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Laura Mae Lindo
Laura Mae Lindo, ONDP MPP for Kitchener Centre.jpg
Lindo at an event during the 2018 Ontario provincial election
Critic, Citizenship and Immigration Services
In office
August 23, 2018 – July 13, 2023
Leader Andrea Horwath (2018-2022)
Peter Tabuns (interim) (2022-2023)
Marit Stiles (2023-)
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Kitchener Centre
In office
June 7, 2018 – July 13, 2023
Preceded by Daiene Vernile
Succeeded by Aislinn Clancy
Personal details
Born
Laura Mae Monique Lindo

1976 (age 47–48)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Political party New Democratic
Children 3
Relatives Alvin Curling (uncle)
Residences Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Education
Occupation
  • Non-profit director
  • post-secondary administrator

Laura Mae Monique Lindo (born 1976) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. She represented the electoral district of Kitchener Centre as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. In January 2023, Lindo announced that she would step down as MPP in July to take a position with the philosophy department of the University of Waterloo. She officially resigned on July 13, 2023.

Early life and education

Born in Canada, Lindo's parents immigrated to the country from Jamaica. Her mother Osra Lindo graduated from York University with a bachelor's degree in gender and women's studies at the age of 79. She is the niece of former Ontario MPP and Speaker Alvin Curling. Raised in Scarborough, Lindo has lived in Kitchener since 2014.

Lindo graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in philosophy in 1998 followed by a second BA degree in African studies and philosophy from York University. Her Master of Education degree, completed at York, examined Ontario's high school philosophy program. Lindo also holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in education. She completed her studies at York University in 2011 with a thesis titled "I'm Writing for Freedom!" Mapping Public Discourse on Race in Comedy.

Career

Lindo is Kitchener's first Black MPP. She served as a Member of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills, and as Critic for Citizenship and Immigration Services and Critic for anti-racism. In 2018, Lindo was named a member of the Ontario NDP's first ever Black Caucus, alongside NDP caucus colleagues Rima Berns-McGown, Faisal Hassan, Jill Andrew and Kevin Yarde. Prior to her election, she worked as Director of Diversity and Equity at Wilfrid Laurier University. In December 2021, she introduced Bill 67, The Racial Equity in Education Systems Act which "embeds anti-racist language into pieces of legislation from kindergarten to grade 12, and all throughout post secondary", saying "when you define it, then it is real".

After the resignation of Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath in June 2022 after the party's defeat in the Ontario general election, Lindo was seen as a potential candidate in the subsequent leadership election, but she decided not to run in November.

In January 2023, Lindo announced that she would be stepping down that July to join the University of Waterloo's philosophy department. She cited child care costs as a cause for her resigning her seat. Lindo endorsed Debbie Chapman as the next NDP candidate in the by-election. However, the seat flipped to the Green Party candidate Aislinn Clancy.

Election results

Ontario general election, 2022: Kitchener Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Laura Mae Lindo 15,789 40.59 −2.80 $69,851
Progressive Conservative Jim Schmidt 10,376 26.67 −0.99 $73,765
Liberal Kelly Steiss 5,728 14.72 −5.37 $53,771
Green Wayne Mak 4,980 12.80 +5.96 $16,108
New Blue Peter Beimers 2,029 5.22   $3,767
Total valid votes/Expense limit 38,902 99.33 +0.91 $118,646
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 262 0.67 -0.91
Turnout 39,164 46.21 -12.06
Eligible voters 84,304
New Democratic hold Swing −0.90
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Ontario general election, 2018: Kitchener Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Laura Mae Lindo 20,512 43.38 +20.57
Progressive Conservative Mary Henein Thorn 13,080 27.66 +0.68
Liberal Daiene Vernile 9,499 20.09 -23.05
Green Stacey Danckert 3,234 6.84 +1.07
Libertarian Jason Erb 439 0.93 -0.37
None of the Above Chris Carr 429 0.91
Communist Marty Suter 87 0.18
Total valid votes 47,280 98.42
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 757 1.58
Turnout 48,037 58.27
Eligible voters 80,514
New Democratic gain Swing
Source: Elections Ontario
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