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Joel Harden

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Not to be confused with Joel Hardin.

Joel Harden
Harden in 2019
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Ottawa Centre
In office
June 7, 2018 – January 28, 2025
Preceded byYasir Naqvi
Critic roles
2022–2025Opposition Critic for Transit and Active Transportation
2018–2022Opposition Critic for Accessibility and Persons with Disabilities Pensions; Seniors' Affairs
Personal details
Born (1972-01-14) January 14, 1972 (age 53)
Political partyOntario New Democratic
Children2
ResidenceOld Ottawa South[1]
Occupation
  • Politician
  • researcher
WebsiteConstituency website
Campaign website

Joel Davison Harden (born January 14, 1972) is a Canadian politician who represented Ottawa Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2018 to 2025. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), Harden served as the party's critic for transit and active transportation. He is also a candidate for the federal NDP in the riding of Ottawa Centre in the 2025 Canadian federal election.[2]

Background

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Early life and education

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Harden grew up in Vankleek Hill, Ontario.[3][4] He holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and political studies from Queen's University.[5] He later attended York University, where he earned a master's degree in 1997 and a doctorate in political science in 2006.[6][7]

Career

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Harden was a researcher at the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) students organization. He was an instructor at the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University and teaching assistant professor at Brock University and has also taught at Nipissing University, York University, and McMaster University.[7][8][citation needed]

From 1998 to 2000, he was the chairman of the Ontario section of the CFS.[9] From 2005 to 2010, he was senior researcher at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and was director of the labour education department at the CLC from 2010 to 2012.[9][10][self-published source?][11]

In 2013, Formac Lorimer published Joel Harden's book Quiet No More: New Political Activism in Canada and Around the Glob.[11][12]

Political career

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Harden was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[13]

In August 2018, Harden was appointed Official Opposition Critic for Accessibility & Persons with Disabilities; Pensions; Seniors' Affairs.[14] Harden's parliamentary roles included sitting on the Standing Committee on Social Policy.[10]

He is a self-described democratic socialist.[15] Harden supports the BDS movement.[16]

Federal politics

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Harden filed papers in March 2024 to seek the federal NDP's nomination to run as the party's candidate in Ottawa Centre in the 2025 Canadian federal election.[17] He won the contested nomination race on January 11, 2025 against Canadian Labour Congress national director of human rights, Vicky Smallman.[18][2]

Controversies

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Support for Khalida Jarrar

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In 2019, Harden called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to demand that Israel immediately release Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which Canada had designated as a terrorist organization.[19] Jarrar was also a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and had been arrested by Israeli security forces and convicted of "promoting terror activities."[19] Harden tweeted that he was “Saddened, sickened and disgusted by the continued abuse of Khalida Jarrar, my parliamentary colleague, by Israeli occupation forces.”[19] Michael Mostyn, the CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, released a statement criticizing Harden's support for Jarrar: “It is appalling that an elected official would call for the release of a leader of what Canada rightly acknowledges as an antisemitic terrorist group."[19] The NDP’s provincial secretary, Lucy Watson, clarified that the NDP denounces terrorism in any form and that the NDP supports a "peaceful and sustainable negotiated resolution to the conflict in the region".[19]

Comments on Israel and Palestine

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In November 2022, Harden was criticized for his statements in a video blog interview related to Israel and Palestine. Harden said that the: "single greatest origin of violence in the Middle East is unquestionably the state of Israel."[20][self-published source?] He ultimately issued a written apology for perpetuating an antisemitic stereotype and condemned antisemitism.[21][22] In the interview, Harden also took a pro-Palestinian position and said: "I think it's important to remain steadfast against all supremacist ideologies, all forms of prejudice and racism. When I'm at Palestinian solidarity demonstrations, if I hear people making antisemitic remarks, I take a point of pulling that person aside and saying "you're not helping."[23][self-published source?] The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs posted on social media that Harden's comments in the interview: "can only be called antisemitism and misinformation about Israel."[24] Peter Tabuns, the interim leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party and the leader of the Opposition, said "I welcome his commitment to further education about antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in our party."[24]

Noise law infraction

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In January 2024, Harden and eight others were fined for Ottawa By-law noise-violations as a result of using a megaphone at a pro-Palestine protest. [25] Ottawa By-Law and Regulatory Services (BLRS) director Roger Chapman said:

It's important to note that enforcement during demonstrations is a result of escalated actions by the participants, which may pose nuisance and public safety issues. As the activities of protesters escalated and became more frequent, including the defacement of property, the use of sound reproduction devices, smoke bombs, fireworks, and threats towards our officers, BLRS took action to address these concerns. Initially, warnings were issued to individuals regarding the operation of these sound production devices ... when the activity persisted, fines of $490 were issued.[26]

