30 Facts About Judy Wasylycia-Leis

Klazina Judith Wasylycia-Leis is a Canadian politician.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was a Manitoba cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley from 1986 to 1988, and was a member of the House of Commons of Canada from September 22,1997, to April 30,2010.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was born Klazina Judith Wasylycia, the daughter of Harry Wasylycia and Klazina Nielson, in Winterbourne, Ontario, a small town near Kitchener, on August 10,1951.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis graduated from Elmira District Secondary School in 1970.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was educated at the University of Waterloo, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in political science and French in 1974, and Carleton University, where she received a Master of Arts in political science in 1976.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis worked as a policy planning consultant for the New Democratic Party following her graduation, and served as an executive assistant to party leader Ed Broadbent.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis served as women's organizer for the federal NDP during this period.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis ran for office three times while living in Ontario, though she was not elected on any of these occasions.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis ran for the seat again in a 1980 by-election and the 1981 general election, and again placed third on each occasion.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis moved to Manitoba during the 1980s, where she worked as an executive assistant to Premier Howard Pawley and coordinated the Women's Directorate in the Manitoba government.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was relieved of the Status of Women responsibility on September 21,1987, but retained the other two positions until the Pawley government was defeated in the 1988 provincial election.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was re-elected in 1988, although by a narrower margin; she defeated Liberal Ruth Oberman, 3,092 votes to 2,480.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis resigned her seat on August 12,1993, to seek the federal NDP nomination in the riding of Winnipeg North.

The NDP fared poorly in the 1993 election and Judy Wasylycia-Leis lost to Liberal Rey Pagtakhan by almost 10,000 votes.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was re-elected by a wider margin in the 2000 election.

On this occasion, Judy Wasylycia-Leis defeated Pagtakhan 12,507 votes to 9,491.

In Parliament, Judy Wasylycia-Leis has focused primarily on issues relating to women and general human rights.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis has served as her party's health critic, and was made critic for women's and senior's issues in 2001.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis is an advocate for Israel, and in recent years has been critical of some of her party's foreign policy positions as regards Israel and the Middle East.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was named Deputy Caucus Chair of the parliamentary NDP on January 30,2003.

In November 2004, Judy Wasylycia-Leis traveled to Ukraine to monitor developments in that country's disputed presidential election.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis became the centre of a national controversy during the 2006 election campaign.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis had contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police requesting an investigation into whether or not Liberal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale had illegally leaked information regarding a government announcement on income trusts, so as to benefit certain insiders.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis then proceeded to call a press conference to announce that the Liberals were the subject of an RCMP investigation.

The letter from Zaccardelli to Judy Wasylycia-Leis remains controversial, as it went against standard RCMP policy by publicly announcing that a criminal investigation is being conducted.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis played a central role in the debate surrounding the introduction of additional tax on Income Trusts in the 'Tax Fairness Plan' introduced by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty on October 31,2006.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis became caucus chair, and her critic portfolios included health and persons with disabilities.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis was re-elected again in the 2008 federal election.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis lost to the incumbent, Sam Katz, by 25,395 votes.

In 2014, Judy Wasylycia-Leis came second in the mayoral race, losing to Brian Bowman.