Kamal Khera

Kamalpreet Khera PC MP (born February 4, 1989) is a Canadian politician who has served as Canada’s Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities since July 26, 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, Kamal Khera has represented the riding of Brampton West in the House of Commons since the 2015 federal election. First elected at the age of 26, Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever to be elected to Parliament. She also served as Canada’s Minister of Seniors from October 26, 2021 to July 2023.

Education and Early Career
Prior to entering politics, Minister Khera attended York University where she earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She went on to work as a Registered Nurse in the palliative and oncology units at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, where she gained a deeper understanding of the issues that impact people’s health and well-being every day.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, she returned to her roots as a registered nurse to volunteer at a hard-hit long-term care facility in her hometown of Brampton. Minister Khera continued to help on the front lines throughout the pandemic, including administering vaccines in her community.

Federal Politics
Khera was nominated as the Liberal Party's candidate in Brampton West in December 2014, and won the seat in the federal election in the following October. When first elected in 2015, Khera was the youngest Liberal MP in the House, and the second-youngest overall behind the NDP's Pierre-Luc Dusseault. She was re-elected in the 2019 federal election, and in 2021. Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever to be elected to Canadian Parliament.

Parliamentary Secretary

On December 2, 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Khera as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, then as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue on January 18, 2017. Beginning August 31, 2018, Khera served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development.

Khera stepped down from her role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development on January 3, 2021, after having travelled to Seattle in December for a memorial service for her uncle.

On September 20, 2021, Khera was re-elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Brampton West.

Minister of Seniors

On October 26, 2021, Kamal Khera was promoted to the position of Minister of Seniors as part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new government. She is amongst the youngest members of the cabinet and the Privy Council of Canada.

Her mandate was marked by the government’s restoration of the age of eligibility for retirement back to 65, an increase of the Guaranteed Income Supplement, – which has helped over 900,000 seniors, and has lifted 45,000 of them out of poverty – the enhancement of the Canada Pension Plan, and a 10% increase of Old Age Security pensions for Canadian seniors over 75.

Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities

On July 26, 2023, Khera was appointed to the position of Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities following a cabinet shuffle in the summer of 2023. She succeeds Ahmed Hussen as Minister of Diversity and Inclusion, and Carla Qualthrough as Minister of Persons with Disabilities.

Since taking on this file, Minister Khera has led several initiatives to support diverse Canadian communities and Canadians with disabilities across the country.

On June 8, 2024, Minister Khera announced the launch of Canada's new Anti-Racism Strategy, a $110.4 million investment aimed at driving action in employment, justice and law enforcement, housing, healthcare and immigration systems.

Minister Khera has also rolled out the Canadian Disability Benefit with Budget 2024, providing an investment of $6.1 billion to help uplift thousands of working-age persons with disabilities and their families. As proposed, this Benefit is estimated to increase the financial well-being of over 600,000 low-income persons with disabilities.