Last week's sweeping Liberal victory means a lot of political veterans won't be returning to Ottawa when Parliament resumes in December.
With 184 Liberal MPs — up from 36 when Parliament was dissolved in August — the Grit benches will be full of fresh faces. Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau is expected to name several rookie MPs to his cabinet, while others are still destined to play important roles in government.
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However, there will also be some new blood joining the Conservative and NDP caucuses. Here's a look at 30 rookie MPs to keep an eye on over the next four years.
Mélanie Joly, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Quebec — Liberal
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Joly, 36, made a name for herself by finishing second to ex-Liberal cabinet minister Denis Coderre in the Montreal mayoral race in 2013. A lawyer and communications expert who was heavily involved in her community, she ran for the Liberals and beat ex-Bloc MP-turned-New Democrat Maria Mourani. Joly is already seen as a contender to make Justin Trudeau's first cabinet.
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Whitby, Ontario — Liberal
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Caesar-Chavannes first gave the Tories a fright in a 2014 byelection to fill the seat left behind by the late Jim Flaherty. Though she lost to Whitby's then-mayor Pat Perkins, the race ended up being a lot closer than many expected.In a rematch, Caesar-Chavannes, an entrepreneur and research consultant, won by almost 2,000 votes.
Gérard Deltell, Louis-Saint-Laurent, Quebec — Conservative
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Deltell, a longtime member of Quebec's National Assembly, served as leader of the right-wing Action Démocratique du Québec until that party merged with Coalition Avenir Quebec a few years ago.He was considered a star recruit for the Conservatives, who have struggled in the province. Deltell easily defeated his Liberal challenger by nearly 20,000 votes. The NDP incumbent finished third.
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Mario Beaulieu, La Pointe-de-l'Île, Quebec — Bloc
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Despite not having a seat, Beaulieu was elected leader of the Bloc Quebecois in June 2014. He gave up the role just before the start of the election to make room for former leader Gilles Duceppe.Though Duceppe lost his bid for a seat, Beaulieu was victorious and will soon have a chance to make his mark in Parliament.
Bill Blair, Scarborough Southwest, Ontario — Liberal
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Blair was chief of the Toronto Police Service from 2005 to 2015. He sparked controversy with his handling of the 2010 G20 protests in the city and publicly clashed with controversial ex-mayor Rob Ford.A police officer for 40 years, Blair says he was approached by the Tories and New Democrats before he decided to run for the Trudeau Liberals.Much like his predecessor, former Toronto police chief Julian Fantino, Blair could be headed to cabinet.
Alain Rayes, Richmond-Arthabaska, Quebec — Conservative
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Rayes, the popular mayor of Victoriaville since 2009, was courted for months to run federally. His pursuit of a nomination was interpreted as a sign of Conservative momentum in the province.Rayes rolled to victory, besting his nearest competitor (a Liberal) by more than 4,000 votes.
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Daniel Blaikie, Elmwood-Transcona, Manitoba — NDP
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Though New Democrats lost more than half their seats and saw many high-profile MPs defeated, Blaikie's razor-thin victory over a Tory incumbent was a bright spot.Blaikie, 31, is the son of NDP stalwart Bill Blaikie, who served as an MP from 1979 to 2008. His sister, Rebecca, is president of the NDP.
Andrew Leslie, Orléans, Ontario — Liberal
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Leslie, a retired general who led Canadian troops in Afghanistan, was one of the Liberals' star recruits. He served as Trudeau's foreign policy and defence adviser and unseated a Conservative incumbent in the Ottawa riding. Leslie is another contender for cabinet. If he is handed the defence portfolio Wednesday, he would follow in the footsteps of his grandfathers, who both served as Canada's defence minister.
Bill Morneau, Toronto Centre, Ontario — Liberal
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A rookie MP and a finance minister? That may be what happens with Morneau, who was one of Trudeau's economic advisers.The former executive chair of Morneau Shepell, one of Canada's largest human resources firms, he is almost a lock to make cabinet and might just get the coveted finance portfolio.According to Postmedia, Morneau could face conflicts of interest because of his personal holdings in the firm and is already moving to address those potential hurdles.
