Helena Jaczek

Krystina Helena Jaczek is a Canadian physician and politician.

A member of the Liberal Party, she currently represents the riding of Markham—Stouffville in the House of Commons and formerly served as the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Receiver General for Canada.

In October 2021, Jaczek was appointed Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) in the Cabinet of Canada.

Jaczek was born in England to a Polish father and an English mother, and emigrated to Canada in 1963 at age 12.

She received her medical degree and Masters of Health Science from the University of Toronto and later a Masters of Business Administration from York University.

After many years in general practice on staff at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, she then served as chief medical officer of health in York Region for 18 years.

Through the years, she has sat on the boards of many community agencies.

In 2003, Jaczek ran as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Oak Ridges.

Issues included tax rates and health care.

She lost to incumbent Frank Klees by 2,521 votes.

In 2007, Jaczek won the newly formed riding of Oak Ridges—Markham by 7,013 votes beating Conservative candidate Phil Bannon and New Democrat Janice Hagan.

Jaczek was appointed as a Parliamentary assistant (PA) to the Minister of Health Promotion on October 30, 2007.

On September 11, 2009, she was made PA to the Minister of Environment.

In 2009, she proposed a private member's bill, Bill 117, that would have prohibited riders under the age of 15 from riding motorcycles.

In September 2010, she co-sponsored a private member's bill with PC and NDP MPPs to amend the Arthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure) 2000, to better protect prospective franchisees.

She was re-elected in the 2011, and 2014 elections.

From 2011 to 2014, she served as chair of the Liberal Caucus, under the premierships of both Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne.

Jaczek was a member of several Standing Committees: Public Accounts, Social Policy, Government Agencies, Finance and Economic Affairs.

Jaczek was also a member of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions.

This special Committee held public hearings around the province, visiting mental health and addictions facilities and several First Nations communities to better understand the Mental Health and Addictions program challenges facing Ontario.

Jaczek brought forward several Private Member's Bills.

In March 2012, Jaczek introduced a private member's bill, Bill 40, to proclaim March 26 Epilepsy Awareness Day.

She also introduced a private member's resolution to encourage organ donations.

In February 2013, Jaczek was appointed as PA to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

In February 2013, she introduced Bill 16, "An Act to amend the Municipal Act, 2001 to provide that the head of council of The Regional Municipality of York must be elected."

On June 6, 2013, the bill received the support of all three parties, but it died on the order paper because of the 2014 Ontario General Election.

She served as Minister of Community and Social Services from 2014 until 2018 and as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care in 2018, under the leadership of Kathleen Wynne.

On June 24, 2014, she was appointed by Premier Kathleen Wynne as the Minister of Community and Social Services and was the Vice Chair of Health, Education and Social Policy Cabinet Committee.

As a Cabinet Minister, Jaczek led the government's plan to reform social assistance, which includes overseeing Ontario's Basic Income Pilot as well as the establishment of the Income Security Reform Working Group who was tasked with developing ideas for a more holistic, client-centred approach to a broader income security.

Jaczek has also overseen considerable reform in the developmental services sector, which includes the closing of all sheltered workshops in Ontario and has led the implementation of Ontario's Strategy to End Human Trafficking.

However, in November 2016, the government introduced legislation that included a provision to ensure the direct election of chair and CEO of the Regional Municipality of York.

This was subsequently overturned by the incoming PC government of Premier Doug Ford.

At the time, Oak Ridges-Markham was the most populous riding in the province until redistribution in 2018.

Jaczek was appointed Chair of Cabinet in addition to her role as Minister of Community and Social Services on January 17, 2018.

On February 26, 2018, she was appointed Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

During her time as Minister, the provincial government made an investment of $2.1 billion in mental health and addiction services.

This was the largest provincial investment in mental health and addictions in Canadian history.

The purpose of the funding was  improving the quality of and access to community-based services, including the creation of 15 additional youth wellness hubs and more supportive housing.

In the 2018 general election, Jaczek ran for re-election in the new district of Markham—Stouffville which encompassed the eastern portion of her old riding, but was defeated by Progressive Conservative Paul Calandra.

Before entering federal politics in 2019, Jaczek served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2007 to 2018 representing Oak Ridges—Markham.