dhanraj, Travis; Christian Paas-Lang (8 August 2021). "3 Liberal MPs say they will not run in the next federal election". CBC News. CBC. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Former Liberal MP running for MPP in Kanata-Carleton". Ottawa. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  13. ↑ Raymond, Ted. "Liberal Karen McCrimmon wins re-election in Kanata-Carleton". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  14. ↑ Holder, Gord (27 July 2023). "Karen McCrimmon wins Kanata-Carleton byelection for Ontario Liberals". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Smith, Teresa (12 November 2012). "Retired Forces Lt.-Col. McCrimmon to launch federal Liberal leadership campaign". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Private pilot and volunteer for the Canadian Cancer Society". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  17. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  18. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  19. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Kanata—Carleton, 30 September 2015
  20. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
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