01/17/2026
The Cambridge NDP mourns the loss of Evelyn Gigantes, who passed away on January 16, 2026.
Evelyn was a true force of nature. A CBC broadcaster who became a three term MPP for Ottawa-area ridings, fighting for equality and justice every step of the way. In 1980, she made history as the first sitting Ontario MPP to give birth while in office. She joked that her baby was “one of the most positive products” of the 1979 NDP convention 9 months earlier.
In 1986, Evelyn pushed through an amendment to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation when almost no one else would touch it. It passed 64 to 45.
As Minister of Health for the Ontario NDP government, she pushed to keep abortion services accessible when federal legislation threatened them. Later, as Minister of Housing, she took on the fight for tenants’ rights and pushing through safety protections in the Residents’ Rights Act.
Evelyn knew what politics was really about: standing up for working people. Her courage and her refusal to stay quiet made a real difference in this province that we still feel today.
Our heartfelt condolences to her children, Clea and Matthew, her family, and all who loved her. May she rest in peace.