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Jody Wilson-Raybould, Vancouver Granville, B.C. — Liberal
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Wilson-Raybould, a former Crown prosecutor and regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations is expected to play a key role in a Trudeau government aiming to improve relations with Canada's First Nations.Wilson-Raybould was one of the aboriginal leaders who met with Stephen Harper during the Idle No More protests. She, too, is considered a safe bet to make cabinet.
Dianne Watts, South Surrey-White Rock, B.C. — Conservative
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Watts, the very popular former mayor of Surrey, likely would have landed in cabinet if Harper's Conservatives won again. Instead, she will be a fresh face in the opposition benches.Mayor of B.C.'s second-largest city from 2005 to 2014, she was one of just two Conservatives endorsed by GreenPAC, a group dedicated to environmental causes.
Harjit Sajjan, Vancouver South, B.C. — Liberal
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Sajjan, a retired lieutenant colonel who also served in Afghanistan, was the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army regiment. He also served as a Vancouver police officer for 11 years.He unseated a Tory incumbent in the Vancouver riding by a healthy margin. He is also a likely cabinet shoo-in.
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Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Winnipeg Centre, Manitoba — Liberal
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Ouellette, a Cree academic who served almost 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, surprised many with a strong campaign for mayor of Winnipeg in 2014.He unseated colourful NDP incumbent Pat Martin in a race that turned personal at times. Ouellette is one of a record 10 indigenous MPs elected to the House of Commons.
Ron Liepert, Calgary Signal Hill, Alberta — Conservative
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Liepert was an MLA in Alberta for 12 years and served as both minister of health and energy. He challenged controversial, longtime MP Rob Anders for the Tory nomination and even told Jason Kenney to "mind his own business" after the cabinet minister endorsed his rival.Liepert easily won his seat and, days later, bashed the way the Conservative Party ran the national campaign. Liepert, it seems, is no shrinking violet.
Seamus O'Regan, St. John's South-Mount Pearl, N.L. — Liberal
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O'Regan, a former host of "Canada AM" and CTV journalist, unseated an NDP incumbent in the Newfoundland riding.While well-known for his broadcasting career, O'Regan also worked as an assistant to Jean Charest, back when he was a Progressive Conservative environment minister. He also worked as a speechwriter for former Liberal Newfoundland and Labrador premier Brian Tobin.
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MaryAnn Mihychuk, Kildonan-St. Paul, Manitoba — Liberal
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Mihychuk was an NDP MLA in Manitoba from 1995 to 2004, serving as minister of industry, trade, and mines, and later minister of intergovernmental affairs. She ran an unsuccessful Winnipeg mayoral campaign in 2004.She is expected to be named to Trudeau's gender-balanced cabinet to represent her province, where Grits elected seven MPs.
Catherine McKenna, Ottawa Centre, Ontario — Liberal
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McKenna, a social justice lawyer, unseated high-profile NDP incumbent and foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar.She was a former legal advisor for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in East Timor and founded Canadian Lawyers Abroad (now known as Level), a charity focused on global justice issues. She, too, is considered a strong contender to crack cabinet.
Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo-Ladysmith, B.C. — NDP
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Malcolmson captured the Vancouver Island riding for the NDP, winning by more than 6,000 votes.She is a former chairwoman of the Islands Trust Council, and was elected to that body four times. Her experience in local government could mean a key role in an NDP caucus now depleted of many veterans MPs.
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Karen McCrimmon, Kanata-Carleton, Ontario — Liberal
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McCrimmon ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 2013 despite never holding elected office. A former lieutenant colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, McCrimmon was the first female air navigator and first woman to command a Canadian Forces flying squadron.She beat her Conservative rival by nearly 8,000 votes and could also be on her way to cabinet.
