Chandra Pasma

Chandra Pasma
MPP
Pasma in 2022
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Ottawa West—Nepean
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 2, 2022
Preceded byJeremy Roberts
Critic, Poverty, Homelessness Reduction, and Education[1]
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 13, 2022
LeaderPeter Tabuns (interim) Marit Stiles
Personal details
Born (1979-09-07) September 7, 1979
PartyOntario New Democratic Party
SpouseMatt Helleman[2]
Children3
OccupationResearcher/Policy Analyst

Chandra Pasma (born September 7, 1979)[3] is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election.[4] She represents the district of Ottawa West—Nepean as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.[5]

Background

Before her election as MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, Pasma worked as a public policy researcher for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Her published research included an investigation into state of paramedic services in Ontario,[6] and the rising use of contract labour in Canadian universities.[7][8]

She also previously served as an advisor to the federal New Democratic Party.

Pasma has also worked for Citizens for Public Justice, and prior to that worked for Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie until 2006.[9]

Political career

Pasma first ran for political office in the 2018 Ontario election in Ottawa West—Nepean. Although she was narrowly defeated by Jeremy Roberts, it was then the ONDP's strongest result in the constituency.

In the 2022 election, Pasma and Roberts would have a rematch of their 2018 contest. This time, she was elected with 15,696 votes (37.54%), marking the first time the Ontario NDP had won the constituency. Pasma was also the only candidate in Ontario who defeated an incumbent conservative in what was otherwise a successful election for the ruling Progressive Conservative Party. Her campaign emphasized access to healthcare and housing affordability.[10]

In September 2022, Pasma criticized the government for providing insufficient income support to the disabled. That month she published an op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen as part of her campaign to increase the Ontario Disability Support Program.[11]

On July 13, 2022 Pasma was named as the Official Opposition critic for poverty and homelessness reduction by interim ONDP leader Peter Tabuns.[12] She was later made education critic after Marit Stiles resigned to run for the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election. In this role, Pasma has criticized the Progressive Conservative government for underfunding education as well as for poor air and water quality in school buildings.[13][14][15][16] In October 2023, she co-sponsored Bill 140, which aimed to improve air quality in daycares and schools.[17][18] She has also advocated for resources to address growing violence in schools.[19][20]

On November 23, 2022 Pasma put forward a private member's bill, Protecting Human Rights in an Emergency Act which would require apartment buildings to possess emergency generators capable of powering water pumps and elevators.[21] The bill was prompted by the impacts of the May 2022 Canadian derecho in Ottawa; which left many apartment residents without water for over ten days, and trapped residents with mobility issues.[22][23] The bill was defeated on second reading by a vote of 30-66; being opposed by the majority Progressive Conservative government.[24]

In the 2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election Pasma endorsed Marit Stiles in her successful bid for leadership of the party; replacing outgoing leader Andrea Horwath.[25]

On December 4, 2023, Pasma was among 333 Canadians permanently banned from entering the Russian Federation. This was as a consequence of Pasma's support of Canadian sanctions against Russia, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[26]

Pasma endorsed Alberta MP Heather McPherson in the 2026 New Democratic Party leadership election.[27][28]

Electoral record

2025 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticChandra Pasma20,08749.33+11.79$79,106
Progressive ConservativeHusien Abu-Rayash11,69728.72–6.22$59,137
LiberalBrett Szmul7,22917.75–4.69$13,733
GreenSophia Andrew-Joiner9762.40–1.13$0
New BlueRylan Vroom7331.80N/A$0
Total valid votes/expense limit 40,72299.34+0.76$146,145
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 2710.66–0.76
Turnout 40,99345.32–2.10
Eligible voters 90,450
New Democratic hold Swing +9.01
Source(s)
  • "Vote Totals From Official Tabulation" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2025-03-02.
2022 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticChandra Pasma15,69637.54+5.06$125,025
Progressive ConservativeJeremy Roberts14,61034.94+2.12$90,418
LiberalSam Bhalesar9,38422.44−6.86$67,587
GreenSteven Warren1,4753.53−0.30$4,298
Ontario PartyVilteau Delvas6491.55 $5,110
Total valid votes/expense limit 41,81498.58-0.34$127,707
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 6011.42+0.34
Turnout 42,41547.42-9.62
Eligible voters 91,223
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +1.47
Source(s)
2018 Ontario general election: Ottawa West—Nepean
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeJeremy Roberts16,59032.82−1.06
New DemocraticChandra Pasma16,41532.48+18.06
LiberalBob Chiarelli14,81029.30−15.54
GreenPat Freel1,9373.83−2.35
None of the AboveColin A. Pritchard5421.07
LibertarianNicholas Paliga2510.50-0.18
Total valid votes 50,54598.92
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 5521.08-0.43
Turnout 51,09757.04+1.10
Eligible voters 89,575
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.24
Source: Elections Ontario[29]

