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Kevin Yarde

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Kevin Yarde
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Brampton North
In office
June 7, 2018 – May 3, 2022
Preceded byRiding established
Succeeded byGraham McGregor
Personal details
BornToronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyIndependent[1]
Other political
affiliations
New Democratic (2018–2022)
EducationYork University
Ryerson University
OccupationWeather presenter
Websitekevinyarde.ontariondp.ca

Kevin Yarde is a Canadian politician and former weather presenter who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election for the riding of Brampton North.[2] Initially elected as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party,[3] he eventually left the party to sit as an independent.[1]

He is part of Ontario's first ever Black Caucus, alongside NDP caucus colleagues Laura Mae Lindo, Faisal Hassan, Jill Andrew and Rima Berns-McGown.[4]

While serving as a Member of Provincial Parliament, Yarde was employed by private security firms Sentinel Security and Nationwide Security Ltd.[5]

Yarde did not receive his party's nomination as a candidate in the 2022 election, losing to Sandeep Singh, who unsuccessfully ran in Caledon Ward 2 in the 2018 municipal elections. Yarde was the only NDP incumbent MPP to not receive his party nomination.[6] Subsequently, Yarde resigned from the NDP to sit as an independent MPP for the remainder of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario.[1]

Prior to his election to the legislature, Yarde worked for The Weather Network.[7]

Personal life and education

[edit]

Yarde was born in Toronto and has never lived in Brampton, but has "longtime family roots in Brampton".[7][8] His ancestors emigrated to Canada from the United States (Virginia), Barbados and Saint Kitts and Nevis (Saint Kitts).[9] He studied journalism at York University and Ryerson University, before beginning his television career on the Rogers TV community television network.[7] He joined The Weather Network in 2001, first as a field correspondent and later as a studio host.[7] Yarde is a member of the US-based National Association of Black Journalists and also a volunteer with the Toronto location of Covenant House, a shelter and support centre for homeless and at-risk youth.[3]

He is the father of soccer player Sierra Cota-Yarde[10] and a first cousin of drummer Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies.[7]

Electoral record

[edit]
2018 Ontario general election: Brampton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Kevin Yarde 14,877 37.55 +6.24
Progressive Conservative Ripudaman Dhillon 14,380 36.29 +11.85
Liberal Harinder Malhi 8,410 21.22 -18.70
Green Pauline Thornham 1,366 3.45 +0.04
Libertarian Gregory Argue 591 1.49
Total valid votes 39,624 98.98
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 407 1.02
Turnout 40,031 51.58
Eligible voters 77,609
New Democratic notional gain from Liberal Swing +12.47
Source: Elections Ontario[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Brampton NDP MPP leaves caucus to sit as independent after losing nomination contest". CBC News. Toronto ON: The Canadian Press. April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "NDP leader's brother elected in Brampton East, Weather Network personality wins Brampton North". Toronto Star. June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Frisque, Graeme (June 8, 2018). "NDP's Kevin Yarde wins in Brampton North". Brampton Guardian. Archived from the original on June 11, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  4. ^ "NDP establishes first official Black Caucus in Ontario History". Ontario New Democratic Party, April 15, 2019.
  5. ^ pds.oico.on.ca https://pds.oico.on.ca/Pages/Public/PublicDisclosures.aspx. Retrieved July 16, 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Cornwell, Steve (April 8, 2022). "Current Brampton NDP MPP loses nomination battle to former Caledon council hopeful ahead of Ontario election". The Brampton Guardian. Mississauga ON: Metroland Media Group. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e "On TV with Kevin Yarde". The Weather Network. Pelmorex. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Brown, Nikita (May 1, 2018). "NDP - Kevin Yarde". Bramptonist. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  9. ^ "Black History Month is a time for reflection". I can trace my family routes in southern Ontario back to 1902, when my ancestors emigrated from Virginia. I also have a proud Caribbean family history — my father is from Barbados, and came to Canada in the 1950s. My grandmother came from St. Kitts and settled in Fredericton, N.B., before she came to Ontario to work as a domestic.
  10. ^ "Sierra Cota-Yarde Prairie View profile". Prairie View A&M Panthers and Lady Panthers.
  11. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 16, 2019.