Marilyn Gladu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marilyn Gladu
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Gladu in 2018
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| Member of Parliament for Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong Sarnia—Lambton (2015–2025) |
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| Assumed office October 19, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Pat Davidson |
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| Born | 1961/1962 (age 63–64) |
| Political party | Liberal (since 2026) |
| Alma mater | Queen's University (BSc) |
| Profession | Engineer |
Marilyn Gladu (born 1961 or 1962) is a Canadian politician. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong since 2015. An MP is a person elected to represent their community in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected as a member of the Conservative Party. In April 2026, she decided to join the Liberal Party. This is sometimes called 'crossing the floor'.
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About Marilyn Gladu
Marilyn Gladu is an engineer by profession. She studied at Queen's University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Before entering politics, she worked in engineering and management consulting.
Her Work in Canadian Politics
Helping People with Palliative Care
In 2016, Ms. Gladu introduced a special bill, called a private member's bill. This bill was about creating a plan for palliative care in Canada. Palliative care is a type of care that helps people who are very sick feel more comfortable and have a better quality of life. Her bill became a law in December 2017.
Roles in the Opposition Party
Before joining the Liberal Party, Ms. Gladu held important roles in the Conservative Party. She was a 'critic' for different topics. A critic's job is to watch what the government is doing in a specific area and suggest improvements. She was the critic for civil liberties and for health. She also led the Standing Committee on the Status of Women for two periods, from 2016-2017 and again from 2020-2021. Earlier, she was the critic for science.
Running for Party Leadership
In October 2019, people in her area re-elected her for a second time. In January 2020, she announced she wanted to become the leader of the Conservative Party. To run for leader, candidates need to get many signatures and raise money. Ms. Gladu was not able to get enough support, so her name was not on the ballot.
Addressing Public Issues
In February 2020, Ms. Gladu suggested that the Canadian government should use the military to help end protests along railways that were happening at the time.
In April 2020, Ms. Gladu made comments during an interview about a possible treatment for COVID-19. She suggested it had a very high recovery rate. These comments caused some discussion. Other politicians and medical experts said her statements were not supported by evidence. Ms. Gladu later said her comments were misunderstood.
In June 2021, Ms. Gladu voted against a bill called C-6. This bill aimed to protect all Canadians from harmful practices that try to change a person's identity. She had asked the government to change parts of the bill. The bill later passed in Parliament in December 2021, with changes to protect more people.
Protecting Retirement Savings
In 2022, Ms. Gladu introduced another important bill, C-228. This bill was designed to protect the pensions of workers if their company went bankrupt. Pensions are savings that people get after they retire from work. This bill passed in Parliament and became law in April 2023. It is now known as the 'Pension Protection Act'.
A Bill for Christian Heritage Month
In December 2023, Ms. Gladu introduced a bill to declare December as Christian Heritage Month. This bill did not become a law before the parliamentary session ended in January 2025.
Leading a Committee Again
In 2025, she was again chosen to lead the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
Changing Political Parties
On April 8, 2026, Ms. Gladu officially joined the Liberal Party. She was the fourth Conservative MP to switch to the Liberals during that time in Parliament.
Her Political Beliefs
Thoughts on Party Switching
In January 2026, before she switched parties, Ms. Gladu supported a petition. This petition asked Parliament to create a law that would require a special election, called a by-election, if an MP changed parties. A by-election is an election held to fill a vacant seat in Parliament. She explained that MPs are chosen to represent their community under a certain party. If they change parties, she believed the community should have a chance to vote again.
Awards and Recognition
In 2016, a magazine called Maclean's honored Ms. Gladu. They named her the most collegial MP of 2016. This award recognized her ability to work well with politicians from different parties. She was known for her practical approach and for working together with others.
