Yvan Baker

Baker was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Myroslava (Oleksiuk) and Donald Baker. His mother was born in Kiel, Germany, to a Ukrainian family, and his paternal family is Scottish.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ucrdc.org/Archive-Oral-History-Ukrainian_by_choice_-_Baker,_Yvan.html|title=Archive-Oral-History-Ukrainian by choice - Baker, Yvan|website=www.ucrdc.org}} Baker grew up in the West End Toronto neighbourhood of Etobicoke and attended Toronto French School. He graduated with a BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and went on to work for Scotiabank.{{Cite web|url = https://news.ontario.ca/profiles/en/yvan-baker|title = Newsroom : Biography : Yvan Baker|website = news.ontario.ca|access-date = 2016-03-10}}{{Cite web|url = http://yvanbaker.onmpp.ca/Biography?l=EN|title = Biography: Yvan Baker MPP Etobicoke Centre|access-date = 2016-03-10|archive-date = 2018-05-16|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103005/http://yvanbaker.onmpp.ca/Biography?l=EN|url-status = dead}} He then accepted a position as an Executive Assistant to the Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre Borys Wrzesnewskyj before obtaining his Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.{{Cite web|url = http://eestielu.net/et/arvamus/kommentaar/2886-yvan-baker-a-ukranian-is-running-for-the-liberals-provincially-in-etobicoke-centre|title = Yvan Baker, a Ukrainian, is running for the Liberals provincially in Etobicoke-Centre.|date = May 24, 2014|publisher = Estonian Life}} After graduation Baker became a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, working out of the New York and Toronto offices before starting his own consultancy based out of Toronto. Baker previously taught Master of Business Administration students at Schulich School of Business at York University.

Baker has also worked on several charitable initiatives and community projects. These include serving as a board director for Leave out Violence, the Emerging Leaders Network, and Global Grassroots, where he supported emerging female leaders in Rwanda on projects addressing issues such as lack of access to water, domestic violence and health education. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Baker was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 2014 as the MPP for Etobicoke Centre.{{cite web |title=Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 12, 2014 |url=http://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2014/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate.pdf |page=3 |access-date=February 15, 2016 |archive-date=December 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151206211300/http://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2014/historical-results/2014/Valid%20Votes%20Cast%20for%20Each%20Candidate.pdf |url-status=dead }} He served as parliamentary assistant to Minister of Finance Charles Sousa. Previously, Baker served as parliamentary assistant to Deb Matthews, president of the Treasury Board from 2014 to 2016.

His other legislative roles included parliamentary assistant to the Minister Responsible for Digital Government; commissioner, Board of Internal Economy; and vice-chair, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.{{cite web|url=http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7276&detailPage=members_detail_career|title=Yvan Baker|publisher=Legislative Assembly of Ontario|access-date=5 July 2016|archive-date=3 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503195403/http://ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7276&detailPage=members_detail_career|url-status=dead}}

In May 2015, Baker introduced the Ontario Flag Day Act, 2015, which sought to proclaim May 21 of each year as Ontario Flag Day. The bill passed with the unanimous support of all three parties.{{Cite web|title=Ontario Flag Day Bill Passes with Unanimous Consent |url=http://yvanbaker.onmpp.ca/News/11037?l=EN |website = Ontario Flag Day Bill Passes with Unanimous Consent|date=2016-01-22|first =Weidong|last = Zhao}}

Baker also introduced the Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act, which would make it easier for high school students to research post-secondary educational institutions.{{Cite web |title=Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2015 |url=http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=3493&detailPage=bills_detail_status |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Ontario|date=October 7, 2015}} This would be done by centralizing data in the areas of admission, student experience and outcomes for recent graduates {{Cite web|url=http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=3493|title=Legislative Assembly of Ontario {{!}} Bills & Lawmaking {{!}} Current Parliament {{!}} Bill 127, Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2015|website=www.ontla.on.ca|access-date=2016-03-10}}". The bill was endorsed by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Canadian Federation of Students, the College Student Alliance and the Graduate Student Alliance.{{Citation|last=Yvan Baker|title=Pathways Post Secondary Excellence|date=2015-10-16|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkAfvGYXxVo&list=PL0PLJMqjNLznayCR4npSZZ12AZXIPVRRB|access-date=2016-03-10}} The bill did not proceed past first reading.{{cite web |title=Bill 76, Pathways to Post-secondary Excellence Act (Post-secondary Educational Report), 2016 |url=http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=4453&isCurrent=false&ParlSessionID=412&detailPage=bills_detail_status |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Ontario |date=November 28, 2016}}

