Maria Van Bommel

Maria Van Bommel
Maria Van Bommel
Ontario MPP
	In office; 2003–2011
Preceded by	Marcel Beaubien
Succeeded by	Monte McNaughton
Constituency	Lambton—Kent—Middlesex
Personal details
Born	London, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Rene van Bommel
Occupation	Farmer

Maria Van Bommel is a Canadian former politician in Ontario, Canada. From 2003 to 2011, she was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the London area riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Background

Van Bommel attended the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario. Before entering politics, Van Bommel worked in farming, accounting and small business. She owns a poultry farm near Strathroy, Ontario. Van Bommel has served as a provincial director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and was a founding member of the Ontario Farm Women's Network and the Canadian Farm Women's Network. She also served for nine years on the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Board.

Politics

Van Bommel entered her political career at the municipal level, serving for two terms in East William Township.

In the 2003 provincial election, she defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative Marcel Beaubien by about 3,500 votes in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, a predominantly rural riding in the southwest region of the province.^[1]

Van Bommel served as the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Children and Youth Services, and served as co-chair of an "Industrial Pollution Action Team" formed by the provincial government. She also served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Van Bommel holds some socially conservative views. She opposed same-sex marriage during the 2003 campaign, and is also a vocal opponent of euthanasia.

She was defeated by Monte McNaughton in the 2011 provincial election by nearly 7,000 votes.^[2]

Electoral record

2011 Ontario general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Monte McNaughton	19,379	45.7	+9.38
	Liberal	Maria Van Bommel	12,423	29.3	-13.93
	New Democratic	Joe Hill	8,882	21.0	+10.15
	Green	James Armstrong	987	2.3	-5.6
	Family Coalition	Marinus Vander Vloet	350	0.83
	Reform	Brad Harness	232	0.55
	Freedom	Tom Jackson	119	0.28
Total valid votes			42,372	100.00

2007 Ontario general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Maria Van Bommel	18,191	43.23	-1.88
	Progressive Conservative	Monte McNaughton	15,281	36.32	-0.34
	New Democratic	Joyce Jolliffe	4,522	10.75	-0.26
	Green	James Armstrong	3,326	7.90	+5.14
	Family Coalition	Bill McMaster	547	1.30
	Reform	Brad Harness	208	0.49
Total valid votes			42,075	100.00

2003 Ontario general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Maria Van Bommel	18,533	45.11	+2.17
	Progressive Conservative	Marcel Beaubien	15,060	36.66	-8.34
	New Democratic	Joyce Jolliffe	4,523	11.01	+1.42
	Green	Tim Van Bodegom	1,133	2.76
	Independent	James Armstrong	1,053	2.56
	Freedom	Wayne Forbes	780	1.90	-0.58
Total valid votes			41,082	100.00

References

^ "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. October 2, 2003. Retrieved 2014-03-02.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history (archived)

[2003_results-1] "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. October 2, 2003. Retrieved 2014-03-02.^{[permanent dead link]}

[2011_results-2] "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1]

[2]