Claudia Chender
MLA
Leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
Assumed office
June 25, 2022
Preceded byGary Burrill
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Dartmouth South
Assumed office
May 30, 2017
Preceded byMarian Mancini
Personal details
Born (1976-07-29) July 29, 1976 (age 47)
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseJamie MacLellan
Residence(s)Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
OccupationLawyer

Claudia Chender (born July 29, 1976)[1] is a Canadian politician, and leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party since June 25, 2022. She was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2017 general election, and re-elected in the 2021 general election. She represents the electoral district of Dartmouth South.[2]

Leader of the NSNDP

After the 2021 election, party leader Gary Burrill appointed Chender as the House Leader.[3] She returned to her role as the spokesperson for Justice and Status of Women as well as the critic for Economic Development and Natural Resources and Renewables.[3]

Burrill announced – on November 9, 2021 – that he would resign as leader once a successor was chosen at a future convention.[4] On February 14, 2022, Chender declared her candidacy to replace Burrill as leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (NSNDP).[5] On May 21, 2022 registration closed for the leadership race, with Chender being the sole candidate.[6]

She was confirmed as leader after a general membership vote on June 25, 2022.[7][8] She is the third female leader of the NSNDP, with the previous female leaders being Alexa McDonough and Helen MacDonald; fourth leader, if interim leader Maureen MacDonald is included.[9]

Early life and education

Chender is a lawyer by training and has worked in the not for profit and private sectors. Three of her grandparents were Holocaust survivors and she was taught about the Holocaust by her Polish-Jewish grandmother. Many of her relatives died in the Holocaust, including some at Auschwitz.[10][11] She was raised in the Buddhist and Jewish traditions.[12] She graduated from Dalhousie University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts and then from the University of Victoria in 2004 with a Bachelor of Laws. She lives in Dartmouth South with her husband and three children.

Electoral record

2021 Nova Scotia general election: Dartmouth South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Claudia Chender 4,209 58.13 +18.48
Liberal Lesley MacKay 1,603 22.14 -15.31
Progressive Conservative Chris Curtis 1,262 17.43 +1.57
Green Skylar Martini 167 2.31 -3.35
Total valid votes 7,241 99.64
Total rejected ballots 26 0.36
Turnout 7,267 52.96
Eligible voters 13,721
New Democratic hold Swing +16.90
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[13]
2017 Nova Scotia general election: Dartmouth South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Claudia Chender 3,545 39.65% +4.40
Liberal Vishal Bhardwaj 3,348 37.45% +3.46
Progressive Conservative Jad Crnogorac 1,418 15.86% -7.30
Green June Trenholm 506 5.66%
Atlantica Jim Murray 123 1.38%
Total valid votes 9,007 99.26
Total rejected ballots 67 0.74
Turnout 9,074 51.56
Eligible voters 17,598
New Democratic hold Swing +0.47
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[14][15]

References

  1. ^ The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia: a biographical directory from 1984 to the Present: Chender, Claudia, page 41 Nova Scotia Legislature
  2. ^ "Nova Scotia election: NDP Claudia Chender elected in Dartmouth South riding". Global News, May 30, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Cooke, Alex (September 8, 2021). "Nova Scotia NDP leader Gary Burrill announces new caucus roles". Global News. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  4. ^ Doucette, Keith (November 9, 2021). "Nova Scotia NDP Leader Gary Burrill to step down once party chooses successor". CTV News. Halfax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  5. ^ Renić, Karla (February 14, 2022). "Claudia Chender announces her bid for leadership of Nova Scotia NDP Party". Global News. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  6. ^ The Canadian Press (May 21, 2022). "Claudia Chender sole candidate running as leader of Nova Scotia's NDP". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  7. ^ Ramesar, Vernon (May 21, 2022). "Claudia Chender unopposed in run for Nova Scotia NDP leadership". CBC News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  8. ^ Fairclough, Ian (June 25, 2022). "Chender comes out swinging in first speech as Nova Scotia's NDP leader". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  9. ^ Doucette, Keith (June 25, 2022). "Nova Scotia NDP officially confirms Claudia Chender as new party leader". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  10. ^ "Nova Scotia MLA whose grandparents fled Holocaust condemns Nazi graffiti". Canadian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  11. ^ "Tweets". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  12. ^ Bundale, Brett (February 25, 2014). "Women team up to 'uplift' downtown". The Chronicle Herald. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  13. ^ "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "Statement of Votes & Statistics, Volume I" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  15. ^ "May 30th, 2017 - 40th Nova Scotia Provincial General Election". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
Categories