 |
Karina GouldCanadian politician and statesman
Date of Birth: 28.06.1987
Country:  Canada |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Political Career
- Parliamentary Secretary
- Minister of Democratic Institutions
- Minister of International Development
- Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Karina Gould, a Canadian politician belonging to the Liberal Party of Canada, was born on June 28, 1987, in Burlington, Ontario, to Jewish parents. Her paternal grandfather, a Czechoslovakian Jew, survived internment in Theresienstadt, Dachau, and Auschwitz before emigrating to Israel after World War II. Her German-born mother met her father at a kibbutz, where they both volunteered. The Goulds eventually relocated from Israel to Canada, where Karina's father established a small business. They welcomed four children, including Karina and her three brothers.
At the age of 16, Gould attended a Forum for Young Canadians in Ottawa, where she visited Parliament and learned about the workings of the federal government. Inspired, she resolved to pursue a career in politics. In 2005, she completed high school and spent a year volunteering at a shelter in Mexico, where she met her future husband, Alberto Gerones.
Returning to Canada in 2006, Gould enrolled at McGill University. As an active student, she served as President of the Arts Undergraduate Society and organized a fundraiser for humanitarian relief in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. In 2010, she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
After McGill, Gould worked as a consultant for the Organization of American States Migration and Development Program in Washington, D.C. She later earned a Master's degree in International Relations from St. Hilda's College, Oxford University.
Political Career
In 2014, Gould returned to her hometown of Burlington and briefly worked in trade and investment for ProMexico, a Mexican trade agency in Toronto. She then decided to run as the Liberal candidate in the 2015 federal election in the riding of Burlington. Her campaign gained some media attention when she deleted a three-year-old tweet opposing the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines and Alberta oil sands development, a position also held by the Liberal Party leadership. Gould ultimately defeated incumbent Conservative MP Mike Wallace, capturing 46% of the vote compared to Wallace's 42.5%.
Parliamentary Secretary
On December 2, 2015, Gould was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and Minister of Francophonie. In 2016, Gould accompanied US President Barack Obama during his state visit to Canada, which included a stop in Burlington, where his brother-in-law lives. During his address to the Canadian Parliament, Obama asked Gould to wave to the camera, a moment later hailed by Maclean's magazine as one of the most memorable of Obama's Canadian visit.
Minister of Democratic Institutions
On January 10, 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Karina Gould as Minister of Democratic Institutions and Chairman of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. At age 29, Gould became the youngest member of the Canadian Cabinet in history, breaking the record previously held by Maryam Monsef, who was 32 when she entered the government.
As Minister, Gould was responsible for strengthening democratic institutions and improving electoral processes in Canada. She addressed cyberthreats such as online interference and the spread of misinformation on social media platforms and worked to combat foreign interference. She played a key role in the passage of Bill C-76, the Elections Modernization Act, which introduced significant amendments to Canadian electoral legislation, expanding accessibility for persons with disabilities, restricting third-party involvement in election campaigns, and banning foreign funding of candidates.
Gould stepped down as Chairman of the Privy Council on July 18, with her ministerial post remaining unchanged.
Minister of International Development
Gould was re-elected to Parliament in the 2019 federal election, winning her seat in Burlington with 48.6% of the vote compared to Conservative challenger Jane Michael's 33.2%.
Following the election, Prime Minister Trudeau announced a major cabinet shuffle on November 20, 2019, which saw Karina Gould appointed as Minister of International Development, again succeeding Maryam Monsef in the role. In this capacity, she oversaw the Canadian government's funding to the World Health Organization, developing a strong partnership with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
On October 26, 2021, Trudeau's newly formed cabinet was sworn in, with Gould taking on the portfolio of Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
Personal Life
Karina Gould married Alberto Gerones, a Mexican national, in 2011. The couple had been dating since 2006. On March 8, 2018, they welcomed their son, Oliver, making Gould the first serving federal minister to give birth while in office. She breastfed her son during a House of Commons sitting, an incident that received attention in the Canadian media.
In a 2019 interview, Gould reflected on the sexism she has encountered since entering politics: "I would say perhaps in 2015, the initial questions I was getting were all about how old I was and how did I get into politics at such a young age… And I know for a fact they wouldn't be asking the same questions to a man my age."
Gould identifies as a Jewish but non-religious individual, observing major Jewish holidays (Hanukkah, Purim, Yom Kippur) as part of her cultural heritage. She supports the State of Israel but does not consider herself a Zionist.
