17 Facts About Carla Qualtrough

Carla Dawn Qualtrough is a Canadian politician and former Paralympic swimmer who served as the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity from July 2023 to December 2024.

Carla Qualtrough previously served as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion from 2019 to 2023, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility from 2017 to 2019, and the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities from 2015 to 2017.

Carla Qualtrough was the Receiver General for Canada from 2017 to 2019.

Carla Qualtrough was born in Calgary, Alberta, on October 15,1971, to parents Patricia and Harry Carla Qualtrough, and was raised in Langley, British Columbia.

Carla Qualtrough has been visually impaired since birth and only sees 10 percent with her glasses on.

Carla Qualtrough graduated from Brookswood Secondary School and studied political science at the University of Ottawa before earning a law degree from the University of Victoria in 1997.

Carla Qualtrough's parents separated when she was a teenager and her father died in 2007.

Carla Qualtrough earned three bronze medals in swimming at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Paralympics, as well as four world championship medals for Team Canada.

Carla Qualtrough served as president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee from 2006 to 2011.

Carla Qualtrough served as counsel to the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and prior to her election to the House of Commons, she was the vice-chair of British Columbia's Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal.

In 2021, Carla Qualtrough became part of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

Carla Qualtrough was first elected as Member of Parliament for Delta on October 19,2015.

Carla Qualtrough was the first Paralympic athlete to be elected to Canada's Parliament.

The November 20,2019, cabinet shuffle had Carla Qualtrough become minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, building on her work in the accessibility portfolio.

Carla Qualtrough returned to the sport portfolio in the July 26,2023, cabinet shuffle, replacing Pascale St-Onge as minister of sport and physical activity.

Carla Qualtrough left Cabinet in the December 20,2024, cabinet shuffle.

Carla Qualtrough is married to the former secretary-general of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, Eron Main, and they have four children together.