Wednesday 29 January 2025
Patrice Barnes, Ajax
A Record of Working For You
A community champion and passionate advocate for community safety in the Durham Region. As a proud mother of two children who raised her children in Ajax, she has dedicated her life to serving her community in various roles. Currently, Patrice is honored to serve as the MPP for her community of Ajax and to represent its needs and interests on a larger scale.
Patrice also holds several key positions, including Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Second Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House of the Legislature, as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Her commitment to making a positive impact doesn’t go unnoticed, as she’s been recognized with awards such as the DBHM Madiba Awards and the Universal Woman’s Network Black Woman in Leadership Award.
Patrice Barnes is project management professional, community organizer, and a public education policy leader currently serving as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Ajax. Patrice was born in Jamaica and immigrated to Canada in her teens, where she pursued her project management education at Centennial College. With over a decade of experience in project management across the private and not-for-profit sectors, Patrice has received several professional accolades, awards, and media mentions.
Patrice has also made an impact in the field of public education, where she served as a Public-School Trustee on the Durham District School Board (DDSB) for nearly a decade, beginning in 2014. During her tenure on the Board, she held critical leadership positions, including Chair of the Education Finance Committee, the Special Education Committee, Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Board. Patrice has been a passionate advocate for inclusive education and improving learning outcomes for marginalized students and families. She actively participated in the DDSB Poverty Strategy and championed high expectations for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Her innovative contributions to the education sector include co-creating the Cypher Program for Black boys, the Empower Her Conference for Black girls, and the first Getting Ready for Kindergarten Program for Black students.
Patrice’s commitment to public education extends beyond the local level. She has served as a Director with the Ontario Public School Board Association and a member of the advisory group that authored the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan. Additionally, she contributed to the policy paper “Education Post-COVID” as part of the Ontario Education Partnership Roundtable. Federally, she has been active on the Canadian School Board Association Antiracism Workgroup, addressing systemic barriers around education and advocating for the needs of marginalized students.
She has a strong passion for making a difference in the lives of those around her.
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Charmaine Williams, Brampton Centre
In 2018, Williams became the first black woman elected to Brampton City Council. If elected as the representative in Government for Brampton Centre, she will focus her efforts on making our streets safer, ensuring that families have access to social and recreational services that they need and want, and advocating for an integrated transportation plan in the region. Williams’ beliefs, values and courage to advocate for people are shaped by her professional and personal experiences. Prior to entering politics, Williams had a 19-year career as a certified Multi-Systemic Therapist, Behavioural Consultant and Counsellor. She has been a voice on behalf of families and children of all ages coping with domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, neglect, trauma and other personal challenges. Williams has also worked with several therapeutic programs and organizations like Associated Youth Services of Peel, Youth Substance Abuse Program, Peel Children’s Center and the Reach Out Center for Kids in Peel and the Halton Region.
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David Smith, Scarborough Centre
David is a long-time Scarborough Center resident with a strong record of contribution in our community. As Trustee for Toronto District School Board Ward 17 for the past 12 years, David has worked effectively with all levels of government to reduce backlog, streamline administration and deliver results for Scarborough Center students and residents. This includes solar panels and other amenities for elementary schools; merging two aging schools, Mary Thomson Collegiate and Bendale BTI, into a new world-class facility and football field; and installing cameras throughout the ward to enhance safety. David has also worked with the City of Toronto and the Ontario Ministry of Education to implement new programs, create more daycare spaces, and bring the Leonard Braithwaite Afro-Centric program to Winston Churchill Collegiate. During the last two COVID-19 years, he continued that tradition of successful collaboration with health delivery stakeholders including the Ontario Ministry of Health, Toronto Public Health, the Scarborough Health Network, teachers and parents, to ensure consistent and quality education through the use of virtual, on-line, and hybrid models.
Before politics, David worked in the financial services industry while involved in a range of Scarborough community development initiatives. He has also served on the CNE Exhibition Committee, as a director of Toronto Lands Corporation, as Chair of Employment Insurance Appeals of Referees, and as Chair of Finance Administration and Accountability of the Toronto District School Board.
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Aderonke Daramola. Scarborough Southwest
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Mohamed Firin, York South Weston
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