Christine Elliott

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Christine Elliott

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|KC|size=100%}}

| image = Christine Elliott.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Elliott in October 2014

| order1 = 11th

| office1 = Deputy Premier of Ontario

| premier1 = Doug Ford

| predecessor1 = Deb Matthews

| successor1 = Sylvia Jones

| term_start1 = June 29, 2018

| term_end1 = June 24, 2022

| office2 = Minister of Health

| premier2 = Doug Ford

| term_start2 = June 20, 2019

| term_end2 = June 24, 2022

| predecessor2 = Herself{{efn|name=fn4|as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care}}

| successor2 = Sylvia Jones

| office3 = Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

| premier3 = Doug Ford

| term_start3 = June 29, 2018

| term_end3 = June 20, 2019

| predecessor3 = Helena Jaczek

| successor3 = Herself{{efn|name=fn1|as Minister of Health}}
Merrilee Fullerton{{efn|name=fn2|as Minister of Long-Term Care}}
Michael Tibollo{{efn|name=fn3|as Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions}}

| office4 = 1st Patient Ombudsman of Ontario

| minister4 = Eric Hoskins

| term_start4 = July 1, 2016

| term_end4 = February 1, 2018

| predecessor4 = Position established

| successor4 = Craig Thompson

| office5 = Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament

| term_start5 = June 7, 2018

| term_end5 = May 3, 2022

| constituency5 = Newmarket—Aurora

| predecessor5 = Chris Ballard

| successor5 = Dawn Gallagher Murphy

| term_start6 = October 10, 2007

| term_end6 = August 28, 2015

| constituency6 = Whitby—Oshawa

| predecessor6 = Constituency established

| successor6 = Lorne Coe

| term_start7 = March 30, 2006

| term_end7 = October 10, 2007

| constituency7 = Whitby—Ajax

| predecessor7 = Jim Flaherty

| successor7 = Constituency abolished

| party = Progressive Conservative

| birth_name = Christine Janice Elliott

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|04|13|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

| residence = Whitby, Ontario, Canada

| occupation = Lawyer

| alma_mater = University of Western Ontario

| spouse = {{marriage|Jim Flaherty|1986|2014|reason=died}}

| children = 3

}}

Christine Janice Elliott {{post-nominals|country=CAN|KC}} (born April 13, 1955) is a retired Canadian politician in Ontario who served as the 11th deputy premier of Ontario and the Ontario minister of health from 2018 to 2022.

Elliott was elected to represent the riding of Newmarket—Aurora in the 2018 Ontario general election. She is the widow of former Canadian Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper (2006–2014). Eliott served as Ontario PC Party Deputy Leader from 2009 to 2015 under Tim Hudak. She was the runner-up in both the 2015 and 2018 PC party leadership races and placed third in the 2009 race.

She was a Progressive Conservative member in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2006 to 2015. She represented the ridings of Whitby—Ajax and Whitby—Oshawa, east of Toronto. Elliott was a candidate in the 2009 Progressive Conservative leadership election and came in third place behind winner Tim Hudak and runner-up Frank Klees. She was appointed as the party's deputy leader in 2009. She was a candidate for 2015 leadership election but lost to former federal MP Patrick Brown. Following her second loss, Elliott resigned her seat in the legislature and was appointed as Ontario's first Patient Ombudsman by then-Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Eric Hoskins, serving until she stepped down to make her third bid for the Ontario PC Party leadership. In that contest, Elliott won the most votes and ridings but lost the contest to Doug Ford. She then received the nomination to run for the riding of Newmarket-Aurora and was elected on June 7, 2018, as the PC Party won the election. She did not stand in the 2022 Ontario general election.

