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Heather McPherson (politician)

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Heather McPherson
MP
McPherson in pink as part of Pink Shirt Day
Member of Parliament
for Edmonton Strathcona
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byLinda Duncan
Whip of the New Democratic Party
In office
April 5, 2024 – April 28, 2025
LeaderJagmeet Singh
Preceded byRachel Blaney
Succeeded byvacant
Personal details
Born (1972-05-09) May 9, 1972 (age 53)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
PartyNew Democratic
SpouseDuncan
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Alberta (M.Ed.)
Websitewww.heathermcpherson.ca

Heather McPherson MP (born May 9, 1972) is a Canadian politician who has represented the riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the House of Commons of Canada since 2019 as a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP).[1]

Early life

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McPherson was born on May 9, 1972, in Edmonton, Alberta.[2] She attended Old Scona Academic High School in the Old Strathcona district. McPherson graduated from the University of Alberta, where she earned both undergraduate and master's degrees in education.[3][4] She previously served as executive director of the Alberta Council on Global Co-operation, specializing in international development.[5][3]

Political career

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McPherson became the New Democratic Party's candidate for Edmonton Strathcona after incumbent Linda Duncan announced her intentions to retire. During the 2019 election, McPherson was endorsed by Green Party of Canada candidate Michael Kalmanovitch, in an attempt to prevent vote splitting.[6] In the 43rd Canadian Parliament, which lasted from 2019 until the 2021 Canadian federal election was called, she was the only non-Conservative MP from Alberta.[7] Alongside former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, McPherson supported the project to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline, despite the project being opposed by New Democratic Party leadership.[8] McPherson has also advocated to limit coal mining in the Rocky Mountains and increase environmental oversight over mining.[9][10]

She was re-elected in 2021, and was appointed the NDP critic for Foreign Affairs in the 44th Canadian Parliament.[11] McPherson is known for pressing the Liberals to recognize Palestinian statehood, stating they lacked the "moral courage and political will" to advance a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.[12] McPherson was part of a group of Canadian Members of Parliament who travelled to the West Bank and Jordan as part of a fact-finding tour that involved meetings with Palestinian refugees, diplomatic officials, United Nations aid workers, and Israeli peace activists.[13][14][15] In 2022, McPherson, along with Jagmeet Singh, Charlie Angus and Anne McGrath formed a New Democratic Party delegation which visited Germany, meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other leading members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.[16] In April 2022, McPherson proposed that the Canadian government recognize a genocide of Ukrainians by the Russian Armed Forces during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The proposal was passed unanimously in the House of Commons.[17] As foreign affairs critic, she has also supported international nuclear disarmament.[18][15]

In the 2025 federal election, McPherson retained her seat in the Edmonton Strathcona riding. However, she was one of only a few NDP members to return to Parliament, as the party lost the majority of its seats in the House of Commons, along with official party status.[19] This led to party leader Jagmeet Singh resigning from his role.[20] Despite the defeat, McPherson said that she will now focus on the Liberals living up to "the promises they made to Canadians," ensuring her party "will do that."[21]

2026 leadership campaign

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McPherson is a candidate in the 2026 New Democratic Party leadership election,[22] launching her campaign on September 28, 2025, in Edmonton.[23][24][25] Her policies include increasing housing affordability and making the party more electorally viable by building a "bigger table".[26] During the campaign period, she was endorsed by former Alberta premier Rachel Notley and former Ontario MP Charlie Angus, among others.[27]

Personal life

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McPherson is married to her husband, Duncan, and has 2 children.[28] She is a cancer survivor.[29]

Electoral record

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Leadership elections

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2026 New Democratic Party leadership election
Candidate First ballot
Votes %
Rob Ashton
Tanille Johnston
Avi Lewis
Heather McPherson
Tony McQuail
Total valid votes
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters ~100,000[30]
Source:

Federal elections

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2025 Canadian federal election: Edmonton Strathcona
** Preliminary results — Not yet official **
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Heather McPherson 27,959 46.82 –11.13
Conservative Miles Berry 19,773 33.11 +6.34
Liberal Ron Thiering 10,806 18.09 +9.07
People's David Joel Wojtowicz 385 0.64 –3.88
Green Atul Deshmukh 365 0.61 –0.64
Independent Graham Lettner 251 0.42 N/A
Communist Christian Bourque 181 0.30 N/A
Total valid votes/expense limit
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 59,720 72.59
Eligible voters 82,266
New Democratic notional hold Swing –8.74
Source: Elections Canada[31][32]
2021 Canadian federal election: Edmonton Strathcona
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Heather McPherson 31,690 60.31 +13.04 $84,080.08
Conservative Tunde Obasan 13,310 25.33 -11.74 $96,778.74
Liberal Hibo Mohamed 3,948 7.51 -4.11 $22,672.65
People's Wes Janke 2,366 4.50 +2.84 $4,252.77
Green Kelly Green 634 1.21 -0.82 $0.00
Libertarian Malcolm Stinson 275 0.52 - none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 52,223 99.40 -0.16 $108,879.96
Total rejected ballots 317 0.60 +0.16
Turnout 52,540 69.37 -2.89
Eligible voters 75,736
New Democratic hold Swing +12.39
Source: Elections Canada[33]
2019 Canadian federal election: Edmonton Strathcona
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Heather McPherson 26,823 47.27 +3.30 $91,753.90
Conservative Sam Lilly 21,035 37.07 +5.79 $88,211.43
Liberal Eleanor Olszewski 6,592 11.62 -9.11 $91,354.39
Green Michael Kalmanovitch 1,152 2.03 -0.27 $8,919.41
People's Ian Cameron 941 1.66 - none listed
Communist Naomi Rankin 125 0.22 - none listed
Marxist–Leninist Dougal MacDonald 77 0.14 -0.03 none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 56,745 99.56
Total rejected ballots 250 0.44 +0.05
Turnout 56,995 72.26 +1.27
Eligible voters 78,876
New Democratic hold Swing -1.24
Source: Elections Canada[34][35]

