Michael Coteau, Member of Provincial Parliament and leadership candidate for the Ontario Liberal party, sits down with the IC Journal to discuss performance of the PC government in Ontario and his plans for the future of the Ontario Liberal party. Here is the full video on YouTube:
Michael Coteau was born in a working family in 1972 in Huddersfield, England. His father is a native of Grenada and his mother a British. He was 5 years old when he came to Canada with his parents and settled in Flemington Park in Toronto.
He borrowed money from a friend of his father to cover his university application fee. Michael studied hard and graduated with a degree in history and political science. He started his professional career as an English teacher.
His political career started in 2003 through being elected as a Toronto District School Board Trustee for Ward 17 in Don Valley East.
In 2011, he ran to become the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Don Valley East for the Ontario Liberal Party. He won the election beating PC candidate by 7,645 votes and found his way to Queens Park. He was named as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in 2013 after Kathleen Wynne replaced Dalton McGuinty as Premier.
He was re-elected in 2014. He served as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, 2015 Pan-ParaPan-Am Games, Children and Youth Services, Anti-Racism Directorate and Community and Social Services in his portfolio.
Coteau has always been a strong advocate for children. In 2016, he called on every municipality in Ontario to remove their ban on road hockey and allow kids to play on neighbourhood streets.
In 2018, Mr. Coteau won his third election in Don Valley East, beating the Deputy Mayor of Toronto, and becoming one of the seven Liberal MPPs to return to the Ontario Legislature.
In June 2019, he announced his bid to seek the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party.