Background

Elliott was born in Oshawa and grew up in Whitby.{{cite news | last=Pessian | first=Parvaneh | title=The many sides of Christine Elliott |work=This Week | date=June 12, 2009 | page=1}}{{cite news|title=A look at Tory leadership candidate Christine Elliott|url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/06/25/a-look-at-tory-leadership-candidate-christine-elliott/#.U6tNxxax4dv|access-date=25 June 2014|agency=The Canadian Press|date=25 June 2014}} She attended the University of Western Ontario where she received her honours Bachelor of Arts degree in history.{{cite web |url=http://legacyprivatetrust.com/about/board/christine-elliott/ |title=Christine J. Elliott |publisher=Legacy Private Trust |access-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413154633/http://legacyprivatetrust.com/about/board/christine-elliott/ |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }} She graduated from Western Law School and received her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1978.{{cite web |url=http://www.fdemlaw.com/christine.html |title=Christine J. Elliott, LL.B., M.P.P. |publisher=Flaherty Dow Elliot & McCarthy Litigation Counsel |access-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414053658/http://www.fdemlaw.com/christine.html |archive-date=April 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }} She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1980. She started off her career as a bank auditor for one of Canada's largest banks. She was a founding member and partner of the Whitby law firm Flaherty Dow Elliott & McCarthy, where she practised in real estate, corporate/commercial, and estate law.

Elliott received Whitby's Peter Perry Award, an annual recognition of Whitby's outstanding citizen. Prior to that she became a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of her pro bono legal work. She is the co-founder and director of the Abilities Centre (a facility for those with special needs),{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06/25/christine-elliott-ontario-pc-leader-jim-flaherty_n_5530346.html|title=Why Christine Elliott Is Far More Than Just 'Flaherty's Widow'|work=The Huffington Post|author=Ryan Maloney|date=June 25, 2014 }} a director and past chair of Grandview Children's Centre and a director of the Lakeridge Health Whitby Foundation. She was board president of the Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS), which named one of their group homes in her honour (Elliott House). She is a director of Legacy Private Trust and has been a director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.{{cite web |title = Christine Elliott, Your MPP, Biography |url = http://www.christineelliottmpp.com/your-mpp.html |access-date = October 2, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110907063447/http://www.christineelliottmpp.com/your-mpp.html |archive-date = September 7, 2011 |url-status = dead }}

Elliott was married to former Finance Minister Jim Flaherty until his death on April 10, 2014. She gave birth to their triplet sons John, Galen, and Quinn in 1991.{{cite news|title=Jim Flaherty, 64, dies at Ottawa home one month after resigning as finance minister|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/jim-flaherty-has-died-sources-say-paramedics-outside-former-finance-minsters-condo|access-date=June 29, 2024|newspaper=National Post|date=April 10, 2014|author=National Post staff|author2=Postmedia News}} She lived in Whitby with her sons until 2015 when she moved to Toronto to be closer to her job as Patient Ombudsman.{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/qa-christine-elliott-speaks-with-chris-selley-about-doug-ford-the-carbon-tax-and-her-ontario-pc-leadership-bid|title = Christine Elliott speaks with Chris Selley about Doug Ford, the carbon tax and her Ontario PC leadership bid}}{{cite web | url = https://www.thestar.com/business/personal-finance/daw-4-tips-jim-flaherty-is-giving-his-three-sons/article_72fac10f-f63f-5645-b92a-7039abcad86a.html | title = Daw: 4 tips Jim Flaherty is giving his three sons| publisher = Toronto Star (Moneyville) | date = October 4, 2010 |access-date=June 29, 2024}} Her son Galen worked for Doug Ford, when he was a Toronto city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobicoke North.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/a-young-flaherty-joins-doug-fords-staff/article598347/|title=A young Flaherty joins Doug Ford's staff|access-date=February 28, 2018}} Elliott and Flaherty have both championed issues surrounding disabled children; their son, John, has a disability.{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/04/10/jim_flaherty_and_christine_elliott_were_partners_in_life_law_and_politics.html |title=Jim Flaherty and Christine Elliott were partners in life, law, and politics |work=Toronto Star |last=Benzie |first=Robert |date=October 4, 2014}}

Political career

In March 2006, Elliott ran successfully as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the provincial riding of Whitby—Ajax in a by-election, replacing her husband who was elected to the federal Parliament. She was re-elected in 2007 in the redistributed riding of Whitby—Oshawa.{{cite web |url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007160233/http://www.elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/AB409CCD-84F3-46FA-B3BD-39AB659EFC2D/0/SummaryofValidBallotsCastforEachCandidate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2009 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=March 2, 2014 |page=17 (xxvi) }} She was re-elected in 2011 and 2014.{{cite web|url=http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7849B894-4C4F-490E-9E8C-271BCF0C0D4D/5712/SummaryofvalidvotescastforeacndGE2011.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330163815/http://elections.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7849B894-4C4F-490E-9E8C-271BCF0C0D4D/5712/SummaryofvalidvotescastforeacndGE2011.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 30, 2013 |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 6, 2011 |access-date=March 2, 2014 |page=19 }}{{cite web |title=General Election by District: Whitby-Oshawa |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 12, 2014 |url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=100 |access-date=June 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702083911/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=100 |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

