The Honourable Candice Bergen PC MP |
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Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons | |
Assumed office September 15, 2016 |
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Leader | Rona Ambrose |
Preceded by | Andrew Scheer |
Official Opposition Critic for Natural Resources | |
In office November 20, 2015 – September 14, 2016 |
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Leader | Rona Ambrose |
Preceded by | Guy Caron |
Succeeded by | Mark Strahl |
Minister of State for Social Development | |
In office July 15, 2013 – November 4, 2015 |
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Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | None, office first created |
Succeeded by | Jean-Yves Duclos |
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety | |
In office May 25, 2011 – July 15, 2013 |
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Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Dave MacKenzie |
Succeeded by | Roxanne James |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Portage—Lisgar |
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Assumed office October 14, 2008 |
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Preceded by | Brian Pallister |
Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources |
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In office March 8, 2010 – June 20, 2011 |
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Minister | Diane Finley |
Preceded by | Dean Allison |
Succeeded by | Ed Komarnicki |
Personal details | |
Born |
Candice Marie Bergen September 28, 1964 Morden, Manitoba |
Political party | Conservative Party of Canada |
Profession | Federal politician |
Candice Marie Bergen PC MP (born September 28, 1964) is a Canadian federal politician. She was previously Minister of State for Social Development, and Member of the Canadian Parliament in the Harper Government. She has represented the Manitoba riding of Portage—Lisgar in the House of Commons since her election in 2008 and is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. She is currently House Leader of the Official Opposition.
Elected under the name Candice Hoeppner, the Member of Parliament announced on September 17, 2012 that she would resume her birth name of Bergen.
Bergen was born in Morden, Manitoba. She previously worked in the financial planning industry. In 2004, she was the Manitoba campaign manager for Stephen Harper's leadership bid for the Conservative Party of Canada. She has acted as an advisor to several Members of Parliament, and served as chief organizer for the Conservative Party in Manitoba.
On November 19, 2008, Bergen introduced the motion in the House of Commons to accept the Speech from the throne (the traditional speech in which the Governor General outlines the government's agenda at the start of a new Parliament of Canada). In fall 2011, Bergen was given the opportunity to chair a panel of MPs (one from each recognized party) for the selection of Supreme Court judges. Bergen was also a member of the legislative committee studying the controversial Bill C-18, an omnibus bill which would purportedly give marketing freedom to western grain farmers. Some farmers claim that the bill has had negative effects on the grain farmers it claimed to benefit. Previously, Bergen served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. She was the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee for the Status of Women and sat on the House of Commons Standing Committee for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Additionally, she has been a member of the Liaison Committee as well as the Panel of Legislative Committee Chairs.