Patty Hajdu

Patricia A. Hajdu PC MP (/ˈhaɪduː/;^[1][2] born November 3, 1966) is a Canadian politician who has served as the Minister of jobs and families since May 13, 2025. Prior to that she served as minister of Indigenous services from October 26, 2021 to May 13, 2025. A member of the Liberal Party, she also serves as the member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North.^[3][4] Previously, she was the minister of status of women, minister of employment, workforce development and labour, and minister of health.

The Honourable Patty Hajdu PC MP
Hajdu in 2016
Minister of Jobs and Families
Incumbent
Assumed office May 13, 2025
Prime Minister	Mark Carney
Preceded by	Steven MacKinnon
Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Incumbent
Assumed office May 13, 2025
Prime Minister	Mark Carney
Preceded by	Herself[a]
In office October 26, 2021 – March 14, 2025
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Mélanie Joly
Succeeded by	Herself[a]
Minister of Indigenous Services
In office October 26, 2021 – May 13, 2025
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau Mark Carney
Preceded by	Marc Miller
Succeeded by	Mandy Gull-Masty
Minister of Health
In office November 20, 2019 – October 26, 2021
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Succeeded by	Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
In office January 10, 2017 – November 20, 2019
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	MaryAnn Mihychuk
Succeeded by	Carla Qualtrough (Employment and Workforce Development) Filomena Tassi (Labour)
Minister of Status of Women
In office November 4, 2015 – January 10, 2017
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Kellie Leitch
Succeeded by	Maryam Monsef
Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North
Incumbent
Assumed office October 19, 2015
Preceded by	Bruce Hyer
Personal details
Born	(1966-11-03) November 3, 1966 (age 58) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Residence(s)	Thunder Bay, Ontario
Alma mater	Lakehead University (BA) University of Victoria (MPA)

Early life and education

Born in Montreal, Hajdu spent her early years in Chisholm, Minnesota, U.S. with her brother Sean Patrick Hajdu (1969–2003), raised by her aunt and uncle.^[5] Her Hungarian last name comes from her stepfather.

At 12 years old, Hajdu moved to Thunder Bay to live with her mother. Due to a tumultuous relationship, she ended up living on her own at age 16, while she finished high school.^[5] After graduating, she got a job in Thunder Bay through an employment insurance initiative, at a non-profit adult-literacy group, where she trained in graphic design.^[5]

Hajdu then attended Lakehead University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology.^[6] In 2015, she received a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Victoria.^[7][8]

Career

Hajdu worked mainly in the field of harm prevention, homelessness, and substance misuse prevention, including nine years as the head of the drug awareness committee of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. She also worked as a creative director and graphic designer in marketing. Prior to her election in 2015 she was the executive director at Shelter House, the city's largest homeless shelter.^[9]

On November 4, 2015, she was appointed the Minister of Status of Women in the federal Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.^[10] In this capacity, she convened in July 2016 an advisory council to help develop of Canada's strategy against gender-based violence.^[11] She was sworn in as Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour on January 10, 2017.

On October 29, 2018, Minister Hajdu, alongside Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef and President of the Treasury Board and Minister for Digital Government Scott Brison, introduced pay equity legislation for federally regulated workplaces.^[12]

Hajdu was shuffled to Minister of Health in the Trudeau government following the 2019 federal election.

As Minister of Health from 2020 to 2021, Hajdu oversaw the Department of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, key agencies coordinating the Canadian government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 25, 2020, Hajdu informed the Senate that she would invoke the Quarantine Act effective at midnight, federally mandating that all travellers (excluding essential workers) returning to the country must self-isolate for 14 days, prohibiting those who are symptomatic from using public transit as transport to their place of self-isolation, and prohibiting self-isolation in settings where they may come in contact with those, who are vulnerable (people with pre-existing conditions and the elderly).^[13]

In October 2021, Hajdu left her Health Minister's office and was shuffled to the Minister of Indigenous Services following the 2021 federal election.^[14]

Personal life

Hajdu is the mother of two adult sons.^[15]

Electoral record

v t e 2025 Canadian federal election: Thunder Bay—Superior North
** Preliminary results — Not yet official **
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Patty Hajdu	25,140	55.23	+14.83
	Conservative	Bob Herman	16,274	35.75	+11.79
	New Democratic	Joy Wakefield	3,239	7.12	–20.59
	People's	Amos Bradley	457	1.00	–4.89
	Green	John Malcolm Northey	410	0.90	–0.87
Total valid votes/expense limit
Total rejected ballots
Turnout			45,520	67.84
Eligible voters			67,100
	Liberal notional hold		Swing		+1.52
Source: Elections Canada[16][17]

v t e 2021 Canadian federal election: Thunder Bay—Superior North
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Patty Hajdu	16,893	40.7	-2.2	$94,557.23
	New Democratic	Chantelle Bryson	11,244	27.1	+6.0	$40,417.50
	Conservative	Joshua Taylor	10,035	24.2	-1.4	$7,497.92
	People's	Rick Daines	2,465	5.9	+4.2	$0.00
	Green	Amanda Moddejonge	735	1.8	-6.6	$2,082.49
	Libertarian	Alexander Vodden	111	0.3	0.0	$0.00
Total valid votes			41,483
Total rejected ballots			311
Turnout			41,794	63.61
Eligible voters			65,703
Source: Elections Canada[18]

v t e 2019 Canadian federal election: Thunder Bay—Superior North
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Patty Hajdu	18,502	42.85	-2.14	$94,089.37
	Conservative	Frank Pullia	11,036	25.56	+8.13	$33,102.79
	New Democratic	Anna Betty Achneepineskum	9,126	21.14	-2.04	$42,426.79
	Green	Bruce Hyer	3,639	8.43	-5.37	$23,709.76
	People's	Youssef Khanjari	734	1.70	–	$5,389.00
	Libertarian	Alexander Vodden	140	0.32	–	$1,783.16
Total valid votes/expense limit			43,177	99.05
Total rejected ballots			416	0.95
Turnout			43,593	65.48	-3.22
Eligible voters			66,579
	Liberal hold		Swing		-5.13
Source: Elections Canada[19][20]

2015 Canadian federal election: Thunder Bay-Superior North
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Patty Hajdu	20,069	44.99	+28.51	$90,854.71
	New Democratic	Andrew Foulds	10,339	23.18	-26.97	$121,837.34
	Conservative	Richard Harvey	7,775	17.43	-12.22	$59,457.39
	Green	Bruce Hyer	6,155	13.80	+10.78	$123,098.51
	Independent	Robert Skaf	270	0.61	–	$6,944.34
Total valid votes/Expense limit			44,608	100.0		$248,538.44
Total rejected ballots			178	–	–
Turnout			44,786	–	–
Eligible voters			63,995
Source: Elections Canada[21][22][23]

Notes

1. The position was vacant from March 14 to May 13, 2025. As an agency of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, responsibility for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario was held during this period by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.