Laurel Broten

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Laurel C. Broten is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore for the Ontario Liberal Party.

Prior to entering politics, she was a lawyer, community activist and volunteer. Broten attended McMaster University from 1986 to 1990, and has both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree from the institution. She also received an LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario in 1993. She was a law clerk to Madam Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé at the Supreme Court of Canada from 1993 to 1994, and later had a practice in civil and commercial litigation. She has also served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Gatehouse, a community centre for survivors of child abuse.

Broten first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1999, but was defeated by Progressive Conservative Morley Kells in Etobicoke-Lakeshore by close to 5,000 votes. She ran again in the 2003 election, and defeated Kells by almost the same margin amid a provincial shift to the Liberals.

On October 23, 2003, she was named as the Parliamentary Assistant to Premier Dalton McGuinty. She was promoted to cabinet as Minister of the Environment on June 29, 2005. In October 2005 she gave birth to twins.