=PC party leadership bids of 2009 and 2015 and Deputy Leader =

On April 4, 2009, Elliott entered the leadership race to succeed former leader John Tory. She portrayed herself as a centrist alternative to her three right-wing opponents—Hudak, Klees and Randy Hillier.{{cite news | title=Flaherty's wife joins race for provincial Tory leadership |publisher=Vancouver Sun | date=April 4, 2009 | page=B2}} During her announcement she criticized her main rival Tim Hudak. She said, "He really wants to replicate some of the campaigns and some of the solutions that worked in the 1990s. What happened in 1995 is not the solution for 2009."{{cite news | last=Greenberg | first=Lee | title=Centrist MPP enters race to lead Tories |publisher=Ottawa Citizen | date=April 4, 2009 | page=A4}} She said that as leader, she would push for a "sector-by-sector" innovation strategy for Ontario. She also said that she supports nuclear energy and that the Liberal's green energy plan was insufficient for Ontario's needs.{{cite news | last=Denley | first=Randall | title=Christine Elliott's Conservative 'to-do list' |publisher=Windsor Star | date=May 1, 2009 | page=A8}}{{cite news | last=Cowan | first=James | title=Tory hopeful casts eye on grassroots for policy; Ontario party's leadership became 'arrogant,' Klees says |publisher=National Post | date=May 15, 2009 | page=A7}} At the leadership convention on June 28, 2009, in Markham, Ontario, Elliott placed third in the results behind winner Tim Hudak and runner-up Frank Klees.{{cite news | last=Hayward | first=Jeff | title=Christine Elliott fails in bid to lead Progressive Conservatives | work=This Week | date=June 27, 2009 | page=1}}

Elliott became the party's Deputy Leader from 2009 until her resignation in 2015.

On June 25, 2014, Elliott announced she would seek the leadership of the party for a second time.{{cite news |title=Christine Elliott, Flaherty's widow, running for Ontario PC party leadership |last=Jones |first=Allison |publisher=The Canadian Press |location=Toronto, Ont |date=June 25, 2014}} She had the support of at least nineteen of the twenty-eight caucus members{{cite news |title=Elliott vows to build a kinder new PC party: Fresh direction is needed to regain trust of voters, leadership hopeful says |last=Brennan |first=Richard |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 26, 2014 |page=A6}} but lost to Brown on May 9, 2015, in a two-person race with 38% of the vote. She resigned her seat in the legislature on August 28, 2015, one week before Brown's election to the provincial parliament.{{cite news|title=Tory Christine Elliott quits as MPP|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/28/tory-christine-elliott-quits-as-mpp.html|access-date=August 28, 2015|work=Toronto Star|date=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828170557/http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/28/tory-christine-elliott-quits-as-mpp.html|url-status=dead}}

=Patient Ombudsman of Ontario=

On December 10, 2015, she was appointed by Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Eric Hoskins as Ontario's first Patient Ombudsman effective as of July 1, 2016. The duties of the non-partisan position included acting on behalf of patients who have not had their issues resolved through normal complaint resolution processes. She said, "Ensuring that patients in Ontario's health-care system will now have a strengthened voice is a responsibility I am looking forward to taking on."{{cite news |title=Former Whitby-Oshawa MPP Christine Elliott to be Province's first patient ombudsman |newspaper=This Week |location=Whitby, Ont |date=December 11, 2015 |page=1}}

On February 1, 2018, Elliott resigned as Patient Ombudsman to enter the Ontario PC Party leadership election.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/02/01/former-mpp-christine-elliott-joins-ontario-progressive-conservative-leadership-race-caroline-mulroney-to-follow.html|title=Former MPP Christine Elliott joins Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race, Caroline Mulroney to follow|last1=Benzie|first1=Robert|date=February 1, 2018|work=Toronto Star|access-date=February 1, 2018|last2=Ferguson|first2=Rob|language=en-CA}}

