Bernadette Jordan (born April 7, 1963) is a Canadian politician who served as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she was elected to represent the riding of South ShoreâÂÂSt. Margarets in the House of Commons in the 2015 and 2019 elections, before being defeated by Rick Perkins in 2021.
Born in Montreal to Scottish immigrants, her family moved to Middle LaHave, Nova Scotia in 1975. She participated in Girl Guides of Canada programs as a Brownie, a Guide, and as an adult volunteer member. Jordan graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
From 2006 to 2014, Jordan worked as a development officer for the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore, where she was in charge of organizing fund raising events for health services foundation.
She narrowly won the Liberal Party's nomination in the South Shore riding by 22 votes of the 450 cast over Jennifer Naugler, school board chairwoman for the South Shore Regional School Board. Jordan was sworn into the federal cabinet on November 20, 2019, by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, which is responsible for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Coast Guard. She served as Minister of Rural Economic Development from January until November 2019.
Jordan was defeated in her riding in the 2021 federal election by conservative candidate Rick Perkins.
In 2023, Jordan was named Consul General of Canada in Boston.
As Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Jorden has committed to protectingÃÂ oceanÃÂ habitats from harmful activities, allowingÃÂ marineÃÂ ecosystems and species to recover and better withstandÃÂ theÃÂ impacts of climate change.ÃÂ As minister Jorden has committedÃÂ to working towards protectingÃÂ 30% byÃÂ 2030. While working towards new ambitious global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity at the 15th Conference of Parties in Kunming, China in 2021.
She and her husband, Dave, have three children.