The Honourable
Charmaine Williams
MPP
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Brampton Centre
Assumed office
June 2, 2022
Preceded bySara Singh
Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity of Ontario
Assumed office
June 24th, 2022
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byJill Dunlop
Personal details
Political partyProgressive Conservative

Charmaine Williams is a Canadian politician, currently serving as Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity.[1] She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election, representing the riding of Brampton Centre as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

Municipal politics

Williams ran for the vacant Ward 7 & 8 city council seat in the 2018 municipal election. During the campaign, Williams supported a gun amnesty buyback program and supported a municipal by-law banning the sale of marijuana within 500 meters of schools.[2][3]

On October 22, 2018, Williams was elected receiving 25.76% of the vote in a 9 person race.[4] With her victory, Williams became the first black woman ever elected to Brampton City Council.[5]

On May 31, 2022, during the Ontario provincial election in which Williams was a candidate, Brampton City Council passed a motion to pre-emptively appoint former city councillor Elaine Moore as William's replacement if she were to resign. The motion passed 6–5 with Williams being one of the 6 votes in favor.[6] A court later ruled that the pre-emptive appointment violated the Municipal Act.[7]

Provincial politics

On March 31, 2021, Williams was named Ontario PC candidate for the Brampton Centre riding.[8] On June 2, 2022, she defeated NDP incumbent Sara Singh, receiving 41.36% of the vote.[9]

On June 24, she was appointed to the Ford Ministry as Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity.[1], making her the first black person appointed to cabinet in an Ontario PC government.[10]

Electoral record

2022 Ontario general election: Brampton Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Charmaine Williams 10,120 41.36 +3.26
New Democratic Sara Singh 6,524 26.67 -11.71
Liberal Safdar Hussain 6,119 25.01 +7.67
Green Karitsa Tye 882 3.61 +0.47
New Blue Kathrin Matusiak 821 3.36
Total valid votes 24,466
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots
Turnout 36.35 -14.00
Eligible voters 67,312
Source: Elections Ontario[11]
2018 Brampton Municipal Election: Ward 7 & 8
Candidate Vote %
Charmaine Williams 5,086 25.76
Martin Singh 4,403 22.30
Karla Bailey 3,489 17.67
Harveen Dhaliwal 3,364 17.04
Cheryl Rodricks 1,003 5.08
Drew Riedstra 824 4.17
Gurvinder Singh 712 3.61
Sam Kunjicka 512 2.59
Mokshi Virk 348 1.76

References

  1. ^ a b "There are seven new faces — including a former CFLer — in Doug Ford's cabinet". The Toronto Star. 2022-06-24. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  2. ^ Boisvert, Nick (20 July 2018). "Brampton mother wants city to introduce gun amnesty buyback program". CBC News. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  3. ^ Mirza, Maryam. "Charmaine Williams wins, making her first black woman to win a seat on Brampton city council". Brampton Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Brampton election results 2018". Global News. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. ^ Sheikh, Maleeha. "Charmaine Williams becomes first black woman elected to Brampton City Council". CityNews. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  6. ^ Frisque, Graeme (8 June 2022). "Former Brampton Coun. Elaine Moore appointed to fill vacant council seat after divisive controversial 6-5 decision". Brampton Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  7. ^ DeClerq, Katherine (12 July 2022). "Court finds Brampton council decision to pre-emptively fill vacant seat illegal". CP24. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  8. ^ Heck, Alexandra (2 April 2021). "City councillor Charmaine Williams named PC candidate for Brampton Centre". Brampton Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  9. ^ Moon, Jenna (2 June 2022). "PCs' Charmaine Williams takes Brampton Centre riding from NDP deputy leader Sara Singh". Toronto Star. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Doug Ford reveals Ontario cabinet that includes a new health minister – and his nephew". CBC News. The Canadian Press. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Candidates in: Brampton Centre (008)". Elections Ontario. Retrieved May 21, 2022.


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