Albina Guarnieri

The Honourable Albina Guarnieri
Member of Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville
In office 2004–2011
Preceded by	New riding
Succeeded by	Wladyslaw Lizon
Member of Parliament for Mississauga East
In office 1988–2004
Preceded by	Bob Horner (in Mississauga North)
Succeeded by	Riding abolished
Personal details
Born	June 23, 1953 ( 1953-06-23) Faeto, Italy
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	John Campbell
Residence	Mississauga
Profession	Management consultant, public servant

Albina Guarnieri, PC, MP (born June 23, 1953) is a former politician. She was a member of Paul Martin's Liberal government and was Canada's 24th Minister of Veterans Affairs. After 23 years in office, she announced that she would be retiring after the end of Canada's 40th parliament.

Background

Guarnieri was educated at McGill University, where she graduated with a Master's degree in English. She and her husband live in Mississauga. She is fluent in both official languages.

Politics

Guarnieri was first elected as Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Mississauga East (now Mississauga East—Cooksville) in 1988 and has been re-elected in each subsequent election. A longtime Martin loyalist, she was a relatively obscure backbencher during the Chrétien era. Martin named her Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State for Civil Preparedness in his first cabinet. She moved to Veterans Affairs on July 20, 2004.

Guarnieri’s previous parliamentary roles have included serving as Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and Co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Official languages. She has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and has been a member of the Standing Committee on Finance.

In Parliament, through private member's bills and committee work, Ms. Guarnieri has promoted initiatives to retrain older workers, establish personal training accounts for lifelong learning, combat identity fraud by reforming the Social Insurance Numbering system, impose consecutive sentencing for multiple murderers, toughen laws against child pornography, and lower middle-income tax rates.

Guarnieri was initially an opponent of same-sex marriage. However, due to her appointment to Cabinet she was obliged to vote in favour of the same-sex marriage legislation.

In September 2010, Guarnieri announced that she would not seek re-election again since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

External links

• Albina Guarnieri - Parliament of Canada biography

27th Ministry – Cabinet of Paul Martin
Cabinet Posts (3)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
John McCallum	Minister of Veterans Affairs 2004–2006	Greg Thompson
vacant, previously Mary Collins	Associate Minister of National Defence 2003–2004	Mauril Bélanger
	Minister of State (Civil Preparedness) 2003–2004