Electoral record

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2022 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Joel Harden 30,311 54.34 +8.26 $134,177
Liberal Katie Gibbs 12,596 22.58 −10.20 $103,394
Progressive Conservative Scott Healey 8,773 15.73 −0.31 $45,558
Green Shelby Bertrand 2,718 4.87 +1.35 $11,136
New Blue Glen Armstrong 798 1.43   $1,325
None of the Above Marc Adornato 233 0.42 −0.26 $0
Communist Stuart Ryan 153 0.27 +0.10 $0
Independent Thomas Borcsok 82 0.15   $378
People's Front Raymond Samuels 59 0.11   $285
Independent Josh Rachlis 58 0.10   $0
Total valid votes/expense limit 55,781 99.52 +0.44 $154,648
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 266 0.48 -0.44
Turnout 56,047 50.74 -10.46
Eligible voters 109,977
New Democratic hold Swing +9.23
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election: Ottawa Centre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Joel Harden 29,675 46.08 +25.69
Liberal Yasir Naqvi 21,111 32.78 -18.89
Progressive Conservative Colleen McCleery 10,327 16.03 -2.08
Green Cherie Wong 2,266 3.52 -4.22
None of the Above Marc Adornato 437 0.68
Libertarian Bruce A. Faulkner 385 0.60 -0.96
Communist Stuart Ryan 110 0.17 -0.35
Canadians' Choice James Sears 92 0.14
Total valid votes 64,403 100.0  
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +22.29
Source: Elections Ontario[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Search For Contributions". Elections Canada. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Morgan, James (January 28, 2025). "Federal NDP nominates Joel Harden in Ottawa Centre". The Review. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "Tuition blocking education dreams". Ottawa Citizen. August 17, 1998. p. A5. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Joel Harden – Bringing a much-needed grassroots perspective to politics". April 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "NDP MPP Joel Harden Speaking to CCU at 50th Anniversary Convention - Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU)". ccu-csc.ca. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  6. ^ "Ten York University alumni win in 2022 Ontario election | Alumni and Friends - Division of Advancement". Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Five things you should know about Joel Harden". Kitchissippi Times. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. ^ "Contributor Profile". Formac Lorimer. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Joel Harden: Educator, activist, and writer". Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Media Kit". Joel Harden, MPP for Ottawa Centre. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "NDP Joel Harden scores second term as MPP for Ottawa Centre". CityNews. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  12. ^ "Quiet No More: New Political Activism in Canada and Around the Globe". Formac Lorimer. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  13. ^ "NDP Joel Harden elected in Ottawa Centre". CBC News Ottawa, June 7, 2018.
  14. ^ "NDP Caucus Critic Portfolios"
  15. ^ "High-profile Liberal incumbent Naqvi gets rolled by NDP's Harden in Ottawa Centre".
  16. ^ "Interview: Joel Harden on running for ONDP nomination in Ottawa-Centre". socialist.ca. September 2, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2020. I said, "if I'm asked a question about what I think about BDS for example, I'm not going to pretend that that's somebody I'm not. I'm going to say, on a personal level I support BDS." It's because I believe in justice for the Palestinian people, and I believe in justice for Arabs and Jews in the region.
  17. ^ "MPP Joel Harden, Catherine McKenney eyeing possible showdown for Ottawa federal seat". CTV News. March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  18. ^ Eltherington, William (January 12, 2025). "MPP Joel Harden to be federal NDP candidate for Ottawa Centre". CTV News Ottawa. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  19. ^ a b c d e Jewish group seeks apology after NDP MPP tweets support for Palestinian ‘terrorist leader’" Global News.
  20. ^ "OFIP interview with Joel Harden, MPP, Ottawa Centre," Peter larson (video).
  21. ^ "Ottawa New Democrat MPP apologizes for 2021 comments that 'perpetrated an antisemitic stereotype'". Ottawa CTV News. November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  22. ^ "Canadian MPP apologizes for holding Jewish Ontarians 'accountable' for Israeli violence". The Jerusalem Post. November 22, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  23. ^ Larson, Peter. "OFIP Interview with Joel Harden". Peter Larson. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Tyler Dawson (November 20, 2022). "Ontario NDP MPP Joel Harden apologizes for antisemitic remarks; The remarks, which Harden made in a discussion with Peter Larson, an Ontario blogger, hit social media Saturday and ignited immediate controversy," National Post.
  25. ^ "Noise bylaw tickets issued again during 12th weekend of pro-Palestinian rallies in Ottawa," Ottawa Citizen.
  26. ^ "Ottawa bylaw hands out nine noise fines to pro-Palestine protesters, including Ottawa MPP," CTV News.
  27. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 6. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
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