Karen McCrimmon

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Lieutenant Colonel

Karen McCrimmon

OMM CD
Karen McCrimmon.jpg
McCrimmon speaking at a community discussion night, January 28, 2014
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
In office
August 31, 2018 – August 15, 2021
MinisterRalph Goodale
Preceded byMark Holland
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
In office
January 30, 2017 – August 31, 2018
MinisterMarc Garneau
Preceded byKate Young
Succeeded byTerry Beech
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office
December 2, 2015 – January 27, 2017
MinisterKent Hehr
Preceded byPierre Lemieux
Succeeded bySherry Romanado
Member of Parliament
for Kanata—Carleton
In office
October 19, 2015 – August 15, 2021
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byTBD
Personal details
Born
Karen A. Martin

1959 (age 61–62)
Weston, Ontario, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Rob McCrimmon
Children2
ResidenceWoodlawn, Ontario[1]
Alma materUniversity of Windsor (BA)
ProfessionMediator, soldier
AwardsOrder of Military Merit
Canadian Forces Decoration with clasp
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/service Canadian Army
 Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1975–1980 (Army)
1980–2006 (Air Force)
RankCanadian RCAF OF-4.svg Lieutenant-Colonel
UnitThe Windsor Regiment
Commands429 Transport Squadron
Battles/warsGulf War
Afghanistan War

Karen A. McCrimmon[1] OMM CD (born 1959) is a Canadian Forces veteran, mediator, and politician who was elected Member of Parliament for Kanata—Carleton in the 2015 Canadian federal election. After a 31-year military career, McCrimmon retired as a lieutenant colonel. She was the first female navigator and the first woman to command a Canadian Forces air force squadron. She became involved in federal politics with the Liberal Party of Canada in 2008. In 2011, McCrimmon was the Liberal candidate for the federal election in the Carleton—Mississippi Mills riding and, in 2013, she unsuccessfully bid for the Liberal leadership. In August 2021, she announced that she would retire from politics and did not seek re-election.[2]

Background[]

McCrimmon was born in Weston, Ontario.[3] Her father, Charles Martin, was a metallurgic technician employed by the A.V. Roe Company working on the Avro Arrow CF-105 fighter aircraft.[4] Her mother, Isabel, emigrated from Scotland on her own, at the age of 20. When the Arrow project was cancelled in 1959, her father found work with Trans-Canada Airlines and moved his family to Timmins, Ontario. In 1971, the family moved to Windsor, Ontario.

While in high school, McCrimmon joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.[4] In 1975, she joined The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) as a Reservist. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Windsor in Russian and linguistics,[3] and originally wanted to work in Canada's diplomatic corps.[4]

McCrimmon then joined the Regular Force in 1980 and became an air navigator, the first female to gain such a qualification.[5]

In 1995, she was made a member of the Order of Military Merit and, in 1998, was promoted lieutenant-colonel and given command of 429 Transport Squadron, becoming the first woman to command a Canadian Forces flying squadron.[5] In 2000, she headed the Transport and Rescue Standardization and Evaluation Team. In July 2006, she was posted to Ramstein, Germany to serve as a Senior Staff Officer at the NATO Air Headquarters.[5] She did a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2004 where she was responsible for NATO Airlift Co-ordination.[5] She retired from the Forces in 2006.

Politics[]

McCrimmon became involved in federal politics with the Liberal Party in 2008. She was the Liberal candidate for the riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills in the 2011 federal election, but lost to the Conservative incumbent Gordon O'Connor.[6] In December 2012, she announced her bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada and, on April 14, 2013, she conceded to the winner Justin Trudeau.[7][8]

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, McCrimmon was the Liberal candidate in Kanata—Carleton, essentially the Ottawa portion of Carleton—Mississippi Mills. She defeated Conservative candidate Walter Pamic by a 7,600-vote margin as the Liberals swept to a majority government.[4] After the election, she was touted as a candidate for a cabinet portfolio.[9] Ultimately, however, she was not promoted to cabinet.

McCrimmon was reelected in 2019, defeating Conservative candidate Justina McCaffrey by a 4,000-vote margin as the Liberals won a minority government. McCrimmon was Chair of the Defence Committee in the 43rd Canadian Parliament.

Civilian career[]

On November 13, 2015, McCrimmon was sworn in as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kanata – Carleton. Prior to her election, she was a consultant for private and public institutions and organizations.[10]

Married to Rob McCrimmon since 1985, the couple have two grown children. Karen McCrimmon is a private pilot and is a member of the Women's Executive Network (WXN), CFUW, FMWC, Royal Canadian Legion, and CWIA.[11]

Honours and decorations[]

McCrimmon received the following honours and decorations during her military career.

Order of Military Merit (Canada) ribbon (OMM).jpg Canada Gulf and Kuwait Ribbon.png General Campaign Star Ribbon.png
Special Service Medal Ribbon.png CPSM Ribbon.png CD-ribbon and bar.png

Ribbon Description Notes
Order of Military Merit (Canada) ribbon (OMM).jpg Order of Military Merit (OMM)
  • Appointed on September 6, 1995
  • Invested on December 6, 1995[6]
Canada Gulf and Kuwait Ribbon.png Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • with Bar
General Campaign Star Ribbon.png General Campaign Star
  • South West Asia Ribbon
Special Service Medal Ribbon.png Special Service Medal
CPSM Ribbon.png Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
CD-ribbon and bar.png Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)
  • 1 Clasp

Electoral record[]

hide
2019 Canadian federal election: Kanata—Carleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Karen McCrimmon 28,746 43.05 -8.24 $101,971.36
Conservative Justina McCaffrey 24,361 36.48 -2.73 none listed
New Democratic Melissa Coenraad 8,317 12.46 +5.64 $17,833.67
Green Jennifer Purdy 4,387 6.57 +3.88 $15,580.62
People's Scott Miller 961 1.44 $0.00
Total valid votes/Expense limit 66,772 99.35
Total rejected ballots 438 0.65 +0.35
Turnout 67,210 77.00 -1.96
Eligible voters 87,281
Liberal hold Swing -2.76
Source: Elections Canada[12][13]
hide2015 Canadian federal election: Kanata—Carleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Karen McCrimmon 32,447 51.24 +24.78 –
Conservative Walter Pamic 24,829 39.21 -14.5 –
New Democratic John Hansen 4,313 6.81 -8.48 –
Green Andrew West 1,704 2.69 -1.85 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 63,323 100   $212,958.74
Total rejected ballots 191 – –
Turnout 63,514 – –
Eligible voters 79,831
Liberal notional gain from Conservative Swing +19.64
Source: Elections Canada[14][15]
hide2011 Canadian federal election: Carleton—Mississippi Mills
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Gordon O'Connor 43,723 56.95 -0.82 –
Liberal Karen McCrimmon 18,393 23.96 +1.62 –
New Democratic Erin Peters 11,223 14.62 +4.98 –
Green John Hogg 3,434 4.47 -5.76 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 76,773 100.00   –
Total rejected ballots 196 0.25 –
Turnout 76,969 72.77 +3.61
Eligible voters 105,770 – –
Conservative hold Swing -1.22

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. ^ Dhanraj, Travis; Christian Paas-Lang (8 August 2021). "3 Liberal MPs say they will not run in the next federal election". CBC News. CBC. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Duffy, Andrew (3 April 2011). "Its Army versus air Force". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Egan, Kelly and Darren Major (20 October 2015). "McCrimmon soars to huge Liberal victory in Kanata-Carleton". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Ottawa Citizen (14 April 2011). "Liberal Party: Karen McCrimmon". Postmedia. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Dunn, Derek (13 November 2012). "Riding woman joins Liberal leadership race". Toronto.com. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. ^ "McCrimmon makes list of Liberal leadership candidates". West Carleton Review. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Federal Liberal leadership race". Canada. CBC news. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  9. ^ Crawford, Alison (20 October 2015). "What might a Liberal cabinet look like?". CBC News. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  10. ^ Smith, Teresa (12 November 2012). "Retired Forces Lt.-Col. McCrimmon to launch federal Liberal leadership campaign". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Private pilot and volunteer for the Canadian Cancer Society". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  12. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  14. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Kanata—Carleton, 30 September 2015
  15. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

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