Kim Rudd, former Ontario Liberal MP and entrepreneur, dies at 66

Then-Liberal MP Kim Rudd responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Friday, May 6, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Kim Rudd, a former Liberal MP who represented a southern Ontario riding, has died.

An online obituary says Rudd died of ovarian cancer on Tuesday at a hospice in Cobourg, Ont.

Rudd, who was 66, represented the newly formed riding of Northumberland-Peterborough South from 2015 to 2019.

She served as parliamentary secretary to the natural resources minister.

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She was also chair of the Parliamentary Health Research Caucus and served on the House of Commons finance and natural resources committees.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his condolences to Rudd's family and friends, calling her a "thoughtful and tireless advocate for Canadians."

"She advanced progress on important issues – from affordable housing to rural broadband to health care," Trudeau said in a statement.

"As parliamentary secretary to the minister of natural resources, she stood up for Canadian energy workers and helped move forward on climate action."

A number of Liberal cabinet ministers posted on social media to pay their respects, including Karina Gould, who is on maternity leave from her role as government House leader.

"I feel so fortunate to have had Kim be part of my life," Gould wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We were seat mates, neighbours, colleagues and friends.

"Kim was a fierce fighter, for her community and in her battle with cancer. She used her experience to advocate with Ovarian Cancer Canada and for women's health in general."

Prior to joining politics, Rudd was president of the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce.

Trudeau's statement says she won an RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award in recognition of her community leadership and was co-founder of a child-care centre in Cobourg.

The online obituary says she had an extensive career in public service and was involved in numerous local charitable organizations and sports groups.

Rudd is survived by her husband Tom; daughters Alison and Stefanie; and four grandchildren.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2024.