{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1990)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Charmaine Borg | honorific_suffix = | image = Charmaine Borg.png | caption = | riding = Terrebonne—Blainville | parliament = Canadian | term_start = May 2, 2011 | term_end = October 19, 2015 | predecessor = Diane Bourgeois | successor = Michel Boudrias {{small|(Terrebonne)}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|11|3}} | birth_place = Oakville, Ontario, Canada<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=675e2559-11e0-4951-8755-03ffbc1a6d0d&Language=E&Section=ALL |title=PARLINFO - Parliamentarian File - Complete File - BORG, Charmaine |publisher=Parl.gc.ca |date=2012-04-19 |accessdate=2014-07-18 |archive-date=2014-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808235656/http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=675e2559-11e0-4951-8755-03ffbc1a6d0d&Language=E&Section=ALL |url-status=dead }}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | profession = Community activist, labour relations officer, student, volunteer worker, politician | party = New Democratic | footnotes = | spouse = }}

'''Charmaine Borg''' (born November 3, 1990) is a Canadian politician who served as the New Democratic Party (NDP) member of Parliament for the riding of Terrebonne—Blainville in Quebec from 2011 to 2015.

==Early years== Borg was born on November 3, 1990, in Oakville, Ontario as one of seven children, though her family moved to Keswick, Ontario when she was one year old.<ref name=BeyondPolitics>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJJ6TDakxYQ Profile of Charmaine Borg] on CPAC's ''Beyond Politics''</ref> She is of Franco-Ontarian and Maltese descent, and is fully bilingual in French and English,<ref>{{Citation | last = Scott | first = Marian | title = Five McGill students elected as NDP MPs | newspaper = The Vancouver Sun | date = May 4, 2011 | url = https://vancouversun.com/news/decision-canada/Five+McGill+students+elected/4723336/story.html | accessdate = May 4, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110507233619/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/decision-canada/Five+McGill+students+elected/4723336/story.html | archive-date = May 7, 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref> though she preferred to speak French on the floor of the House of Commons.

After creating a drama program for at-risk youth, Borg won the Lieutenant Governor's Community Volunteer Award in 2008.<ref name="NDP">{{cite web |url=http://charmaineborg.ndp.ca/ |title=Charmaine Borg |publisher=New Democratic Party |accessdate=May 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501095355/http://charmaineborg.ndp.ca/ |archivedate=May 1, 2011 }}</ref>

At the time of her election, Borg was a student studying political science and Latin American studies at McGill University<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/986654--canada-s-youngest-mps-confident-they-have-what-it-takes?bn=1|title=Canada's youngest MPs confident they have what it takes|work=Toronto Star|date=May 5, 2011|author=Lorianna De Giorgio}}</ref> and was also working as the Labour Relations Officer for the Association of McGill University Support Employees.<ref name="NDP" /> She was also co-president of the student New Democratic Party club at McGill University.<ref>{{Citation | last = Curry | first = Bill | title = Students, ex-Communist, a Cree leader and more join NDP's swollen Quebec ranks | newspaper = The Globe and Mail | date = May 3, 2011 | url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/students-ex-communist-a-cree-leader-and-more-join-ndps-swollen-quebec-ranks/article2008082/ | accessdate = May 3, 2011 | location=Toronto}}</ref>

==Entrance to politics==

Borg was one of five current McGill students, alongside fellow undergraduates Mylène Freeman, Laurin Liu, and Matthew Dubé, and graduate student Jamie Nicholls, elected to Parliament in the federal 2011 election following the NDP's unexpected mid-campaign surge in Quebec.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/life/McGill+head+House+Commons/4722338/story.html|title=McGill 5 head off to House of Commons|work=The Gazette|date=May 4, 2011|access-date=October 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831131116/http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/McGill+head+House+Commons/4722338/story.html|archive-date=August 31, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> She defeated incumbent MP Diane Bourgeois of the Bloc Québécois by 49.3 percent to Bourgeois' 30.3 percent—a margin of over 10,600 votes. By comparison, the NDP had never finished higher than fourth since the riding was created in 1997, and only once had tallied the 10 percent required for their campaign expenses to be refunded.

