Danielle Martin's journey into politics began after her first job out of university, where she worked in the office of a member of provincial parliament who was serving as the Liberals’ health critic during a Progressive Conservative government in Ontario. This experience ignited her passion for health care and ultimately led her to attend medical school.
After becoming a family physician, Martin dedicated herself to advocating for improvements in the health-care system. Her extensive involvement in the legislative process not only influenced her medical career but also piqued her interest in the world of politics.
Fast forward two decades in health care, Martin was nominated as the federal Liberal candidate for the University-Rosedale riding, stepping in to replace Christy Freeland following her resignation in January. On Monday, Martin secured her seat during a significant byelection.
In a phone interview on the afternoon after her victory, Martin expressed her enthusiasm for her new role. She shared, “I’m ready to get started,” highlighting her two decades of medical practice in the community, which has given her valuable insight into what affects health in local populations. She believes her background equips her for this next stage in her career.
Martin's win contributed to the Liberal party’s strength in the House of Commons, bringing their total seats to 174, surpassing the 172 required for a majority. Notably, her election occurred alongside victories for two other Liberal candidates: Doly Begum, who won the Scarborough Southwest riding in Toronto, and Tatiana Auguste, who became the MP-elect for Terrebonne in Montreal.
She believes that having diverse voices and expertise in Parliament enriches democracy and promotes nuanced public discourse. Before stepping into the political arena, Martin held significant positions as the executive vice-president of Women's College Hospital and led the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto. Her expertise gained international recognition when she testified before a United States Senate subcommittee in 2014 about Canada's public health-care system.
Upon winning the election, Martin identified her top priority as establishing a constituency office. She also emphasized the importance of familiarizing herself with parliamentary procedures and the workings of government from her new perspective as a member of Parliament. "In addition to that, I’ll be spending time in Ottawa beginning to learn all the parliamentary procedure and understand the workings of government from the perspective of a member of Parliament," Martin said.
Just a day after her election victory, Martin was already en route to Ottawa, eager to dive into her new responsibilities. Reflecting on her election night celebration in downtown Toronto, she remarked, “It was a wonderful evening, very exciting, but it went late. We started early … so I suppose I’ll catch up on sleep in some other lifetime.”
With files from Catherine Morrison in Ottawa and Rianna Lim in Toronto
