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Kinga Surma

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The Honourable
Kinga Surma
MPP
Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA)
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 20, 2019
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byPosition established
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Etobicoke Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 7, 2018
Preceded byYvan Baker
Personal details
BornPoland[1]
NationalityCanadian
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Residence(s)Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario
Alma materUniversity of Guelph
Ryerson University

Kinga Surma (born ca. 1987/1988 in Poland[2]) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[3] She represents the riding of Etobicoke Centre as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and is serving as the province's first Associate Minister of Transportation (Ontario) (GTA).

Early life

Surma was born in Poland and moved with her family to Canada when she was four years old, and was raised in Ottawa.[2]

Surma attended the University of Guelph majoring in Public Policy & Administration, and spent a year in France studying Economics. After graduation, Surma relocated to Toronto.[2]

Political life

Surma worked for former Toronto City Councillor Peter Milczyn, and at the same time was the President for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore PC riding association. Surma worked on the Etobicoke—Lakeshore 2013 by-election for PC candidate. Following the election she was fired from her job with at Toronto City Hall.[4]

Surma ran for City Councillor in Ward 5 in the 2014 Toronto municipal election and placed second with 13.9% of the vote.[5]

Surma won the contested Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario nomination in the riding of Etobicoke Centre in November 2016. It was alleged that then former City Councillor Doug Ford initimidated her opponent in favour of Surma.[6][7] Further controversies regarding the election followed, as Ford was accused of breaking party rules by purchasing party memberships to secure voters for the election of Surma.[4] This came after the release of an audio recording of Ford recruiting members with Surma, claiming memberships are free.[8] Voting is only open to party members who pay a membership fee.[8] Although the accusations were allegedly not fully investigated by the party, Ford was cleared by the PCs of wrongdoing in 2018.[8]

Surma ran in the 2018 Ontario general election, and won her riding of Etobicoke Centre with 42.67% of the vote.

Following her election, MPP Surma did not introduce any primate members bills during her time as an MPP.[9]

On June 27, 2019, Surma was appointed as the Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). She is the youngest female member of Executive Council of Ontario.[10]

Surma is committed to expanding subways in the GTA and implementing the province's "New Subway Transit Plan for the GTHA" which includes the Ontario Line, Line 2 Bloor–Danforth extension further into Scarborough, the western extension of Line 5 Eglinton to Toronto Pearson International Airport and the extension of Line 1 Yonge–University to Richmond Hill, Ontario.[11]

Surma is also committed to expanding the provincial GO Transit rail network to provide two-way, all-day service on key segments of the network.[12]

As part of an economic recovery package from COVID-19, Surma introduced legislation to fast track construction on the province's new subway projects.[13]

As an MPP, Surma is an advocate for many community programs such as the Daily Bread Food Bank,[14] Haven on the Q,[14] and the Basketeers program.[15]

Political positions

Surma supports the underground tunnelling of the western extension of the Eglinton Crosstown. She is also very concerned with the state of local schools, traffic and congestion along with support for seniors and people with disabilities.[16]

Surma sought funding for a new Toronto Catholic District School Board school in her riding.[17]

She is also an advocate for a community centre in Etobicoke Centre.[18]

Election results

2018 Ontario general election: Etobicoke Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Kinga Surma 24,432 43.00 +10.58
Liberal Yvan Baker 19,708 34.68 -14.02
New Democratic Erica Kelly 10,311 18.15 +6.63
Green Shawn Rizvi 1,329 2.34 -0.29
Canadians' Choice Paul Fromm 631 1.11
Libertarian Basil Mummery 252 0.44
Independent Wallace Richards 162 0.29
Total valid votes 56,825 99.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 573 1.00
Turnout 57,398 61.91
Eligible voters 92,715
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +12.30
Source: Elections Ontario[19]
2014 Toronto election, Ward 5[5]
Candidate Votes %
Justin Di Ciano 15,362 54.2
Kinga Surma 3,936 13.9
Guy Bowie 2,744 9.7
Walter Melnyk 1,399 4.9
Raymond Desilets 1,365 4.8
Tony D'aversa 1,307 4.6
Nikola Samac 1,019 3.6
Magda Chelminska 645 2.3
George Lehto 565 1.9
Total 28,342 100

References

  1. ^ https://www.kingasurma.com/about
  2. ^ a b c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InLFRG5b8aw&t=373s "Kinga Surma Christmas PCParty" YouTube video uploaded by GoniecTV Toronto, Surma reveals she was born in Poland, moved to Canada when she was 4, which was 25 years from Feb. 2017
  3. ^ Shephard, Tamara (June 7, 2018). "Kinga Surma wins Etobicoke Centre for PCs". Toronto Star.
  4. ^ a b "Young candidate embroiled in controversy with Doug Ford has long history with PC leader and Tory politics". National Post. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  5. ^ a b "City of Toronto Official Results" (PDF).
  6. ^ https://ipolitics.ca/2018/05/23/campaign-notebook-liberal-candidate-asks-wynne-to-stay-away-then-invites-her-back/
  7. ^ "Young candidate embroiled in controversy with Doug Ford has long history with PC leader and Tory politics". National Post. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  8. ^ a b c Kennedy, Brandon (May 25, 2018). "PCs say Ford cleared of membership-buying allegations in 2016". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Private members' motions | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  10. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cabinet- shuffle-list-1.5183542
  11. ^ https://www.baytoday.ca/more-local/285-billion-plan-for-toronto-transit-unveiled-1751304
  12. ^ https://www.inhalton.com/province-says-two-way-all-day-service-in-the-works-for-go-train-line-that-runs-through-halton-hills
  13. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-coronavirus-ontario-july-6-courts-reopen-1.5638694
  14. ^ a b Surma, Kinga [@KingaSurmaMPP] (2020-08-04). "When COVID-19 first hit, people were generous in giving to our food banks. While many parts of our economy have re-opened, the demand for food banks is still there. Please consider making a food or monetary donation to your local food bank. @DailyBreadTO @HavenontheQ https://t.co/OL7x7uvHAx" (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-12-29 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Surma, Kinga [@KingaSurmaMPP] (2019-11-22). "This holiday season spread some cheer by helping those who need it. #EtobicokeCentre #Etobicoke #teamsurma https://t.co/MmIWbAGfnT" (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-12-29 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Shephard, Tamara (2018-06-18). "Q&A: The MPP-elect for Etobicoke Centre sets out her priorities". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  17. ^ Shephard, Tamara (2019-04-29). "Etobicoke is getting a new Catholic elementary school to reduce crowding". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  18. ^ Surma, Kinga (2019-04-04). "Opinion | Etobicoke Centre only riding in Toronto without community centre". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  19. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved 16 January 2019.


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