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Michael Coteau
Canadian politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michael Joseph Coteau[1] is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough—Woburn in the House of Commons of Canada since 2025, having previously represented Don Valley East from 2021 to 2025.
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From 2011 to 2021, Coteau represented Don Valley East in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party. He held several cabinet positions under Premier Kathleen Wynne from 2013 to 2018, including Citizenship and Immigration, Tourism, Culture and Sport and Community and Social Services. Coteau was one of seven Liberals elected in the 2018 Ontario election and later ran in the 2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, finishing second. He resigned his provincial seat in 2021 to enter federal politics.
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Background
Coteau was born in Huddersfield, England. His father is from Carriacou, Grenada and his mother, Sandra, was from Yorkshire, England.[2] He came to Canada with his parents in 1976 and grew up in social housing in Flemingdon Park in North York.[3] Coteau's family was low-income and he had to borrow the money needed to cover his university application fee from a friend's father.[4] After graduating from Leaside High School,[5] he attended Carleton University and received a degree in history and political science.[6]
After graduation, he taught English in South Korea.[7]
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Career
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Coteau was a Toronto District School Board Trustee for Ward 17, winning elections in 2003, 2006, and 2010.[6] As a trustee, he advocated for student nutrition, community use of space, and the use of educational technology.[6] He initiated the 'Community Use of Schools' motion that cut user fees and made schools more accessible to groups that offer programs for children.[6] He helped introduce nutritional changes in schools that supported healthy food programs and increased awareness of student hunger.[6]
In addition to his work as a trustee, Coteau served as the executive director and chief executive officer of a national adult literacy firm, and worked as a community organizer in the Malvern area of Scarborough, Ontario with the United Way.[8] He also owned and operated his own small business.[citation needed]
Provincial politics
In 2011, he ran provincial election in the riding of Don Valley East. He won the election, beating Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Lende by 7,645 votes.[9] He was re-elected in 2014.[10]
The Liberals won a minority government and Coteau was appointed as parliamentary assistant to the minister of tourism and culture. In 2013, after Kathleen Wynne replaced Dalton McGuinty as premier, Coteau was named Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.[11] He was one of ten members of the Wynne's cabinet with no prior cabinet experience.[12] In June 2014, Coteau was made Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport by Premier Kathleen Wynne, as well as Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games.[13] He made headlines advocating for children to be able to play street hockey. On February 16, 2016, it was announced that Coteau would add responsibility for anti-racism, responsible for establishing various anti-racism programs.[14] On June 13, 2016, he was appointed Minister of Children and Youth Services, and in particular worked collaboratively with parents to deliver a reformed Ontario Autism Program.[15] He also was subsequently appointed Minister of Community and Social Services, holding down three separate portfolios for the government.[citation needed]
In 2018, Coteau defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Denzil Minnan Wong, Toronto's deputy mayor, to win his third election in the North Toronto constituency.[16] He was one of just seven Liberals elected.[17]
In June 2019, Coteau entered the race for leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. Coteau said he had "a different vision" and would "restore decency to our politics".[18] At the leadership convention on March 7, 2020, he received 16.9% of the vote, finishing second behind the winner, Steven Del Duca.[19][20]
Coteau resigned from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on August 17, 2021, to run for his constituency's federal seat, vacated by Yasmin Ratansi, in the 2021 federal election.[21]
Federal politics
In August 2021, Coteau was nominated as the federal Liberal candidate in Don Valley East, ahead of the 2021 election.[22] He was elected on September 20, 2021.[23]
During the 2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution, Don Valley East was merged with Scarborough Centre to create the new riding of Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, setting up a potential face-off with fellow Liberal MP Salma Zahid for the party's nomination. After previously considering running in Toronto—St. Paul's in the 2024 by-election to replace Carolyn Bennett, Coteau ultimately won the Liberal nomination in Scarborough—Woburn following the retirement of John McKay.[24][25] He was re-elected in the 2025 election.[26] He was elected as the chair of the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 45th Canadian Parliament.
Cabinet positions
Electoral record
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References
External links
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