The Honourable Karina Gould, MP

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (on parental leave)

Represents the riding of Burlington

The Honourable Karina Gould is on parental leave as of January 8, 2024. In her absence, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon assumes the duties of Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

The Honourable Karina Gould was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Burlington in 2015. She has previously served as Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, as Minister of International Development, and as Minister of Democratic Institutions.

A graduate of McGill University and the University of Oxford, Minister Gould is passionate about helping Canadian families, public service, and international development. Before her election as a Member of Parliament, she worked as a trade and investment specialist for the Mexican Trade Commission in Toronto, a consultant for the Migration and Development Program at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., and spent a year volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico.

Minister Gould has deep roots in her hometown of Burlington, Ontario, and is an active member of the community and an advocate for families, women’s issues, and affordable housing. She has volunteered with and actively supports the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club, the Burlington chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Mississauga Furniture Bank, Halton Women’s Place, and other local organizations.

Minister Gould lives in Burlington with her husband, Alberto, and their son, Oliver.

With the birth of Oliver, Minister Gould became the first woman federal Cabinet minister to give birth while holding office. She is passionate about breaking down barriers for women, youth, and underrepresented groups.