Panel Discussion and Closing Remarks: Leslie Church

Leslie is the Member of Parliament for Toronto-St. Paul’s and serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour, for Seniors, and for Children and Youth, and to the Minister of Jobs and Families (Persons with Disabilities). In this capacity, Leslie plays an important role in the federal government’s employment, skills and social policy development.

Prior to her election, Leslie held top leadership roles in both the private sector and public service. She practiced law at Torys LLP in Toronto and has worked extensively in public policy, serving on not-for-profit boards and advising governments on topics including higher education and open government. She held a senior role at Google in Canada, where she worked to promote Canada’s technology sector and the success of Canadian innovators. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta, the London School of Economics (MSc), and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (JD).

In her time in public service, Leslie was a top policymaker in the federal government, including guiding the development of three federal budgets and advancing Canada’s economic policies with partners across the G7. Her leadership has contributed to national progress on childcare, support for Canadian arts and culture, initiatives to make homes more affordable, and key investments to support jobs and manufacturing.