References

  1. ↑ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
  2. ↑ "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean".
  3. ↑ . September 3, 2024 https://x.com/chandrapasma/status/1831012678606704954?s=46. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ "Chandra Pasma takes Ottawa West-Nepean for NDP". CBC News Ottawa, June 2, 2022.
  5. ↑ Jacquie Miller and Megan Gillis, "Ontario election 2022: NDP's Pasma unseats Roberts in close race in Ottawa West-Nepean". Ottawa Citizen, June 2, 2022.
  6. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2020-03-01). Under Pressure: A Statistical Report on Paramedic Services in Ontario (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: Canadian Union of Public Employees. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  7. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2019-03-19). "Contract U: Shedding Light on Contract Faculty Appointments Across Canada". cupe.ca. Ottawa: Canadian Union of Public Employees. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  8. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2016-10-31). "Fighting precarity in post-secondary education". cupe.ca. Ottawa: Canadian Union of Public Employees. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  9. ↑ "Round and round they go". Ottawa Citizen. February 22, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  10. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2022-05-26). "'I am excited to get to work on fixing what is broken'". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa: Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  11. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2022-09-26). "In Ontario, try living on a grocery budget of $47.60 a week". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa: Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  12. ↑ "Interim Official Opposition Leader Peter Tabuns names NDP deputy leaders, critics".
  13. ↑ Laucius, Joanne (2024-06-12). "OCDSB schools exceeded federal guidelines for lead in drinking water, report says". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa: Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  14. ↑ "Ford's systemic underfunding is setting Ontario's students back a generation". ontariondp.ca. Toronto: Ontario New Democratic Party. 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  15. ↑ "Conservatives' "Core Education Funding" Model Yet Another Deliberate Education Cut Disguised with New Name". ontariondp.ca. Toronto: Ontario New Democratic Party. 2024-04-26. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  16. ↑ "Ford's Underfunding of School Transportation Puts Francophone Education at Risk". ontariondp.ca. Toronto: Ontario New Democratic Party. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  17. ↑ "Bill 140, Improving Air Quality for Our Children Act, 2023". ola.org. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  18. ↑ Spichak, Simon (2024-01-31). "Breathing room: Why parents and experts are calling for a clean-air revolution in schools". tvo.org. Toronto: TVO. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  19. ↑ "NDP calls for school safety plan amid 'urgent and growing' violence". Toronto: CBC News. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  20. ↑ "NDP Calls for Emergency Safe Schools Plan". ontariondp.ca. Toronto: Ontario New Democratic Party. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  21. ↑ "Hansard Transcript 2022-Nov-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  22. ↑ Pasma, Chandra (2023-02-13). "Apartments and condos need generators for emergencies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  23. ↑ Blewett, Taylor (2023-02-14). "Should emergency generators be required of landlords? An Ottawa MPP trying to make it happen, but city councillors not sold". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  24. ↑ "Hansard Transcript 2023-Feb-23 vol. A". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  25. ↑ "Toronto MPP Marit Stiles running for Ontario NDP leader". CBC News. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  26. ↑ "Заявление МИД России о введении персональных санкций в отношении ряда граждан Канады". mid.ru (in Russian). Moscow: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia). 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  27. ↑ Wand, Eleanor (January 22, 2026). "McPherson's NDP leadership bid secures most ex-MP support, but Lewis nabs only caucus nod". The Hill Times. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  28. ↑ Lucio, Julia (November 29, 2025). "At Cornwall Event, MPP Chandra Pasma Warns Ottawa Region About "Erosion of Local Democracy"". NCR Now. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
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