Patty Hajdu
- Born
- November 3, 1966 — Montreal
- Family
- Mother of two adult sons
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Lakehead University; Masters of Public Administration, University of Victoria
- Career
- Worked in harm prevention, homelessness, and substance misuse prevention; head of the drug awareness committee of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit; creative director and graphic designer in marketing; executive director at Shelter House
- Political Experience
- Minister of Status of Women (2015–2017), Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour (2017–2019), Minister of Health (2019–2021), Minister of Indigenous Services (2021–2025), Minister of Jobs and Families (2025-)
- Notable
- Spent early years in Chisholm, Minnesota; raised by her aunt and uncle; lived on her own at age 16 while finishing high school
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering federal politics, Patty Hajdu had a career focused on public health and social issues in Thunder Bay. She was the executive director of Shelter House, a local homeless shelter, and also worked on projects related to drug policy, harm reduction, and community health. Her public disclosures with the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner have listed assets such as a rental property and various publicly traded securities.
Key Relationships & Connections
As a long-serving cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hajdu is a senior member of the Liberal Party's leadership team. She has held several high-profile portfolios, including Minister of Health and her current role as Minister of Indigenous Services, indicating a close working relationship with the Prime Minister and other key cabinet members. In her capacity as Minister of Indigenous Services, she works directly with the leaders of national Indigenous organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council.
Public Controversies
As Minister of Health during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patty Hajdu faced criticism for her early assessments of the virus's risk to Canada. Her statements, which were based on the World Health Organization's advice at the time, suggested the risk was low and that border closures were not an effective containment measure. These positions were later reversed as the pandemic's severity became clear, and her initial comments became a source of political controversy. Later in her tenure as Health Minister, Hajdu was involved in a significant dispute with Parliament over the government's refusal to release unredacted documents concerning the firing of two scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. The government, citing national security, took the Speaker of the House of Commons to court to prevent the release of the documents to a parliamentary committee, a move that was widely criticized as a breach of parliamentary privilege.
Where Patty falls on key policy spectrums
Your Money
People & Society
How We're Governed
Land & Community
How does Patty Hajdu's voting record line up with your values?
Mr. Speaker, what an insult to the hard-working tradespeople and building unions across this country who have been standing with this government, fighting to build Canada strong, fighting to train their members and make sure more young people have great skilled jobs that pay fabulous wages, something I thought those guys were for but vote against every single time. What an insult to the
Mr. Speaker, the real question is this: When will the Conservatives stop voting against the very constituents they claim to stand up for and support? Here in Ontario, for example, a family can be saving up to $13,000 per child per year in early learning and child care fees, which is something that helps people ensure they can get to work and keep those good-paying jobs that these guys keep
Mr. Speaker, I thank that member for his constant advocacy for opportunities for youth. We are proud on this side of the bench to have so many young representatives here in the government benches. We are very eager to work with them to ensure that youth have the best opportunities to succeed. In fact, this year there are 100,000 Canada summer jobs across the country, in every riding in this
Mr. Speaker, we work diligently to make sure that Canadians get the benefits to which they are entitled. Indeed, the focus of the department is to ensure that Canadians have access to those benefits and supports when they are challenged in applying for those benefits. We will continue that hard work together to make sure every Canadian gets the benefits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled that in my riding, Lakehead University is opening a new vet school in partnership with Guelph. It is very exciting news for the many people in my riding who are waiting to access veterinarian care. We will continue to work with provinces and territories on making sure that education is affordable. One way the member can help is to stop voting against Canada student