She was the third-youngest member of the 41st Parliament, after Liu and Pierre-Luc Dusseault, and one of the youngest women ever elected to Parliament.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} The 2011 election marked the first time she had voted in a federal election.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dougherty|first=Kevin|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-mulcair-will-be-rookies-pla/141739545/|title=Mulcair will be NDP rookies' playing coach|work=The Gazette|page=A4|date=May 5, 2011|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

Borg and Dubé were co-presidents of NDP McGill (the NDP student group at McGill University) at the time that they both won election to Parliament, and both had spent the campaign working to re-elect Thomas Mulcair in the nearby riding of Outremont.<ref>{{cite news |last=Finestone |first=Nathaniel |date=April 5, 2011 |title=Political clubs gear up for election |url=https://issuu.com/mcgill_tribune/docs/mcgilltribune.vol30.issue26 |work=The McGill Tribune |location=Montreal, Quebec |page=3 |via=Issuu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/students-ex-communist-a-cree-leader-and-more-join-ndps-swollen-quebec-ranks/article2008082|title=Students, ex-Communist, a Cree leader and more join NDP's swollen Quebec ranks|work=The Globe and Mail|date=May 3, 2011|author=Bill Curry|location=Toronto}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-really-new-democrats|title=The REALLY New Democrats|work=National Post|date=May 4, 2011|author=Tamsin McMahon}}</ref> Borg had originally planned to spend the Fall 2011 term as a foreign exchange student in Mexico.<ref name="Gazette" />

After her riding was split almost in half ahead of the 2015 federal election, Borg ran in Terrebonne, essentially the western half of her old riding. She was pushed into third place behind the BQ's Michel Boudrias and Liberal Michèle Audette amid the Bloc resurgence in the Laurentides.

== In Parliament ==

In Parliament, Borg was named to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights,<ref>[http://parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=hansard&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5322625&File=0#Int-5258116 ''Hansard'', 9 December 2011]</ref> where she intervened against the Conservative government's omnibus crime bill, C-10, and the closure imposed on its debate,<ref>[http://www.charmaineborg.info/defendre-la-democratie/ "Défendre la démocratie."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509130047/http://www.charmaineborg.info/defendre-la-democratie/ |date=May 9, 2012 }} CharmaineBorg.info. 18 November 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hilltimes.com/news/policy-briefing/2011/10/31/after-a-month-of-hearings-on-bill-c-10-price-tag-for-tough-on-crime/28651?page_requested=2|title=After a month of hearings on Bill C-10, price tag for tough-on-crime agenda remains unclear|work=The Hill Times|date=31 October 2011|author=Chris Plecash}}</ref> as well as Bill C-30, the Conservative bill on warrantless online surveillance.<ref>[https://www.ndp.ca/press/ndp-gears-up-to-fight-conservatives-snooping-law "NDP gears up to fight Conservatives’ snooping law."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805054233/http://www.ndp.ca/press/ndp-gears-up-to-fight-conservatives-snooping-law |date=2012-08-05 }} NDP.ca. 15 September 2011.</ref> In the Fall of 2012, Borg embarked on a tour across Eastern Canada and the Maritimes to increase pressure on the Conservative government to abandon the bill.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecasket.ca/archives/23651 |title=Bill C-30 talk raises concerns over warrantless access &#124; |publisher=Thecasket.ca |date=2012-11-13 |accessdate=2014-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110130615/http://www.thecasket.ca/archives/23651 |archive-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After months of public backlash, the Conservative government finally scrapped Bill C-30 in February 2013. Borg called the death of this bill a "great victory and a way forward for politics."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/conservatives-kill-controversial-internet-surveillance-bill |title=Bill C-30: Tories kill controversial Internet surveillance bill &#124; National Post |publisher=News.nationalpost.com |date= |access-date=2014-07-18}}</ref>

In the leadership race following the death of NDP leader Jack Layton, Borg endorsed Brian Topp.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/Student+turned+worked+Mulcair+endorses+Topp/5633562/story.html|title=Student-turned-NDP-MP who worked for Mulcair endorses Topp|author=Tobi Cohen|date=31 October 2011|work=canada.com|access-date=24 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101122802/http://www.canada.com/Student+turned+worked+Mulcair+endorses+Topp/5633562/story.html|archive-date=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On November 12, she was profiled by CPAC's ''Beyond Politics.''<ref name=BeyondPolitics/>

===Katimavik===

In 2012, Borg embarked on a cross-country tour to rally support for a Private Member's Motion she presented, M-352, to reinstate Federal funding to the recently cut Katimavik program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/christ,/ophermajka/2012/09/charmaine-borg-versus-james-moore-irresistible-force-meets-i |title=News for the rest of us |publisher=rabble.ca |date= 13 September 2012|accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=July 2014}}

