Carla Qualtrough
Honorific prefixThe Honourable
OfficeMinister of Sport and Physical Activity
Term startJuly 26, 2023
Term endDecember 20, 2024
Prime ministerJustin Trudeau
PredecessorPascale St-Onge
SuccessorTerry Duguid
Office 1Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
Term start 1November 20, 2019
Term end 1July 26, 2023
Prime minister 1Justin Trudeau
Predecessor 1Patty Hajdu
Successor 1Randy Boissonnault (Employment and Workforce Development)
Kamal Khera (Persons with Disabilities)
Office 2President of the Treasury Board (Acting)
Term start 2March 5, 2019
Term end 2March 18, 2019
Predecessor 2Jane Philpott
Successor 2Joyce Murray
Prime minister 2Justin Trudeau
Office 3Minister of Accessibility
Term start 3July 18, 2018
Term end 3November 20, 2019
Predecessor 3Kirsty Duncan
Successor 3Carla Qualtrough (as Minister of Disability Inclusion)
Prime minister 3Justin Trudeau
Office 4Minister of Public Services and Procurement
Receiver General for Canada
Term start 4August 28, 2017
Term end 4November 20, 2019
Predecessor 4Judy Foote
Successor 4Anita Anand
Prime minister 4Justin Trudeau
Office 5Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
Term start 5November 4, 2015
Term end 5August 28, 2017
Predecessor 5Bal Gosal
Successor 5Kent Hehr
Prime minister 5Justin Trudeau
Riding 6Delta
Parliament 6Canadian
Term start 6October 19, 2015
Term end 6March 23, 2025
Predecessor 6Riding established
Successor 6Jill McKnight
Birth nameCarla Dawn Qualtrough
Birth dateOctober 15, 1971 (age 55)
Birth placeCalgary, Alberta, Canada
ProfessionLawyer, politician
Alma materUniversity of Ottawa · University of Victoria
PartyLiberal
SpouseEron Main

Carla Dawn Qualtrough (/ˈkwɒltroʊ/; born October 15, 1971) is a Canadian politician and former Paralympic swimmer who served as the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity from July 2023 to December 2024. A member of the Liberal Party, Qualtrough represented the riding of Delta in the House of Commons from 2015 to 2025.

She previously served as the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion from 2019 to 2023, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility from 2017 to 2019, and the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities from 2015 to 2017. Qualtrough was also the Receiver General for Canada from 2017 to 2019.

Early life and education

Qualtrough was born in Calgary, Alberta, on October 15, 1971, to parents Patricia and Harry Qualtrough, and was raised in Langley, British Columbia.[1] Qualtrough has been visually impaired since birth and only sees 10 percent with her glasses on.[2] She graduated from Brookswood Secondary School[3] and studied political science at the University of Ottawa[4] before earning a law degree from the University of Victoria in 1997.[5][6] Her parents separated when she was a teenager and her father died in 2007.[7]

Paralympic career

Qualtrough's visual impairment qualified her to compete in the Paralympic Games. She earned three bronze medals in swimming at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Paralympics, as well as four world championship medals for Team Canada.[8] During the Paralympics, she swam in the 4x100 medley relay and 4x100 freestyle relay.[1]

After earning her law degree, Qualtrough served on the governing board of the Americas Paralympic Committee.[9] She also served as president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee from 2006 to 2011.[8] During this time, she also directed Sport Initiatives for 2010 Legacies Now and Chaired the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, leading to her election as one of Canada's Most Influential Women in Sport of 2009.[10][11]

As a lawyer, Qualtrough primarily focused on human rights matters. She served as counsel to the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and prior to her election to the House of Commons, she was the vice-chair of British Columbia's Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal.[1] In recognition of her work, she was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.[12] During the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she was the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) legal officer and later received the IPCs International Women's Day Recognition in 2016.[13] In 2021, Qualtrough became part of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.[14]

Political career

Qualtrough was first elected as Member of Parliament for Delta on October 19, 2015. She was the first Paralympic athlete to be elected to Canada's Parliament.[1] On November 4, 2015, she was named minister of sport and persons with disabilities in the 29th Canadian Ministry, headed by Justin Trudeau.[15] During her tenure, Qualtrough was inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Committee's Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2017.[16]

In a cabinet shuffle triggered by the resignation of Judy Foote, Qualtrough succeeded Foote as minister of public services and procurement on August 28, 2017; Kent Hehr then took over as minister of sport and persons with disabilities.[17][18] After the cabinet shuffle on July 18, 2018, Qualtrough retained her ministerial position but gained the added portfolio of accessibility, styled as "minister of public services and procurement and accessibility".[19]

