![Charles Sousa](/https/www.pm.gc.ca/sites/pm/files/media/parliamentary_secretaries/2023-09/Sousa_200x200.png)
Charles Sousa was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Lakeshore in 2022. He is a member of the Standing Committee on National Defence and the Standing Committee on Science and Research.
A business and community leader, Mr. Sousa has devoted his life to public service. Before entering federal politics in 2022, he served for 11 years as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. During this time, he held several roles in Cabinet, including Minister of Labour, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet, and Minister of Finance, working to build a stronger economy across the province, create good middle-class jobs, and make life more affordable for Ontarians.
Active in his community, Mr. Sousa is known for his advocacy efforts for the revitalization of Mississauga’s waterfront and the protection of its sensitive airshed. He was previously an ambassador for the Credit Valley Hospital Foundation and Chair of Magellan Community Charities. As the proud son of Portuguese immigrants, Mr. Sousa previously served as the President of the Federation of Portuguese Canadian Business & Professionals and was inducted as a Commander of the Order of Merit in Portugal. His contributions have been recognized with a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Mr. Sousa started his career in the financial industry. He worked for more than 20 years at the Royal Bank of Canada and was the owner and operator of a factoring company that supported small businesses. He has been a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, a director with the United States Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Toronto Board of Trade, and has represented Canada as a director to the International Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Sousa holds a Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Finance and Economics from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business at Western University.
Mr. Sousa lives in Mississauga with his wife and their three children.