Jeffrey Thomas Yurek (born 1971) is a former Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented the riding of Elgin—Middlesex—London. He was an MPP between 2011-2022.

Background

Yurek was born and raised in St. Thomas, Ontario. He worked as a pharmacist in a family business with his brother. He lives with his wife Jenn and their daughter.{{cite news |url=https://lfpress.com/news/ontarioelection/2011/10/07/18797876.html |title=Political junkie gets his shot |newspaper=London Free Press |date=October 7, 2011 |access-date=27 January 2019 |archive-date=6 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006211647/http://www.lfpress.com/news/ontarioelection/2011/10/07/18797876.html |url-status=dead }}

Politics

Yurek ran in the 2011 provincial election as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Elgin—Middlesex—London. He defeated Liberal candidate Laurie Baldwin-Sands by 8,696 votes.{{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=2014-03-02 |page=4 }} He was re-elected in the 2014 provincial election defeating NDP candidate Kathy Cornish by 8,820 votes.{{cite web|title=General Election by District: Elgin-Middlesex-London |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 12, 2014 |url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702072952/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=021 |archive-date=July 2, 2014 }}

He was previously the party's health critic and later served in cabinet.

He put forward a private member's bill, that was passed unanimously, allowing students to carry lifesaving medicines on their person. The bill was named 'Ryan's Law', after a student died from having his medical inhaler locked in the principal's office {{cite web |title=Ontario law passes to let asthmatic kids carry inhalers in school |publisher=CBC |date=Apr 30, 2015 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-law-passes-to-let-asthmatic-kids-carry-inhalers-in-school-1.3055534}}

On June 20, 2019, he was named Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.{{Cite web|url=https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/london-area-mpps-caught-up-in-dramatic-doug-ford-cabinet-shuffle|title=London-area MPPs caught up in dramatic Doug Ford cabinet shuffle|website=The London Free Press|first=Jennifer|last=Bieman|date=2019-06-20|language=en|access-date=2019-06-21}}

On January 7, 2022, Yuruk announced that he wouldn't be seeking a 4th term and he would resign his seat at the end of February.{{cite web | url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8495817/jeff-yurek-mpp-resign-elgin-middlesex-london/ | title=Jeff Yurek to resign, not seek 4th term as MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London - London | Globalnews.ca }} He was succeeded by Rob Flack in the 2022 Ontario general election.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=Rob Flack elected in Elgin-Middlesex-London |url=https://blackburnnews.com/london/london-news/2022/06/02/rob-flack-elected-elgin-middlesex-london/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=BlackburnNews.com |language=en-US}}

=Election results=

{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|524|0.98|}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2018/results/officialresults-yellowbook/votescastbycandidate/pdf/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202018%20Provincial%20General%20Election.pdf|title=Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario|access-date=January 11, 2019}}}}

{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|682|1.51}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2014/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202014%20General%20Election.pdf |date=2014 |author=Elections Ontario |title=Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate - 2014 General Election |access-date=30 May 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2014/Statistical%20Summary%20-%202014%20General%20Election%20and%202012-2014%20By-elections.pdf |date=2014 |author=Elections Ontario |title=Statistical Summary - 2014 General Election and 2012-2014 By-elections |access-date=May 30, 2018 }}}}

{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|154|0.37}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2011/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202011%20General%20Election.pdf |date=2014 |author=Elections Ontario |title=Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate - 2011 General Election |access-date=30 May 2018 |archive-date=28 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228172443/https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2011/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate%20-%202011%20General%20Election.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2011/Statistical%20Summary%20-%202011%20General%20Election%20and%202008-2011%20By-elections.pdf |date=2014 |author=Elections Ontario |title=Statistical Summary - 2011 General Election and 2008-2011 By-elections |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-date=19 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319222418/https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2011/Statistical%20Summary%20-%202011%20General%20Election%20and%202008-2011%20By-elections.pdf |url-status=dead }}}}