Maria Van Bommel

Maria Van Bommel is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. From 2003 to 2011, she was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the London area riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Background

Van Bommel attended the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario. Before entering politics, Van Bommel worked in farming, accounting and small business. She owns a poultry farm near Strathroy, Ontario. Van Bommel has served as a provincial director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and was a founding member of the Ontario Farm Women's Network and the Canadian Farm Women's Network. She also served for nine years on the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Board.

Politics

Van Bommel entered her political career at the municipal level, serving for two terms in East William Township.

In the 2003 provincial election, she defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative Marcel Beaubien by about 3,500 votes in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, a predominantly rural riding in the southwest region of the province.

Van Bommel served as the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Children and Youth Services, and served as co-chair of an "Industrial Pollution Action Team" formed by the provincial government. She also served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Van Bommel holds some socially conservative views. She opposed same-sex marriage during the 2003 campaign, and is also a vocal opponent of euthanasia.

She was defeated by Monte McNaughton in the 2011 provincial election by nearly 7,000 votes.

Electoral record