=2018 Ontario PC Party leadership bid=

Elliott officially announced she was running for leadership on February 1, 2018, via Twitter, to replace Patrick Brown who had resigned as leader after sexual misconduct allegations were made against him.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/celliottability|title=Christine Elliott (@celliottability) {{!}} Twitter|website=twitter.com|language=en|access-date=February 25, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-pc-leader-patrick-brown-resigns-amid-allegations-about-conduct-1.3774840|title=Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown resigns amid allegations about conduct|last=Loriggio|first=Paola|date=January 25, 2018|work=Toronto|access-date=February 25, 2018|language=en-CA}} Her campaign slogan was "Ready. Now." and her leadership campaign has focused on her experience compared to the other candidates.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/02/05/christine-elliott-urges-tories-to-opt-for-experience.html|title=Christine Elliott says she's got the experience Tories need in a leader|last=Benzie|first=Robert|date=February 5, 2018|work=The Toronto Star|access-date=February 25, 2018|language=en-CA|issn=0319-0781}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulroney-ford-not-ready-to-lead-ont-pc-party-elliott-1.3807269|title=Mulroney, Ford not ready to lead Ont. PC party: Elliott|date=February 17, 2018|work=CTVNews|access-date=February 25, 2018|language=en-CA}} She stated she supported the "People's Guarantee" (the existing platform adopted by the PC Party in November 2017) with the exception of a carbon tax, which she opposed.{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/qa-christine-elliott-speaks-with-chris-selley-about-doug-ford-the-carbon-tax-and-her-ontario-pc-leadership-bid|title=Christine Elliott speaks with Chris Selley about Doug Ford, the carbon tax and her Ontario PC leadership bid|date=February 2, 2018|work=National Post|access-date=February 25, 2018|language=en-US}} She had the most support from the Ontario PC caucus of any leadership candidate in the race.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/02/07/its-still-early-but-christine-elliott-has-most-caucus-support-in-pc-leadership-race.html|title=It's still early, but Christine Elliott has most caucus support in PC leadership race|last=Ferguson|first=Rob|date=February 7, 2018|work=The Toronto Star|access-date=February 25, 2018|language=en-CA|issn=0319-0781}} On March 10, she was eliminated on the third and final ballot of the leadership election, which was won by Doug Ford. Elliott had the most votes and had won the most ridings but did not have the most points and therefore came in second.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/03/11/runner-up-christine-elliott-says-there-were-serious-irregularities-with-pc-leadership-vote.html |title=Christine Elliott concedes PC leadership vote to Doug Ford |first=Kristin |last=Rushowy |newspaper=The Star |date=March 11, 2018 |access-date=July 26, 2018}} She initially refused to concede to Ford, citing "serious irregularities" in the race and vowed to "investigate the extent of this discrepancy". However, she conceded to Ford the next day and announced her support for him as party leader.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-christine-elliott-meeting-1.4571798|title=Christine Elliott meets new Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford, gives him her support |work=CBC News|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-US}}

= Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care =

On April 2, 2018, Elliott announced via Twitter her intention to seek the PC candidate nomination for the provincial riding of Newmarket-Aurora.{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/celliottability/status/980931122635960321|title=Christine Elliott on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en}} The original PC candidate, Charity McGrath, was disqualified by the PC Party's provincial nomination committee (PNC) amid complaints that she'd signed up riding association members without their knowledge. On March 15, the PNC voted unanimously to bar McGrath from standing for the party in any riding for the 2018 election.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/8356475-appeal-denied-pc-party-s-disqualification-of-charity-mcgrath-stands/|title=Appeal denied: PC Party's disqualification of Charity McGrath stands|date=28 March 2018 |access-date=May 13, 2018}} Elliott won the election on June 7, 2018, and her party formed a majority government during the 42nd Parliament of Ontario. Premier Ford appointed Elliot appointed to be Deputy Premier and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in the Executive Council of Ontario.

