Lisa Thompson (politician)

The Honourable
Lisa Thompson
MPP
Thompson in 2024
Minister of Rural Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 6, 2024
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byErnie Hardeman
Minister of Government and Consumer Services
In office
June 20, 2019 – June 18, 2021
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byBill Walker
Succeeded byRoss Romano
Minister of Education
In office
June 29, 2018 – June 20, 2019
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byIndira Naidoo-Harris
Succeeded byStephen Lecce
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Huron—Bruce
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 6, 2011
Preceded byCarol Mitchell
Personal details
Born1965 (age 58–59)
Wingham, Ontario, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseDennis Schiestel
ResidenceTeeswater, Ontario
OccupationDairy Goat cooperative General Manager

Lisa M. Thompson (born c. 1965) is a Canadian politician who serves as Ontario's Minister of Rural Affairs. She has represented the riding of Huron—Bruce in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party since 2011.

She previously served as Ontario Minister of Education from 2018 to 2019, as Minister of Government and Consumer Services from 2019 to 2021, and as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs from 2021 to 2024.

Background

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Thompson was born in Wingham, Ontario. She is a graduate of the University of Guelph. Prior to her election as an MPP, she worked as the general manager of The Ontario Dairy Goat Cooperative, and as a Rural Community Advisor for OMAFRA. She lives near Teeswater, Ontario with her husband Dennis.[1][2]

Politics

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Thompson ran in the 2011 provincial election as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Huron—Bruce. She defeated Liberal incumbent Carol Mitchell by 4,479 votes.[1][3] She was re-elected in the 2014 provincial election, defeating Liberal candidate Colleen Schenk by 3,865 votes,[4] and in the 2018 provincial election, defeating Jan Johnstone of the NDP by 12,320 votes.

She served as the party's critic for Environment and Climate Change, critic for Energy (Green Energy Act) and critic for Small Business and Red Tape. In February 2017, she was appointed as the PC party's Critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and Critic for International Trade.[5]

In January 2018, after party leader Patrick Brown stepped down and was replaced by Vic Fedeli, Thompson was chosen as the party's new caucus chair.[6]

Following the 2018 provincial election, Lisa Thompson was named Minister of Education in Premier Doug Ford's cabinet.[7] On June 20, 2019, she was reassigned as Minister of Government and Consumer Services.[8] In June 2021, Thompson became Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.[9] In June 2024, she became Minister of Rural Affairs after the June 6 Cabinet Shuffle split her ministry into two. Rob Flack took over as Minister of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness.[10]

Electoral record

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2022 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Lisa Thompson 24,369 51.97 −0.39 $68,075
Liberal Shelley Blackmore 8,775 18.71 +4.78 $32,861
New Democratic Laurie Hazzard 7,679 16.38 −12.65 $42,759
New Blue Matt Kennedy 3,384 7.22   $19,069
Green Matthew Van Ankum 1,922 4.10 +0.68 $3,276
Ontario Party Gerrie Huenemoerder 474 1.01   $680
Independent Ronald Stephens 212 0.45   $0
Ontario Alliance Bruce Eisen 77 0.16 −0.35 $0
Total valid votes/Expense limit 46,892 99.41 +0.62 $121,926
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 277 0.59 -0.62
Turnout 47,169 54.16 -9.35
Eligible voters 86,559
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −2.59
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Lisa Thompson 27,646 52.36
New Democratic Jan Johnstone 15,326 29.03
Liberal Don Matheson 7,356 13.93
Green Nicholas Wendler 1,804 3.42
Libertarian Ron Stephens 399 0.76
Alliance Gerrie Huenemoerder 271 0.51
Total valid votes 52,802 100.0  
Source: Elections Ontario[11]
2014 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Lisa Thompson 18,512 39.01 −3.72
Liberal Colleen Schenk 14,647 30.86 −1.89
New Democratic Jan Johnstone 10,843 22.85 +2.00
Green Adam Werstine 1,651 3.48 +1.76
Family Coalition Andrew Zettel 1,353 2.85 +1.38
Libertarian Max Maister 323 0.68
Equal Parenting Dennis Valenta 128 0.27
Total valid votes 47,457 100.00 + 1.20
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 765 1.59 +1.31
Turnout 48,222 59.96 +0.73
Eligible voters 80,428   +5.85
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −0.92
Source(s)
Elections Ontario (2014). "Official Returns from the Records, 034 Huron-Bruce" (PDF). Retrieved March 18, 2015.
2011 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Lisa Thompson 19,138 42.76 +12.22 $ 81,890.60
Liberal Carol Mitchell 14,659 32.75 −13.20 79,935.51
New Democratic Grant Robertson 9,329 20.85 +7.53 32,102.53
Green Patrick Main 772 1.72 −4.81 881.40
Family Coalition Christine Schnurr 656 1.47 −0.85 14,592.60
Independent Dennis Valenta 200 0.45 −0.44 0.00
Total valid votes / expense limit 44,754 100.0   +0.46 $ 90,268.64
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 172 0.38 −0.09
Turnout 44,926 59.23 −0.57
Eligible voters 75,853   +1.35
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +12.71
Source(s)
"Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Huron—Bruce – October 6, 2011 General Election" (PDF).
"2011 Candidate Campaign Returns (CR-1)". Elections Ontario. Retrieved June 13, 2014.

Cabinet positions

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Ontario provincial government of Doug Ford
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Ernie Hardeman Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
June 18, 2021 - present 		Incumbent
Bill Walker Minister of Government and Consumer Services
June 20, 2019 - June 18, 2021 		Ross Romano
Indira Naidoo-Harris Minister of Education
June 29, 2018 - June 20, 2019 		Stephen Lecce

References

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  1. ^ a b Dale Carruthers (October 12, 2011). "Thompson brings rural experience". The London Free Press. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Meet Lisa". Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  3. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  4. ^ "General Election by District: Huron-Bruce". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014.
  5. ^ "Lisa M. Thompson, MPP (Huron—Bruce)". Archived from the original on January 31, 2018.
  6. ^ "Ontario Progressive Conservatives shuffle critic roles after Patrick Brown resignation". Global News. The Canadian Press. January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  7. ^ Jackson, Peter (June 29, 2018). "Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson Named Ontario Education Minister". Bayshore Broadcasting. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  8. ^ Powers, Lucas (June 20, 2019). "Fedeli, MacLeod, Thompson all demoted in major Ontario cabinet shuffle by Ford". CBC News. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  9. ^ Kerr, Pauline (June 24, 2021). "Lisa Thompson named Ontario's new agriculture minister". Toronto Star.
  10. ^ Jones, Allison; Casey, Liam (June 6, 2024). "Ontario Premier Doug Ford shuffles cabinet". CBC News. Toronto, Ontario. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  11. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
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