Hon. Ya’ara Saks Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health,
The Honourable Ya’ara Saks was first elected as the member of Parliament for York Centre in 2020. She serves as the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health.
She has previously served as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. She was also a member of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, as well as various parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups.
Minister Saks is a long-time community advocate and leader focused on promoting health and addressing inequalities in society. Before entering politics, she was a successful small business owner and the director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities, a Toronto-based mental health charity working for better access to mental health services.
Minister Saks brings a Canadian and global perspective to her community engagement work. She has held advisory roles in policy, communications and project management, having worked in the Office of the Mayor of Jerusalem and on the Israeli–Palestinian peace process.
Minister Saks holds a bachelor of arts in political science and Middle East studies from McGill University and a master of international relations and diplomacy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is the mother of two daughters.