On July 26, 2018, under Premier Ford, Elliott increased the provincial mental health budget from $3.8 billion annually by an additional $3.8 billion over a ten-year period (with half of the increase in funds coming from the federal government).{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/26/tories-blasted-for-335m-cut-in-planned-spending-on-mental-health.html |title=Tories blasted for $335M cut in planned spending on mental health |first=Robert |last=Benzie |date=July 26, 2018 |access-date=July 26, 2018 |newspaper=The Star |location=Toronto, Ontario}}

As Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Elliott sponsored The People's Health Care Act which, in addition to repealing the Lung Health Act, enacted the Connecting Care Act to create a new Crown agency titled Ontario Health intended to merge the 14 Local Health Integration Network and several crown agencies such as Cancer Care Ontario, the Gift of Life Network, eHealth Ontario, HealthForceOntario, and provide the ability for the Minister to create Integrated Care Delivery Systems (or Health Teams) to deliver health care services.{{cite web |url= https://blg.com/en/News-And-Publications/Documents/Publication_5586_1033.pdf |title= Ontario Government's Healthcare Reform Legislation, Bill 74, The People's Health Care Act, 2019 |date=2019 |access-date=April 20, 2019 |publisher= Borden Ladner Gervais LLP}}

Elliott oversaw the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario.{{Cite web|url=https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9881027-ontario-government-has-a-coronavirus-outbreak-plan-but-won-t-reveal-details/|title=Ontario government has a coronavirus outbreak plan but won't reveal details|last=Ferguson|first=Rob|date=2020-03-09|website=Toronto.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2020-03-10}} Elliot was an active member of Doug Ford's Cabinet who provided front line health care workers with financial relief and recognition through pandemic pay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-temporary-pandemic-pay|title=COVID-19: Temporary pandemic pay|date=2020-05-28|language=en-CA|access-date=2020-05-28}}

On March 4, 2022, Elliott announced that she would not seek re-election in the upcoming provincial election.{{cite web| url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/christine-elliott-will-not-run-in-june-election-will-remain-ontario-health-minister-until-spring-1.5805446| website=ctvnews.ca| title=Christine Elliott will not run in June election, will remain Ontario health minister until spring| first=Miriam| last=Katawazi| date=March 4, 2022}}{{cite tweet| user=celliottability| number=1499738795465445380| date=March 4, 2022| author=Christine Elliott| title=I recently shared with Premier Ford I will not be seeking re-election in June. Until then, I will continue what has been the honour of a lifetime to support our gov't as Minister of Health. To the people of Newmarket-Aurora, thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you.}}

= Private Clinic Controversy =

In November 2023, former health minister Christine Elliott registered to lobby the Ford government on behalf of Clearpoint Health Network, the largest chain of private surgical clinics in Canada.{{Cite web |last=Crawley |first=Mike |date=November 14, 2023 |title=Doug Ford government paying for-profit clinic more than hospitals for OHIP-covered surgeries, documents show |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-doug-ford-private-clinic-surgeries-fees-hospitals-1.7026926#:~:text=The%20documents%20show%20Don%20Mills,and%202022%2D23%20fiscal%20years. |access-date=January 23, 2025 |website=cbc.ca}} A CBC Toronto investigation revealed that a private clinic, Don Mills Surgical Unit, which is owned by Clearpoint Health Network, received more funding from Christine Elliot's government to perform certain OHIP-covered surgeries than public hospitals performing the same operations did. Freedom of information documents show that during her time as minister, the clinic's annual funding from the province quadrupled.{{Cite web |date=November 15, 2023 |title=Opposition parties critique PC government paying for-profit clinic more than hospitals for surgeries |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/opposition-react-clinic-hospital-funding-1.7029090 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20241213232254/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/opposition-react-clinic-hospital-funding-1.7029090|archive-date=December 13, 2024 |website=cbc.ca |url-status=live}}

Adil Shamji, doctor and liberal health critic, complained, "We have a private, for-profit company that is performing the easiest surgeries on the least-complex patients during the most convenient times of the day with the least oversight, yet they get to charge the most to the health-care system (...) And we have the immediate past health minister lobbying the current health minister on behalf of a company that is already profiteering in our health care to allow that company to profiteer even more."

Electoral record

{{CANelec/top|ON|2014|Whitby—Oshawa (provincial electoral district)|Whitby—Oshawa|percent=yes|change=yes|prelim=no}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=100|date=2014|publisher=Elections Ontario|title=General Election Results by District, 100 Whitby—Oshawa|access-date=17 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617111044/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=100|archive-date=17 June 2014|url-status=dead}}}}