Joel Harden

Joel Davison Harden (born January 14, 1972) is a Canadian politician who has represented Ottawa Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2018. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), Harden is the party's critic for transit and active transportation. He is also a candidate for the federal NDP nomination in the riding of Ottawa Centre in the 2025 Canadian federal election.

Early life and education
Joel Davison Harden was born on January 14, 1972, and grew up in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. He holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and political studies from Queen's University. He later attended York University, where he earned a master's degree in 1997 and a doctorate in political science in 2006.

Career
Prior to being elected, Harden was a researcher at the Canadian Federation of Students. He has also been an instructor at the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University and teaching assistant professor at Brock University and has also taught at Nipissing University, McMaster University and the Labour College of Canada. From 2005 to 2010, he was senior researcher at the Canadian Labour Congress and was director of the labour education department at the Canadian Labour Congress from 2010 to 2012. During his time as the Director of Education at the Canadian Labour Congress Harden designed the campaign that won an expansion of the Canada Pension Plan. From 1998 to 2000, he was the chairman of the Ontario section of the Canadian Federation of Students.

Political career
Harden was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. He is a self-described democratic socialist.

On August 23, 2018, Harden was appointed Official Opposition Critic for Accessibility & Persons with Disabilities; Pensions; Seniors' Affairs. Harden's parliamentary roles include sitting on the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

Harden is a supporter of the BDS movement. In November 2022, Harden was criticized for an interview in which he spoke about hateful language in activism related to Israel and Palestine. Harden ultimately issued a brief written apology for perpetuating anti-Semitic tropes. In the interview, Harden takes a pro-Palestinian position and said: "I think it's important to remain steadfast against all supremacist ideologies, all forms of prejudice and racism. When I'm at Palestinian solidarity demonstrations, if I hear people making antisemitic remarks, I take a point of pulling that person aside and saying "you're not helping."

In June 2023, Harden alleged that he was punched whilst counter-protesting during an anti-"gender ideology" protest outside of a school.

Harden filed papers in March 2024 to seek the federal NDP's nomination to run as the party's candidate in Ottawa Centre in the next federal election expected in 2025.