Meilleur, Madeleine
[Français]
Madeleine Meilleur has represented the riding of Ottawa-Vanier from 2003 to 2016. She was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003 after more than a decade in municipal politics.
In March 2014, she was appointed Attorney General and continues as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. Meilleur has served as Minister of Culture, Minister of Community and Social Services, and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
Thanks to her leadership, Ontario passed laws promoting the social inclusion of persons with developmental disabilities and giving Ontarians access to open adoption records. She also spearheaded efforts to introduce a new and strengthened Ontario Heritage Act, concluding 30 years of efforts to provide better heritage protection.
In the Community Safety and Correctional Services portfolio, Meilleur was responsible for historic amendments to the Fire Code that made Ontario the first province to make automatic sprinklers mandatory in care homes for seniors, and homes for people with disabilities and vulnerable citizens. Also under Meilleur’s leadership, Ontario continued with the modernization of correctional services, including opening of the state-of-the-art Toronto South Detention Centre and more effectively delivering rehabilitative programs and other supports. Meilleur also initiated a comprehensive review of the delivery of police services in Ontario and overhauled the animal welfare system, providing $5.5 million to the OSPCA to increase enforcement capabilities and license zoos and aquariums. As Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, she has been committed to building stronger French communities through critical investments in education and health services, including the expansion of the Montfort Hospital.
The independence of the French TV channel TFO, the creation of the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner, and the creation of the Franco-Ontarian Day on September 25th are some of her many accomplishments that have benefited Franco-Ontarians. On June 26, 2009, at the annual conference of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO), the Minister received an Order of Merit for her accomplishments in the area of promoting legal services in French.
Meilleur is a registered nurse and lawyer specializing in labour and employment law. In March 2012, she became a member of the French Legion of Honour.
Last Update : 2016-07-10