References

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  1. ^ "Canada election results: Edmonton Strathcona". Global News. October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "Births". The Edmonton Journal. May 12, 1972. p. 30.
  3. ^ a b "Federal Election 2019 Meet the Candidates: NDP Heather McPherson". The Gateway. October 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "Video: Meet your NDP candidate for Edmonton Strathcona". New Democratic Party. September 1, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  5. ^ Junker, Anna; Wyton, Moira (October 21, 2019). "Election 2019: Heather McPherson wins to continue progressive legacy in Edmonton Strathcona". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  6. ^ "'My goal has always been policy change': Green candidate throws support behind NDP counterpart". October 16, 2019.
  7. ^ Toy, Adam (October 22, 2019). "Edmonton Strathcona becomes the only non-Conservative seat in Alberta after voting in NDP Heather McPherson". Global News. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  8. ^ Junker, Anna; Wyton, Moira (October 22, 2019). "Alberta's lone holdout; NDP candidate Heather McPherson takes Edmonton Strathcona". Edmonton Journal. p. A4.
  9. ^ "New Democrat MP tables private bill, wants federal assessment of coal projects". LethbridgeNewsNow. June 8, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  10. ^ "MP McPherson tables Private Member's Bill to curtail coal mining". New Democratic Party. December 1, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  11. ^ "NDP announces new critic roles for caucus". Canada's NDP. October 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  12. ^ Robertson, Dylan (September 23, 2024). "NDP urges government to recognize Palestinian statehood, sanction Israeli officials". CBC.
  13. ^ Major, Darren (January 17, 2024). "MPs visiting the West Bank raise concerns about settler violence targeting Palestinians". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  14. ^ ""Reading about it is not the same as being there" – Canadian MP Heather McPherson on her factfinding trip to the West Bank". 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Roche, Douglas (April 4, 2024). "Heather McPherson Has Suddenly Become One of the Most Important MPs in Ottawa". Global Security Institute. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  16. ^ Patel, Raisa (November 20, 2022). "Jagmeet Singh went to Germany to find out how to become Canada's prime minister". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  17. ^ Zimonjic, Peter (April 27, 2022). "House votes unanimously to describe Russian military action in Ukraine as genocide". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Roche, Douglas (December 4, 2023). "McPhedran, May, McPherson, Davies defy government, attend UN meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons". The Hill Times. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  19. ^ Knopp, Elliott (April 29, 2025). "Federal NDP presence in Alberta cut down to just one woman". CityNews Edmonton. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  20. ^ "Jagmeet Singh to resign as NDP leader after losing B.C. seat | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  21. ^ Primetime, Alberta (May 1, 2025). "Lone Alberta NDP MP says party will have challenges during rebuild, upcoming term". CTVNews. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  22. ^ "Leadership Contestants Below are officially approved candidates seeking the leadership of Canada's NDP. Each has been approved by the Leadership Vote Committee and is authorized to receive tax-receiptable donations via the NDP". Canada's NDP. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  23. ^ Kirkup, Kristy (April 29, 2025). "Federal NDP looks toward rebuilding party, with leadership race on horizon". Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  24. ^ "Heather McPherson, Avi Lewis prepare NDP leadership bids". Toronto Star. September 16, 2025.
  25. ^ "Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? The NDP leadership race is on — and these are the frontrunners, insiders say". Yahoo News. October 4, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  26. ^ https://www.heathermcpherson.ca/policy
  27. ^ https://www.heathermcpherson.ca/endorsements
  28. ^ Derworiz, Colette (June 1, 2020). "'Little orange dot:' Lone Alberta NDP MP says she offers different perspective". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  29. ^ Heather McPherson (September 11, 2019). Heather McPherson for Edmonton Strathcona. Retrieved September 29, 2025 – via YouTube.
  30. ^ von Stackelberg, Marina (March 9, 2026). "Voting begins for new federal NDP leader as Lewis dominates fundraising". CBC News. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  31. ^ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  32. ^ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  33. ^ "September 20, 2021 General Election Election Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  34. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  35. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
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