Anita Indira Anand, Lawyer•Academic•Politician•Diplomat
Early life and education
Anand was born on May 20, 1967, in Kentville, Nova Scotia, to Indian immigrant parents—her father, S.V. Anand, a surgeon from Tamil Nadu, and her mother, Saroj D. Ram, an anesthesiologist from Punjab. She received a BA Gold Medal in Political Studies from Queen's University, followed by a BA in Jurisprudence from Wadham College, Oxford, an LLB from Dalhousie University, and an LLM from the University of Toronto.
Academic and legal career
Before entering politics, Anand was a law professor at several leading universities—including Queen's, Western, Yale, and the University of Toronto—focusing on corporate governance, capital markets regulation, and board diversity. In 2019, she was awarded the Royal Society of Canada's Yvan Allaire Medal for her influential contributions.
Political rise
Elected as the MP for Oakville East in 2019, Anand broke barriers as the first Hindu woman in Canada's federal cabinet. She rose rapidly through key roles:
Minister of Public Services and Procurement (2019–2021): Led Canada's COVID-19 vaccine and PPE contracts.
Minister of National Defence (2021–2023): Led military reforms, supported Ukraine aid, and addressed internal misconduct.
President of the Treasury Board (2023–2024): Led government spending reform, regulatory relief, black public servant initiatives, and environmental measures.
Minister of Transportation and Internal Trade (2024–2025): Advanced supply-chain infrastructure and facilitated interstate trade.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (March–May 2025): Briefly led economic and scientific policy.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (since May 13, 2025): First Hindu and Indian-origin woman to hold this position – took the oath on the Bhagavad Gita.
In this position, she is addressing global diplomatic priorities, including Canada-US relations and reestablishing ties with India.
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