Alexandra Mendès
{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Alexandra Mendès
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MP|size=100%}}
| image = Alexandra Mendes 2011.jpg
| riding1 = Brossard—Saint-Lambert
| parliament1 = Canadian
| term_start1 = October 19, 2015
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Hoang Mai
| successor1 =
| riding2 = Brossard—La Prairie
| parliament2 = Canadian
| term_start2 = October 14, 2008
| term_end2 = May 2, 2011
| predecessor2 = Marcel Lussier
| successor2 = Hoang Mai
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|11|03}}
| birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Liberal
| spouse =
| residence = Brossard, Quebec
| profession = Communications Officer
| footnotes =
| caption = Mendès in 2011
}}
Alexandra Mendès {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MP}} (born November 3, 1963) is a Canadian Liberal politician, currently serving as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Brossard—Saint-Lambert since 2015. She previously served in the House of Commons from 2008 until 2011 as the MP for the riding of Brossard—La Prairie.
Early life
Mendès was born in Portugal and immigrated to Canada with her family in 1978 when she was 15.[https://alexandramendes.libparl.ca/about/ About Alexandra Mendès] Libparl.ca
Political career
Mendès worked as a constituency assistant to Jacques Saada, who served as a Liberal MP for Brossard—La Prairie from 1997 to 2006. She also taught at the Brossard Portuguese School.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/elections/fed2008/candidates/generated/24011_LIB.html "Election 2008 candidate profile: Alexandra Mendes], The Globe and Mail. Mendès was a Quebec assistant to Bob Rae for a period of eight months during his leadership campaign. She has worked for fifteen years at a settlement organization for new immigrants and refugees at Maison Internationale de la Rive-Sud.[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/riding/045/candidate.html "Candidate Profile: Alexandra Mendes"], CBC News, 2008.
She was elected to the House of Commons in 2008, defeating Bloc Quebecois MP Marcel Lussier, who had defeated her former boss Saada in the previous election. She initially came in second by 102 votes, but a recount ordered by Elections Canada resulted in her winning by a margin of 69 votes.[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/liberals-oust-bloc-in-suburban-montreal-following-recount-1.744731 "Liberals oust Bloc in suburban Montreal following recount"], CBC News, October 24, 2008. She was defeated in the 2011 election by NDP candidate Hoang Mai.
In August 2011, Mendès announced her candidacy for the presidency of the Liberal Party of Canada.[http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/08/28/liberal-caucus-regroup-focus-economy-jack-layton-ndp_n_939530.html "Liberal Caucus: Party Regroups, Focuses On Economy"], Huffington Post, 2011. She was defeated in her race for the presidency by Mike Crawley, but remained a committed member of the party, making appearances on CTV and CBC's Power and Politics representing the party. In June 2012, Mendès became President of the Liberal Party's Quebec wing, the Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec).
In the 2015 federal election, Mendès was the Liberal candidate in the newly created riding of Brossard—Saint-Lambert, again facing off against Mai. She defeated Mai, returning to the House of Commons.
On April 6, 2017, Mendès moved a motion "That the House do now proceed to Orders of the Day" during debate on a Question of Privilege of an instance of Members of Parliament having their Rights as Members denied. Such a motion during a debate on a Question of Privilege had never been made before in Canadian Parliamentary History. The Liberal majority voted in favour of Mendès's motion, preventing the issue from being reviewed by the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/sitting-161/hansard|title = Debates (Hansard) No. 161 - April 6, 2017 (42-1) - House of Commons of Canada}}
On April 11, 2017, the Speaker of the House of Commons Geoff Regan said the motion was unprecedented and ruled that the Question of Privilege should be revived.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/sitting-164/hansard|title = Debates (Hansard) No. 164 - April 11, 2017 (42-1) - House of Commons of Canada}}
As a child, Mendès was a member of the Girl Guides of Canada and has spoken in the House of Commons about her view that "much of what (she is) today (she) owes to Guiding".{{Cite web|url=https://openparliament.ca/debates/2010/3/9/alexandra-mendes-1/|title=Alexandra Mendes, "Girl Guides of Canada" on March 9th, 2010 {{!}} openparliament.ca|website=openparliament.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-11-30}}
On February 28, 2019, Mendès created controversy when during an emergency debate on the SNC-Lavalin affair she said "I really do not understand why this is a big deal."{{cite web | url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/sitting-389/hansard#Int-10520370 | title=Debates (Hansard) No. 389 - February 28, 2019 (42-1) - House of Commons of Canada }}{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/video/5011162/dont-understand-whats-the-big-deal-liberal-mp-on-snc-lavalin-controversy/|title='Don't understand what's the big deal': Liberal MP on SNC-Lavalin controversy | Watch News Videos Online|website=Global News}}
Mendès was re-elected in the 2019 Canadian federal election.
