About Mark Holland
As a
life-long resident of Pickering and Ajax, Mark Holland is deeply
passionate about his community and country. He is dedicated to public
service and has a proven track record of standing up for his
constituents and delivering results.
Mark
was first elected as Member of Parliament for Ajax-Pickering in 2004,
and re-elected in 2006.
Just 29 when he was first elected, Mark immediately established himself as a
key member in a new wave of dynamic young MPs.
In the recent Parliament, Mark first
served as the Liberal Opposition critic for Natural Resources, and since
October 2007, the Liberal Opposition Critic for Public Works and
Procurement. He served as members on both the Government Operations and
Public Accounts committees.
His role
on Public Accounts, which is responsible for reviewing government
spending, allowed Mark to apply his financial background and skills to
one of his main priorities – defending Canadians' right to get the best
value for the tax dollars. And as a member of the
Government Operations
committee, Mark earned respect for his role in holding the Conservative
government to account for their poor record as managers of government
departments and institutions.
In the past
Parliament, Mark
played an important role on the Liberal Caucus Committee on Cities and
Communities, which was instrumental in obtaining major funding for local
municipalities for sustainable infrastructure.
Although his appointed roles in the previous two parliaments centered around financial issues and
government accountability, Mark also devoted his time to other key
issues about which he is passionate – the environment, engaging youth in
politics, and at the local level seeking a solution to the decades-old
Pickering Airport controversy. Mark has also spoken loudly in support of
equality rights and Canadian unity.
Committed to involving his constituents in the government process, Mark
holds regular town hall meetings to discuss issues and concerns. He
sends monthly mailings to constituents, makes himself available to the
local media, and meets local residents at their doors and in his office.
Before
entering federal politics, Mark represented west Durham as a Councillor
with the Region of Durham and the City of Pickering since 1997. He led
the redevelopment of Pickering’s waterfront, spearheaded the Durham
Region Strategic Plan, and was an outspoken advocate for environmental
issues – all while working to keep Pickering’s taxes the lowest in
Durham Region.
Mark
has served as a member of the Durham Region Police Services Board,
Veridian Corporation’s Board of Directors, the Durham West Arts Centre’s
Board of Directors, and the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host
Communities. He also served as Chair of Pickering’s Winterfest and Chair
of the Waterfront Coordinating Committee.
A
graduate of the University of Toronto in political science and history,
Mark has also completed a wide array of courses from the Canadian
Securities Institute. He has worked for all levels of government, and
has been an Investment Advisor for RBC Dominion Securities, and
Financial Advisor for CIBC in Ajax.
Mark
and his three children live in Pickering. He is an avid reader who loves
adventure racing, technology and spending time with his children. |
