Garnett Genuis is the Member of Parliament for Sherwood Park – Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta, Canada. Since his election in 2015, he has gained a reputation for being among the most outspoken parliamentarians, having spoken more than 100,000 words in the Chamber during his first year in office – more than all three major party leaders combined.
Always ready to speak, he is a tireless advocate for human rights and religious freedom, both domestically and abroad, and is a vocal proponent for Alberta’s interests in Ottawa.
Garnett grew up in Strathcona County and got involved in his community through volunteering with various organizations, including a local care centre. During this time he also developed an interest in human rights issues around the world, largely inspired by his maternal grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.
At age 15, he began writing a column for Sherwood Park News for which he continues to be a regular contributor as an MP. His columns also appear regularly in the Fort Saskatchewan Record and The Post Millennial.
He has served as the Deputy Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, a role that enables him to raise awareness about international human rights violations and promote a return to Canada’s principle-based foreign policy. Here at home, he is engaged in various local initiatives from advocacy work with the Saffron Centre, which works to prevent sexual violence, to projects focused on improving the quality of life for seniors.
In 2017, MP Genuis was voted Maclean’s Parliamentarian of the Year by his peers across party lines.
Recently, MP Genuis sparked an emergency debate in the House of Commons concerning the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma and has also presented a private member’s bill to combat trafficking in human organs. In addition, he now serves as an International Patron of Hong Kong Watch.
MP Genuis holds a BA in Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and an MA in Public Policy and Philosophy from the London School of Economics. Prior to his election, he worked in the Prime Minister’s Office.
He and his wife Rebecca have four children.