====Digital Issues====

In April 2012, newly elected NDP leader Thomas Mulcair appointed Borg to the Shadow Cabinet of the Official Opposition. She was given the position of Digital Issues Critic,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/ndp-cabinet/ | work=CBC News |title=NDP shadow cabinet |date=April 20, 2012 |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref> and became the youngest full critic in the history of Canada. Simultaneously, she was transferred from the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights to the Standing Committee on Ethics, Privacy and Access to Information.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/CommitteeMembership.aspx?Cmte=ETHI&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1 |title=House of Commons Committees - ETHI - ARCHIVE (41-1) - Membership |publisher=Parl.gc.ca |date= |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref> In one of her first acts as Digital Issues Critic, Borg launched at study at the Ethics, Privacy and Access to Information Committee to investigate the privacy practices of social media companies.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/social-media-privacy-concerns-could-see-commons-probe-1.1161082 |title=Social media privacy concerns could see Commons probe | work=CBC News |date= May 7, 2012 |access-date=2015-11-17}}</ref> During the study's hearings, MPs heard from numerous experts and industry representatives including Facebook, Twitter and Google.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/commons-committee-summons-twitter-for-privacy-study-1.1262656 |title=Commons committee summons Twitter for privacy study | work=CBC News |date= November 28, 2012 |access-date=2015-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=6094136&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1 |title=House of Commons Committees - ETHI (41-1) - Privacy and Social Media in the Age of Big Data - PRIVACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE AGE OF BIG DATA |publisher=Parl.gc.ca |date= |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref>

====Bill C-475====

Following through on the study into social media and privacy, Borg presented Bill C-475 to the House of Commons in February 2013. The bill seeks to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) to introduce mandatory data breach reporting and enforcement powers to the Privacy Commissioner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6794/125/ |title=NDP MP Charmaine Borg Tries To Kickstart Canada's Dormant Privacy Reform - Michael Geist |publisher=Michaelgeist.ca |date=2013-02-27 |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=July 2014}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndp.ca/news/ndp-wants-to-better-protect-canadians-privacy-rights |title=NDP wants to better protect Canadians' privacy rights &#124; Canada's NDP / NPD du Canada |publisher=Ndp.ca |date=2013-04-17 |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref> Bill C-475 has received the endorsements of several privacy and internet experts, along with consumer protection and civil liberties groups.<ref name="myprivacyonline.ca">{{cite web |url=http://www.myprivacyonline.ca/ |title=Home " My Privacy Online |publisher=Myprivacyonline.ca |accessdate=2014-07-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517200724/http://myprivacyonline.ca/ |archivedate=2014-05-17 }}</ref>

A campaign called "My Privacy Online" was launched to support the progression of Bill C-475 through the House of Commons.<ref name="myprivacyonline.ca"/> The bill saw its first hour of debate at Second Reading on May 23, 2013, the same day that the Privacy Commissioner of Canada released a position paper calling for similar reforms to PIPEDA.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndp.ca/news/new-democrats-part-growing-consensus-privacy-law-reforms |title=New Democrats part of a growing consensus on privacy law reforms &#124; Canada's NDP / NPD du Canada |publisher=Ndp.ca |date=2013-04-17 |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref>

====Bill C-486====

In response to calls from youth in her constituency of Terrebonne-Blainville,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armand-corbeil.ca/spip.php?article224 |title=Commission scolaire des Affluents |publisher=Armand-corbeil.ca |date= |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref> Borg collaborated with and seconded MP Paul Dewar's Bill C-486 in March 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndp.ca/news/new-democrats-take-action-to-end-use-conflict-minerals |title=New Democrats take action to end the use of conflict minerals &#124; Canada's NDP / NPD du Canada |publisher=Ndp.ca |date=2013-04-17 |accessdate=2014-07-18}}</ref> Bill C-486 seeks to end the use of conflict minerals in Canada, particularly those originating in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.

==Electoral record== {{2015 Canadian federal election/Terrebonne}}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2011|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes}} {{CANelec|CA|NDP|'''Charmaine Borg''' |'''28,236'''|'''49.4'''| '''+35.9%'''|0.00}} {{CANelec|CA|BQ|Diane Bourgeois |17,634|30.8| -21.5%|60,548.03}} {{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Jean-Philippe Payment |5,222|9.1| -4.9%|21,165.08}} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Robert Frégeau |4,885|8.5| -8%| 19,287.41}} {{CANelec|CA|Green|Michel Paulette |1,218|2.1| 0%|37.24}} {{end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110501095355/http://charmaineborg.ndp.ca/ Charmaine Borg - Website] *{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=17945}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borg, Charmaine}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:McGill University alumni Category:Anglophone Quebec people Category:Canadian people of Maltese descent Category:Franco-Ontarian people Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec Category:New Democratic Party MPs Category:Women members of the House of Commons of Canada Category:People from Oakville, Ontario Category:People from Terrebonne, Quebec Category:Politicians from Lanaudière Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada