Natalia Kusendova

Natalia Kusendova-Bashta is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 2018, representing the riding of Mississauga Centre. In June 2024, she was appointed as the Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care. Before entering politics, she worked as a nurse and holds degrees in human and molecular biology from the University of Toronto and in nursing from Nipissing University. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she notably returned to the front lines to work shifts in an emergency department. Her legislative achievements include the successful passage of a bill to recognize the Franco-Ontarian flag as an official provincial emblem.