Wikipedia

Joanne Thompson (politician)

The Honourable
Joanne Thompson
PC MP
Minister of Fisheries[a]
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 14, 2025
Prime MinisterMark Carney
Preceded byDiane Lebouthillier
Minister of Seniors
In office
December 20, 2024 – March 14, 2025
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded bySteven MacKinnon
Succeeded byStephanie McLean
Member of Parliament
for St. John's East
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 20, 2021
Preceded byJack Harris
Personal details
Political partyLiberal
Children3

Joanne Thompson PC MP is a Canadian politician who serves as the Minister of Fisheries and the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. John's East since 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, she has served as the Minister of Seniors and Minister of Fisheries in the cabinets of Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney.

Early life

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Joanne Thompson was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. She married and is the mother of three children.[1] In the 1970s she was trained as a nurse. She graduated from Athabasca University with a bachelor's degree in nursing and from the University of Fredericton with a Master of Business Administration degree.[2]

Career

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Jack Harris, who represented St. John's East multiple times starting 1987, declined to seek reelection in the 2021 election.[3] In the 2021 and 2025 elections Thompson was a successful Liberal candidate in St. John's East.[4] She was the first Liberal to win reelection in the riding since the 1960s.[5]

From 2021 to 2023, Thompson was a member of the Government Operations and Estimates, and Environment and Sustainable Development committees. From 2023 to 2025, she was a member of the Finance committee. She was the Minister of Seniors in the cabinet of Justin Trudeau from 20 December 2024 to 13 March 2025, and has been the Minister of Fisheries in the cabinet of Mark Carney since 14 March 2025.[4][6] She was the co-chair of the Women’s Caucus.[1] In 2025, she doubled the allowable catch of cod off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador from 18,000 tonnes to 38,000 tonnes.[7]

Thompson supported Carney during the 2025 Liberal leadership election.[8]

Electoral history

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2025 Canadian federal election: St. John's East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Joanne Thompson 28,681 62.28 +17.14
Conservative David Brazil 11,941 25.93 +7.84
New Democratic Mary Shortall 5,172 11.23 −23.61
Green Otis Crandell 159 0.35 N/A
Communist Samuel Crête 98 0.21 N/A
Total valid votes/expense limit 46,051 99.05
Total rejected ballots 440 0.95
Turnout 46,491 70.94
Eligible voters 65,536
Liberal notional hold Swing +4.65
Source: Elections Canada[9][10]
Note: number of eligible voters does not include voting day registrations.
2021 Canadian federal election: St. John's East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Joanne Thompson 17,239 45.16 +11.97 $71,466.38
New Democratic Mary Shortall 13,090 34.29 –12.63 $65,576.70
Conservative Glenn Etchegary 7,119 18.65 +0.59 $44,852.25
People's Dana Metcalfe 723 1.89 – none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 38,171 99.23   $105,251.87
Total rejected ballots 296 0.77 –0.39
Turnout 38,467 57.45 –10.20
Registered voters 66,963
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +12.30
Source: Elections Canada[11][12]

Notes

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  1. ^ Formerly titled Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

References

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  1. ^ a b Joanne Thompson.
  2. ^ Kilfoy 2025.
  3. ^ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 2021.
  4. ^ a b House of Commons of Canada.
  5. ^ 'The work continues': Joanne Thompson re-elected in St. John’s East 2025.
  6. ^ The Telegram 2025.
  7. ^ Smellie 2025.
  8. ^ Howard 2025.
  9. ^ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  10. ^ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  11. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns". Elections Canada. Retrieved July 19, 2022.

Works cited

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News

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Web

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