Kent Hehr, Calgary Centre, Alberta — Liberal
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Hehr, an Alberta MLA from 2008 to 2015, was one of just two Liberals elected in Calgary. Grits were shut out of that city for almost 50 years.The 45-year-old's personal story is inspiring. In 1991, he was the victim of a drive-by shooting that left him confined to a wheelchair. The challenge did not slow him down, though. He went on to become a lawyer and earned a reputation as a popular provincial politician before making history on election day.He has a strong chance to land to cabinet.
Dr. Jane Philpott, Markham-Stouffville, Ontario — Liberal
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Philpott is a family physician, associate professor at the University of Toronto, and former chief of the department of family medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital. She unseated controversial parliamentary secretary Paul Calandra by nearly 4,000 votes.She is also considered cabinet material, possibly for the health portfolio.
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Amarjeet Sohi, Edmonton Mill Woods, Alberta — Liberal
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A respected Edmonton city councillor since 2007, Sohi beat Tory cabinet minister Tim Uppal by just 92 votes, according to Elections Canada. He was confirmed the winner after a judicial recount.Sohi, who immigrated to Canada from India 35 years ago, is one of just four Liberals elected in Alberta. He is a strong contender for a cabinet role.
Marco Mendicino, Eglinton-Lawrence, Ontario — Liberal
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Mendicino, a former federal prosecutor, knows how to go up against big names and win. First, he beat Tory-turned-Liberal Eve Adams in a nomination battle and won the Toronto seat held by finance minister Joe Oliver by nearly 6,000 votes.He could be headed for big things in a Trudeau government.
Stephen Fuhr, Kelowna-Lake Country, B.C. — Liberal
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Fuhr is a former CF-18 fighter pilot who served with the Canadian Air Force for 20 years. Though his riding had been reliably Conservative, he unseated the Tory incumbent by more than 4,000 votes.Fuhr wrote a blog for HuffPost last year detailing how he went from being a lifelong Conservative to a Liberal candidate. He could be considered for a cabinet or parliamentary secretary role.
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Carla Qualtrough, Delta, B.C. — Liberal
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Qualtrough, a lawyer and former Paralympian, unseated cabinet minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay by more than 9,000 votes.Legally blind, Qualtrough won three Paralympic and four World Championship medals for Canada in swimming and was president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.She is another strong contender to land in Trudeau's first cabinet.
Maryam Monsef, Peterborough, Ontario — Liberal
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Monsef won the bellwether riding of Peterborough-Kawartha — an area previously represented by convicted ex-MP Dean Del Mastro — by more than 5,000 votes.A community organizer, her story is also quite incredible. Born in Afghanistan, she fled the Taliban and came to Canada as a refugee with her widowed mother and sisters in 1996.At 30, she offers a fresh perspective and unique insight as Liberals move to take more action on the refugee crisis in Syria.
Patty Hajdu, Thunder Bay-Superior North — Liberal
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Hajdu, executive director of Thunder Bay's largest homeless shelter, won the riding held by ex-Green MP and deputy leader Bruce Hyer by more than 9,000 votes. She's expected to be a strong advocate in government for the homeless.
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Bardish Chagger, Waterloo, Ontario — Liberal
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Chagger is another interesting new voice headed to Ottawa.The 35-year-old, who worked for the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, ousted a Tory incumbent by almost 10,000 votes.Chagger worked on Trudeau's leadership campaign and could have a prominent role in his government.
Jean-Yves Duclos, Québec, Quebec — Liberal
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There's another economist headed to the House. Duclos, a renowned economics professor at Laval University, defeated an NDP incumbent by more than 1,000 votes.It's hard to imagine how an economic expert of his caliber does not play a key role in a Liberal government.
Jim Carr, Winnipeg South Centre, Manitoba — Liberal
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Carr, a former Manitoba MLA and deputy leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, unseated a Tory incumbent by an astounding 17,000 votes.From 1998 to 2014, he served as president of the Business Council of Manitoba. He is considered another strong contender to be appointed to cabinet.
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