After Jane Philpott's resignation from cabinet on March 5, 2019, Qualtrough was appointed Acting President of the Treasury Board, filling the role until the appointment of Joyce Murray on March 18.[20] The November 20, 2019, cabinet shuffle had Qualtrough become minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, building on her work in the accessibility portfolio.[21]

Qualtrough returned to the sport portfolio in the July 26, 2023, cabinet shuffle, replacing Pascale St-Onge as minister of sport and physical activity.[22]

On October 17, 2024, she announced her retirement at the 2025 Canadian federal election.[23] She left Cabinet in the December 20, 2024, cabinet shuffle.[24] She stood down at the 2025 Canadian federal election and was succeeded by fellow Liberal candidate Jill McKnight.[25]

Personal life

Qualtrough is married to the former secretary-general of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, Eron Main, and they have four children together.[26]

References

  1. ^ Hawthorn, Tom (October 23, 2019). "Carla Qualtrough". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Aiello, Rachel (February 27, 2017). "Blind cabinet minister promises Canada's first national accessibility legislation will have teeth, could be retroactive". The Hill Times. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  3. ^ Brown, Scott (November 4, 2017). "Five things about Carla Qualtrough, Canada's new minister for sport and persons with disabilities". Vancouver Sun. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  4. ^ Linda Scales (December 15, 2015). "Friends in high places". uottawa.ca. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  5. ^ "3 Alumnae Named to Federal Cabinet". uvic.ca. University of Victoria. Archived November 16, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Carla Qualtrough and Murray Rankin win seats in Ottawa". uvic.ca. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Joanna Smith (September 4, 2017). "Carla Qualtrough is 'swimming the laps' as she takes on challenging role". therecord.com. Archived December 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  8. ^ Spencer, Donna (November 6, 2015). "Life as athlete and sport leader propelled Delta's Carla Qualtrough to Trudeau's cabinet". Vancouver Sun. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  9. ^ "CARLA QUALTROUGH – VP APC EXEC". caaws.ca. October 19, 2013. Archived February 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  10. ^ "Canadian Paralympic Committee President Carla Qualtrough Named to Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity List for 2009". newswire.ca. January 26, 2010. Archived February 22, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "NPC Canada President Wins Most Influential Award". paralympic.org. February 4, 2010. Archived February 22, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  12. ^ "Canadian Paralympians honoured with Jubilee medal". Paralympic Games. January 28, 2013. Archived March 21, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "IPC RECOGNIZES QUALTROUGH ON IWD". caaws.ca. March 8, 2016. Archived February 22, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  14. ^ "Previous Hall of Fame Inductees". The Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Person. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  15. ^ Larsen, Karin (November 4, 2015). "Delta MP Carla Qualtrough named minister of sport and persons with a disability". CBC News. Archived November 6, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  16. ^ "Carla Qualtrough named to Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame". cbc.ca. February 21, 2017. Archived November 5, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  17. ^ MacCharles, Tonda & Campion-Smith, Bruce (August 28, 2017). "Trudeau shuffles ministers, overhauls Indigenous Affairs, brings friend O'Regan into cabinet". Toronto Star. Archived August 28, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  18. ^ Zimonjic, Peter (August 28, 2017). "Who's who in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet shuffle". CBC News. Archived September 3, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  19. ^ Harris, Kathleen (July 18, 2018). "Trudeau adds 5 new ministers, shifts others in cabinet shakeup". CBC News. Archived July 18, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  20. ^ "Liberal MP Carla Qualtrough would have 'gone to the prime minister' if colleague faced pressure". CBC Radio. 4 Mar 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  21. ^ Zimonjic, Peter (November 20, 2019). "Who is in Justin Trudeau's 2019 cabinet". CBC News. Archived October 28, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  22. ^ Tunney, Catharine (26 July 2023). "Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, drops 7 ministers and shuffles most portfolios". CBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  23. ^ Smith, James (17 October 2024). "Federal Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough not seeking re-election". Mission City Record. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  24. ^ Major, Darren (20 December 2024). "Who are the new members of Prime Minister Trudeau's cabinet?". CBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Liberals get another four years as Jill McKnight wins in Delta". Surrey Now-Leader. 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  26. ^ "Carla Qualtrough: Canada's Minister of Sport - 2023 Inductee Spotlight". BC Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-11-13.