On December 10, 2019, Mendès was appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker and Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/speaker/en/presiding-officers/presiding-officer/3|title=Speaker of the House of Commons - Alexandra Mendès|website=www.ourcommons.ca}}
In the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, she endorsed Chrystia Freeland.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-14 |title=Power Play: MPs declare support for Liberal leadership candidates Carney, Freeland and Gould |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/video/shows/power-play/2025/01/14/power-play-mps-declare-support-for-liberal-leadership-candidates-carney-freeland-and-gould/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=CTV News |language=en}} She accused the Trump administration of engaging in "rhetorical acts of war against Canada".{{Cite web |date=2025-03-21 |title=Canada's Worries Grow Over Puerto Rico's Statehood Talks {{!}} US Newsper |url=https://usnewsper.com/2025/03/canadas-worries-grow-over-puerto-ricos-statehood-talks/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=usnewsper.com |language=en-GB}}
Mendès is seeking re-election in the 2025 Canadian federal election.{{Cite web |title=Alexandra Mendès on VoteMate |url=https://votemate.org/canada2025/candidates/10440 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=VoteMate |language=en-CA}}
Personal life
Mendes holds dual citizenship for Canada and Portugal.{{cite web | title=As Australia ousts MPs with dual citizenship, Canada's Parliament embraces many in its ranks | website=CBC | date=8 December 2017 | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dual-citizenship-mps-senators-parliament-australia-1.4439522 | access-date=17 July 2023}} In February 2025, she announced she is undergoing cancer treatment.{{Cite web |title=Assistant deputy speaker Mendès being treated for cancer |url=https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/02/26/assistant-deputy-speaker-mendes-being-treated-for-cancer/451717/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=The Hill Times |language=en-CA}}
Electoral record
{{2025 Canadian federal election/Brossard—Saint-Lambert}}
{{2021 Canadian federal election/Brossard—Saint-Lambert}}
{{2019 Canadian federal election/Brossard—Saint-Lambert}}
{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|Brossard—Saint-Lambert|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Alexandra Mendès|28,818|50.3|+17.55|–}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Hoang Mai|14,075|24.6|-12.21|–}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Qais Hamidi|7,215|12.6|-0.22|–}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Suzanne Lachance|6,071|10.6|-5.35|–}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Fang Hu|1,089|1.9|+0.39|–}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/Expense limit|57,260|100.0 | |$220,572.15}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|549|0.94|–}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|57,809|69.16|–}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|83,194}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Canada{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/FindED?L=e&QID=-1&PAGEID=20|title=Voter Information Service - Find your electoral district|website=www.elections.ca}}{{cite web | url=http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand%2Fcanlim&document=index&lang=e | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045200/http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand%2Fcanlim&document=index&lang=e | archive-date=2016-03-04 | title=Elections Canada Online | Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits }}}}
{{end}}
{{2011 Canadian federal election/Brossard—La Prairie}}
{{2008 Canadian federal election/Brossard—La Prairie}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=17310}}
- {{Official website|http://www.alexamendes.ca/}}
{{Current Members of the Canadian House of Commons}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendes, Alexandra}}
Category:Women members of the House of Commons of Canada
Category:Francophone Quebec people
Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs
Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec
Category:Politicians from Lisbon
Category:Portuguese emigrants to Canada
Category:Women in Quebec politics
Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada