Jeff Leal

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = His Worship the Honourable

| name = Jeff Leal

| honorific-suffix = ECO

| image =

| caption =

| office = 63rd Mayor of Peterborough

| term_start = November 15, 2022

| term_end =

| predecessor = Diane Therrien

| successor =

| parliament1 = Ontario Provincial

| riding1 = Peterborough

| term_start1 = October 2, 2003

| term_end1 = June 7, 2018

| predecessor1 = Gary Stewart

| successor1 = Dave Smith

| office2 = Member of the
Peterborough City Council
for Otonabee Ward

| alongside2 = Glenn Pagett (1985–1997)
Nancy Branscombe (1997–2000)

| term_start2 = 1985

| term_end2 = 2003

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 = {{plainlist|

Paul Rexe
Garry Herring

}}

| birth_name = John Jeffrey Leal

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|12|13|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

| party = Independent

| otherparty = Ontario Liberal

| spouse = Karan

| children = 2 (Braden and Shanae)

| residence = Peterborough

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

}}

| occupation = Politician

| portfolio = Chief Government Whip (2011-2013)

}}

John Jeffrey Leal (born December 13, 1954) is a Canadian politician who serves as the 63rd and current mayor of Peterborough. Previously, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2018 who represented the riding of Peterborough. He served in the cabinet of Kathleen Wynne. On October 24, 2022 he was elected mayor of Peterborough.

Background

John Jeffrey Leal was born and raised in Peterborough. He attended Kenner Collegiate and has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economics and Political Science from Trent University (1978) and a degree in Business Administration from the University of Windsor (1981). Leal worked as executive assistant to members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) John Eakins and Larry South in the 1980s.{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Hodgins |title='Lefty' after city seat for Grits |newspaper=Peterborough Examiner |date=September 27, 2003 |page=A1 |postscript=The article title is a reference to Leal's golf swing, not to his political leanings.}} He was a health and safety representative for Coyle Corrugated Containers.{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Lacey |title=Jeff Leal's been down this road before...and loves it |newspaper=Peterborough This Week |date=September 17, 2003 |page=1}} He is married to Karan, a teacher and school principal, with two children, Braden and Shanae.

Controversies

On April 10th, 2025 the Peterborough Examiner obtained an audio recording of Leal using a racial slur (the N-word) against Black people during his appearance as a guest lecturer at a Trent University business administration class.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/audio-surfaces-of-mayor-jeff-leal-using-racial-slur-during-guest-lecture-at-trent-university/article_7bb9e13f-fa1e-5ea1-9dcc-e13d0cffdaf4.html |title=Audio surfaces of Mayor Jeff Leal using racial slur during guest lecture at Trent University |date=April 10, 2025 }} He has since issued an apology but has refused to confirm the nature of the word's usage.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-mayor-jeff-leal-refuses-to-confirm-nature-of-racial-slur-he-used-during-guest/article_64885243-eb7e-515f-9da0-3a5a8ca73cbb.html |title=Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal refuses to confirm nature of ‘racial slur’ he used during guest lecture at Trent University |date=April 10, 2025 }}

Politics

=Municipal=

He served on the Peterborough City Council from 1985 to 2003, representing the Otonabee Ward. At City Hall he was appointed as Deputy Mayor (1993-2003) and chaired the social services committee after the 2000 municipal election. In July 2022, Leal announced his candidacy for mayor of Peterborough, which he would later win.

{{2000 Peterborough municipal election/Council, Otonabee Ward (two members elected)}}

=Provincial=

Leal ran for provincial office in the 1999 provincial election as the Liberal candidate. He was narrowly defeated by Progressive Conservative incumbent Gary Stewart.{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=peterborough&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 3, 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504223842/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1999_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=37&rec=0&district=Peterborough&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=May 4, 2014 }} He defeated Stewart by over six thousand votes in a 2003 rematch, amid a provincial shift to the Liberal Party.{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=peterborough&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 2, 2003 |access-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504230432/http://results.elections.on.ca/results/2003_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=38&rec=0&district=peterborough&flag=E&layout=G |archive-date=May 4, 2014 }} Leal was re-elected in 2007, 2011 and 2014.{{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 |format=PDF |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=12 (xxi) }}{{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 |format=PDF |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=October 6, 2011 |access-date=2014-03-02 |page=14 }}{{cite web |title=General Election by District: Peterborough |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 12, 2014 |url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=071 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614002845/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=071 |archive-date=June 14, 2014 }}

During his time in government, he has served as Parliamentary Assistant to several ministers including Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (2004), Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (2005), Ministry of Energy (2005), Ministry of the Environment (2006), and the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (2007–09). In February 2010, he was named the Chief Government Whip.{{cite news |title=Jeff Leal replaces Mike Colle as Ontario chief government whip on Tuesday |publisher=Canadian Press |date=February 13, 2010}}

In February 2013, Premier Kathleen Wynne named Leal to Ontario's Cabinet, serving in the role as Minister of Rural Affairs.{{cite news |title=Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal sworn in as rural affairs minister |newspaper=Peterborough Examiner |date=February 11, 2013}}

Leal has helped secure over $400 million in funding for Peterborough, creating and preserving over 3,700 jobs with investments in infrastructure, transportation, businesses and health care. This included the creation of a new hospital, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, and funding following a damaging flood in 2004.{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Benzie |title=$5 million in aid for Peterborough; 'Just a down payment,' says McGuinty |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=July 22, 2004 |page=A2}}{{cite news |title=City gets more flood aid; Province to give extra $3.5 million 3,200 relief requests in Peterborough |publisher=Canadian Press |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=September 7, 2004 |page=A2}}

Leal has championed a number of issues through private member's bills, including retirement and income security measures. He introduced a private member's bill in 2008 to provide creditor protection for Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs).{{cite news |title=Now's time to shield RRSPs from creditors |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=May 23, 2009 |page=B1}} Two years later, he introduced a separate bill that would require companies with twenty or more employees to offer a savings or pension plan that all employees would automatically join (with the ability to opt out). The stated purpose of this bill, which was supported by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, was to reduce the costs of such insurance plans compared with retail mutual funds.{{cite news |first=James |last=Daw |title=Bill would make retirement savings plans mandatory |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=May 6, 2010 |page=B2}}

In June 2014, Leal was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs.{{cite news |title=Kathleen Wynne warns financial cupboard is bare |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2014/06/24/ontario_premier_kathleen_wynnes_new_cabinet_unveiled.html |author1=Richard Brennan |author2=Robert Benzie |author3=Rob Ferguson |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 24, 2014}}