GRANT’S DESI ACHIEVER
“THINK BIG, PURSUE YOUR DREAMS, WORK HARD”
Grant’s Desi Achiever Anita Anand is Canada’s Minister of Public Services and Procurement. Image credit: SARAH SIMS.
By SHAGORIKA EASWAR
Canadians got an understanding of just what it is that a Minister of Public Services and Procurement does when Anita Anand committed $2 billion in federal funding to procure the needed supplies to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
And when she ordered 37 million syringes for vaccinations, and assured Canadians that the country would be ready when the vaccines became available.
She was calm, confident, and in complete control in a situation that has left many of us shaken.
It is not unusual for people from varied walks of life to make a transition to politics. But it is not often that one sees someone of the calibre of Anita Anand leaving a successful career to do so.
The eminent scholar, lawyer and researcher was drawn to politics because she wanted to give back to the Canada she knows and loves, she says.
“I decided to run because I saw an opportunity to be part of a team of dedicated, talented individuals who wanted to do the same,” she says. “Growing up, our parents always told us to contribute to the society we were a part of.”
Elected as the Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019, she won by a comfortable lead.
This being her first foray into politics, she didn’t really have high expectations of winning, she admits, but went in hoping to connect with the constituents on issues that matter to them.
“I thought I’d try my best to explain why I was running. I am very grateful to the voters who recognized a different type of candidacy. Not someone who had been in politics their entire lives, not someone who came form a political family or had a political background, but someone with different skill sets and professional experience. They thought I was a good fit.”
And so she is. With a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto, she was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.
For over two decades, Anand has been a legal academic, employed most recently as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto where she held the J.R. Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance. She served as Associate Dean and was a member of the Governing Board of Massey College and the Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Research Institute, Rotman School of Management. She has also taught law at Yale Law School, Queen’s University, and Western University.
She has completed extensive research on the regulation of financial markets, corporate governance, and shareholder rights, and has appeared regularly in the media to discuss these topics.
In 2015, she was appointed to the Government of Ontario’s Expert Committee to Consider Financial Advisory and Financial Planning Policy Alternatives. She has conducted research for Ontario’s Five-Year Review Committee, the federal Wise Person’s Committee, and the Task Force to Modernize Securities Legislation in Canada.
The Royal Society of Canada awarded her the Yvan Allaire medal for outstanding contributions in governance relating to private and public organizations in 2019.
Appointed Minister of Public Services and Procurement, she brings an informed perspective with her background as an academic related to governance and accountability to the table.
A perspective that helps with the analysis of complex and vital matters of defence procurement, national shipbuilding, etc., as her ministry serves federal departments and agencies as their central purchasing agent, real property manager, treasurer, accountant, pay and pension administrator, integrity adviser and linguistic authority.
As Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Anand ensures services within her portfolio, including those internal to government, are delivered at a high standard and in an efficient manner. She oversees the procurement processes of government so that they reflect modern best practices, lessons learned and value for money. With the support of the President of the Treasury Board, she is continuing the modernization of procurement practices so that they are simpler, administratively less burdensome, user-friendly, deploy modern comptrollership, encourage greater competition and include practices that support Canada’s economic policy goals, including innovation, as well as green and social procurement.
Where legislation is required, Anand works with the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and the Cabinet Committee on Operations. She collaborates closely with Cabinet and Caucus colleagues and meaningfully engages with the opposition Members of Parliament, the Senate, and Parliamentary committees.
It is also her responsibility to substantively engage with Canadians, civil society and stakeholders, including businesses of all sizes, organized labour, the broader public sector and the not-for-profit and charitable sectors and be proactive in ensuring that a broad array of voices provides her with advice from every region of the country.
In keeping with the government’s commitment to evidence-based decision-making that takes into consideration the impacts of policies on all Canadians and fully defends the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, she applies Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in the decisions that she makes.
Anita Anand is the Member of Parliament for Oakville.
Her priorities include working with the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Indigenous Services to leverage the expertise of the Translation Bureau to help preserve, protect and revitalize First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages by increasing the availability of translation and interpretation services. She is working with the provinces and energy suppliers to develop a strategy to power federal buildings with 100 per cent clean electricity, where available, by 2022, and exploring measures that support the conversion of Government fleets to zero-emission vehicles.
Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, hers was one of very few South Asian families in the area and Anand recalls an idyllic childhood in a very welcoming community.
“They considered us one of them, we never felt like outsiders. We reflect very fondly on our years growing up there and I remain very close to them, as does my family.”
Her parents, both physicians, immigrated to Canada and she is aware of the barriers foreign-trained professionals can face in trying to find meaningful employment.
Her sister, medical scientist Dr. Sonia Anand, was a Grant’s Desi Achiever as well (2008) – and it’s the first time two siblings have received the honour.
“The wonderful thing about this government is that it sees the advancement of all members of society as important. Take international students. They not only contribute $15 billion to the Canadian economy every year, they are often ideal candidates for Canadian residency as they are fluent in the language and well-versed in Canadian ways. I am proud of the work our government is doing to help newcomers settle in, and become part of, the Canadian fabric.”
Anand met her husband, John Knowlton, while practising law and the couple have raised four children in Oakville.
With her constituency and family in Oakville, and work taking her to Ottawa frequently, she is often asked how she manages the work-life balance.
“There are thousands of women who face this question every day, I am one of them,” she responds. “I’m a good multitasker and I seek to do a good job on multiple fronts, in each of my roles. As an MP, my constituents come first. It is so important to me to be seen as a representative voice. I have no personal agenda. I am only here in Ottawa to represent the interests of my constituents, and I will do my best for them.”
Her family is very proud of her achievements and supportive of her work.
“We are all very committed to our professional and academic endeavours, we respect each others’ commitments,” she says.
For Anand, these would include hours devoted to causes she believes in. With a proven record of service in her Oakville community, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Lighthouse Foundation for Grieving Children, the Oakville Hospital Foundation, and Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc.
“When we are together, we have fun doing things that interest us,” she says. “I enjoy organizing family events and eating out at local restaurants. We all love dosas!”
This was, of course, before COVID-19 changed how we socialize.
She also enjoys playing with her two dogs and taking them out for long walks.
Anand says it is very rewarding to be recognized as a role model at many levels, by newcomers, by women, and by those who want to enter public service.
“One of the reasons I chose to pursue this profession is because I wanted to show other women it is possible to achieve all that you dream of.”
To those who see her as a role model and seek tips and guidance from her, she repeats her mother’s advice to her: Think big. Pursue your dreams. Work hard.
“My mother always said to keep working hard and to never give up. I have tried to live by those words.”
• Grant’s is proud to present this series about people who are making a difference in the community. Represented by PMA Canada (www.pmacanada.com)
