Irene Mathyssen
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Irene R. Mathyssen MP |
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| Member of the Canadian Parliament for London—Fanshawe |
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Assumed office January 23, 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Pat O'Brien |
| Chair of the Standing Committee on Status of Women |
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In office 15 November 2011 – 22 April 2012 |
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| Minister | Rona Ambrose |
| Preceded by | Niki Ashton |
| Succeeded by | Marie-Claude Morin |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Middlesex |
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In office September 6, 1990 – June 7, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Doug Reycraft |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 16, 1951 London, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Keith Mathyssen |
| Residence | Ilderton, Ontario |
| Profession | community activist, high school teacher |
| Religion | unknown |
Irene R. Mathyssen (born August 16, 1951) is a Canadian politician and a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons. She was previously a New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario from 1990 to 1995, and briefly served as a minister in the government of Premier Bob Rae.
Mathyssen was educated at the University of Western Ontario from 1970 to 1975, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Drama, and a Bachelor of Education degree. She taught English at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School in London, Ontario until 2006 except for a five-year break between 1990 and 1995 when she was an MPP. She served on the District 11 Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation Political Action Committee. She was a vocal opponent of the Invasion of Iraq in 2003 and participated in many local peace rallies. Mathyssen was a member of the Ontario Health Coalition. She was president of the Middlesex NDP riding association from 1989 to 1990.
She was elected to represent the riding of Middlesex in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1990 provincial election, defeating incumbent Liberal Doug Reycraft by 520 votes (out of 38,382 cast). She served as government Whip from 1990 to 1991, and was a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of the Environment from 1991 to 1994. In that capacity she announced that 6 million dollars would be spent on the cleanup of beaches in rural areas which were closed mostly due to agricultural runoff issues. In 1993, she voted against a government bill to allow a municipal expansion into her rural riding. During the debate she lamented about her lack of influence on the bill. She said, "There have been times when I felt utterly powerless in all of this. It's a strange feeling for one who came here with such high hopes."
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