# Natalia Kusendova-Bashta

Natalia Kusendova-Bashta MPP is a Canadian politician who serves as the Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care and has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2018. She represents the riding of Mississauga Centre as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.
Before entering politics, Kusendova-Bashta worked as a nurse.

## Background

Kusendova-Bashta holds Bachelor of Science degrees in human and molecular biology from the University of Toronto and in nursing from Nipissing University. In addition, she speaks five languages: English, Polish, French, Czech and Slovak. Kusendova-Bashta is of Slovak and Polish descent.

## Political career

Kusendova-Bashta was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 Ontario election.
In March 2020, while the province was under a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Kusendova-Bashta started taking 12-hour shifts three days per week in the emergency department at Etobicoke General Hospital. In September 2020, Kusendova-Bashta's bill to recognize the Franco-Ontarian flag as an emblem of the province of Ontario was passed by the Ontario legislature and into law.
Kusendova-Bashta was re-elected in the 2022 provincial election. On June 6, 2024, she was elevated to the executive council during a cabinet shuffle in which she was appointed Minister of Long-Term Care by Premier Doug Ford.

## Electoral record

vte2022 Ontario general election: Mississauga Centre :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Natalia Kusendova | 14,719 | 43.60 | +2.74 |
| | Liberal | Sumira Malik | 12,260 | 36.32 | +10.92 |
| | New Democratic | Sarah Walji | 4,148 | 12.29 | −15.27 |
| | Green | Adriane Franklin | 1,188 | 3.52 | +0.89 |
| | New Blue | Audrey Simpson | 523 | 1.55 | |
| | Ontario Party | Stephanie Wright | 332 | 0.98 | |
| | None of the Above | Greg Vezina | 288 | 0.85 | |
| | Populist | Elie Diab | 163 | 0.48 | |
| | Moderate | Viktor Chornopyskyy | 137 | 0.41 | −0.03 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 33,758 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 271 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,029 | 38.14 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 89,129 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | −4.09 |
| Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023."Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. |||||||
2018 Ontario general election: Mississauga Centre :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive Conservative | Natalia Kusendova | 17,860 | 40.86 |
| | New Democratic | Laura Kaminker | 12,046 | 27.56 |
| | Liberal | Bobbie Daid | 11,102 | 25.40 |
| | Green | Noah Gould | 1,149 | 2.63 |
| | Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda | Alex Pacis | 890 | 2.04 |
| | Libertarian | Farouk Giga | 471 | 1.08 |
| | Moderate | Viktor Chornopyskyy | 192 | 0.44 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | | 100.0 |
| | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. | Progressive Conservative pickup new district. |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||