Who is Kamal Khera? Delhi-born Punjabi woman appointed as Canada's new health minister

Two ministers of Indian heritage were sworn-in alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in his cabinet on Friday.

Indo-Canadian Anita Anand and Delhi-born Kamal Khera, are among the youngest women ever elected to the Canadian Parliament and among the few retaining their ministerial posts, albeit with different portfolios, from former prime minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet.

The 36-year-old Khera who has been appointed as the Minister of Health is the only Indian-born member of Carney’s new cabinet.

Khera was born on February 4, 1989, in New Delhi to Harminder Singh and Gursharan Kaur. According to a report by The Indian Express, her father served in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), while her mother was a teacher. Her elder brother Mani Singh is a mortgage specialist at Bank of Montreal.

Khera's father passed away in 2020.

Her family shifted to Canada when she was still in school. She later earned her Bachelor of Science degree from York University, Toronto.

The Prime Minister of Canada's website mentions that Khera was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Brampton West in 2015. “Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever elected to Parliament. A registered nurse, community volunteer, and political activist, she is passionate about improving the lives of those around her,” it said.

Before entering politics, Khera worked as a registered nurse in the oncology unit at St Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto. “During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, she went back to her roots as a registered nurse to volunteer at a hard-hit long-term care facility in her hometown of Brampton,” the website adds.

“As a nurse, my top priority is to always be there to support my patients and that's the same mentality I'll bring every day to the role of Minister of Health. Extremely grateful for the confidence of PM @MarkJCarney. Now, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work,” Khera said in a post on X after being selected for the ministerial post.

Khera has made a few visits to India after her debut in the Canadian politics. During her visit to Ludhiana in 2015 for her brother's wedding, she pointed out the differences between politics in India and Canada, in terms of heavy security surrounding Indian politicians. “We move around like ordinary citizens,” she said. Twenty-six at that time, she was newly elected as the Member of Parliament for Brampton West.

Her ancestral village is in Bhagomajra near Mohali.

Khera has previously served as Minister of Seniors, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health.

(With PTI inputs)