In 2017, Baker proposed the Phones Down, Heads Up Act, a bill to fine pedestrians between $50 and $125 for texting while crossing the street.{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3832194/toronto-mpp-texting-fines/|title=Toronto MPP proposes fines for texting while crossing the street | Globalnews.ca|website=Global News}}{{cite news |quote=The "Phones Down, Heads Up Act," proposed by Liberal MPP Yvan Baker, would fine those crossing the street while texting. Walking texters — doing the zombie shuffle — could be fined $50 for a first offence, $75 for a second offence, and $125 for each consecutive offence after that. |newspaper=The Toronto Star |title=Remember the zombie law walkers? We counted the drivers who rushed red lights |date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2017 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2017/12/12/remember-the-zombie-law-walkers-we-counted-the-drivers-who-rushed-red-lights.html}} The bill attracted criticism from Ontario New Democratic Party MPP Cheri DiNovo and pedestrian-safety advocacy group Walk Toronto, who argued that there is little evidence that distracted walking is a risk, and that it shifts the safety onus from drivers to pedestrians.{{cite news |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/tell-us-distracted-walking-problem-worth-creating-law-173505972.html |publisher=Yahoo News |quote="There is little or no evidence that the advent of cell phones has led to an increase in deaths due to distracted walking," DiNovo said, citing statistics published by the Ministry of Transportation that show the number of deaths caused by distracted walking did not increase at all between 1993 and 2012. [...] Dylan Reid, spokesperson for pedestrian-safety advocacy group Walk Toronto, criticized the law for law misdirecting attention for pedestrian deaths towards the victims. "When [a] 2015 Toronto Public Health study shows almost two thirds of collisions are drivers' responsibility, distracted walking is minor issue," he said on Twitter. |title=Vote: Is distracted walking a problem worth creating a law for? |first=Megan |last=DeLaire |date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2017}}

In Etobicoke Centre, Baker hosted Community Recognition Awards annually which highlighted local individuals and organizations for making a difference in the community.{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6228878-etobicoke-centre-mpp-yvan-baker-recognizes-inspirational-people-and-groups-at-awards-ceremony/|title=Etobicoke Centre MPP Yvan Baker recognizes 'inspirational' people and groups at awards ceremony|website=www.insidetoronto.com|date=12 January 2016 |access-date=2016-03-10}} The awards were available in four categories; Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Community, Outstanding Volunteer Service to Seniors, Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Community by Youth and Outstanding Service by Professional Staff. Approximately 30 individuals and organizations are honoured every year.

An annual Government and Community Services Fair was co-hosted every year by Baker and Etobicoke—Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn. In 2015, the event featured more than 110 exhibitors from the provincial government, agencies and community organizations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5343528-mpps-team-up-to-host-government-community-services-fair/|title=MPPs team up to host government, community services fair|website=www.insidetoronto.com|date=18 February 2015 |access-date=2016-03-10}}

On October 30, 2018, Baker announced his intention to seek the Liberal Party of Canada nomination in the federal riding of Etobicoke Centre.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Yvan_Baker/status/1057420926210334721|title=Yvan Baker on Twitter}}

He is engaged to Amanda Simard, the former Progressive Conservative and later Liberal MLA for the provincial riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.

{{2025 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke Centre}}

{{2021 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke Centre}}

{{2019 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke Centre}}

{{2018 Ontario general election/Etobicoke Centre}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|2014|percent=yes|change=no|prelim=no}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Yvan Baker|23,848|50.28%|}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|Pina Martino|15,520|32.72%|}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Chris Jones |5,758|12.14%|}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green|George Morrison|1,254|2.64%|}}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Alexander T. Bussmann |528|1.11%|}}

{{CANelec|ON|The People|John J. Martins|193|0.41|}}

{{CANelec|ON|Freedom|Andrew Kuess|189|0.40|}}

{{CANelec|ON|Vegan Environmental|Felicia Trigiani|142|0.30|}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web |url=http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/electoral-districts/023-etobicoke-centre.aspx|publisher=Elections Ontario|date=2014|title=Candidates for Etobicoke Centre|access-date=22 May 2014}}}}

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Ontario MPP biography|id=yvan-baker}}
• {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=20108}}

{{Current Members of the Canadian House of Commons}}

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Category:1977 births

Category:Boston Consulting Group people

Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent

Category:Living people

Category:Ontario Liberal Party MPPs

Category:People from Etobicoke

Category:Politicians from Toronto

Category:Tuck School of Business alumni

Category:York University alumni

Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs

Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario

Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario