Minister's Biography

• Content last reviewed: January 2012

Linda Jeffrey
Minister of Labour
Minister Responsible for Seniors

Born in Cork, Ireland, Linda Jeffrey emigrated with her parents as a child and grew up in Ontario. She has been an active member of the Brampton community for more than twenty-five years.

First elected municipally in 1991, she served four consecutive terms on Brampton City Council. In 2003 she became the first female candidate elected to represent Brampton at Queen's Park, in the riding of Brampton Centre. She was re-elected in 2007 and 2011 in the redistributed riding of Brampton Springdale.

Since her arrival at the Provincial Legislature she has served in a variety of positions, including Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministers of Children and Youth Services, Democratic Renewal, Intergovernmental Affairs, Citizenship and Immigration and, Transportation.

She has been a passionate advocate for her community and, through a Private Members Bill, has raised awareness around the issue of fire safety. In 2008, the government introduced an amendment to the Building Code requiring new multi-unit residential buildings over three stories to have residential fire sprinkler systems installed.

In January 2010 she was asked by the Premier to join Cabinet as Minister of Natural Resources. During her tenure with Natural Resources, Minister Jeffrey was tasked with helping to deliver North America's toughest piece of conservation legislation, The Endangered Species Act, which was introduced in 2007.

Upon re-election in October 2011, she was appointed Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for Seniors. Minister Jeffrey also sits on the Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet; and the Health, Education and Social Policy Committee.

Linda and her husband, John, have three grown sons.