In October 2019, Leah made history as the first woman elected as Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre. Since her election, Leah has worked tirelessly with elected officials, frontline organizations, grassroots leaders, and community volunteers to advance climate, social and economic justice, and social housing. Her unwavering commitment has earned her national and international recognition, including a place on MacLean's Power List for her influence on Canada's political agenda. She was also honoured by Chatelaine Magazine's 2024 Doris Anderson Award for her groundbreaking work on the Red Dress Alert.

Key Achievements in Office

Leah’s work in Parliament has led to groundbreaking progress on critical issues:

1. Including $10 a day childcare.
2. Bill C-223, National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Act: Building on her earlier motion to transition the Canada Emergency Response Benefit into a permanent program.
3. Bill C-232, Climate Emergency Action Act: Pushing to enshrine the right to a healthy environment as a human right.
4. Red Dress Alert Pilot: A national emergency alert system to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit Individuals.
5. Contraceptive Coverage under Pharmacare Act: Expanding access to essential healthcare services.
6. Recognition of Residential Schools as Genocide: Unanimous consent for her motion to acknowledge the atrocities of the Indian Residential School System.
7. National Dental Care and National Childcare Program: Advocacy for universal healthcare and affordable childcare.

In 2022, Leah made history when the House of Commons unanimously passed her motion recognizing residential schools as an act of genocide—the first such acknowledgment in Canada. In 2023, she achieved another historic milestone with unanimous consent for her motion to declare the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit Individuals a Canada-wide emergency. These victories were made possible by the tireless efforts of families, survivors, and advocates, supported by Leah’s leadership in Parliament.

Key Achievements in the Community

Funding Allocations for Key Initiatives

1. Sustainable Infrastructure and New Construction: Over $440M
2. Public Transportation and Transportation Infrastructure: Over $205M
3. Supports for Ending Homelessness: Nearly $123M

Community Projects and Initiatives

1. Sunshine House: Mobile Overdose Prevention Site
2. Ka Ni Kanichihk: Cultural and Wellness Centre
3. Rainbow Resource Centre: Place of Pride and Canada’s first 2SLGBTQ+ campus
4. West Central Women's Resource Centre: Transitional Housing
5. Main Street Project: Rent-geared-to-income housing with wrap-around supports
6. Living Gospel Church Inc.: Affordable housing prioritizing Black Canadians and Newcomers
7. Spence Neighbourhood Association and Resource Assistance for Youth (RAY): Emergency housing and supports
8. RAY's Level UP Program: $600K
9. NorWest Co-Op Community Health: $1.12M
10. Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata: $9M for an Indigenous food hub
11. Women's Health Clinic: $10M for critical infrastructure

A Lifetime of Advocacy

Before entering politics, Leah served as an educator at Red River College and the University of Winnipeg’s Faculty of Education. She also collaborated with the David Suzuki Foundation to support Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.

As president of the Social Planning Council (2011–2015), Leah championed policies to end poverty, address violence against women and girls, combat housing insecurity, advocate for fair wages, and improve mental health and addiction services. She played a key role in the Idle No More movement, helping to articulate its message to the Winnipeg public, and co-founded the #WeCare campaign to end violence against Indigenous women and girls.

Parliamentary Roles

Leah Gazan as the NDP Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre served as the NDP Critic for:

- Families, Children, and Social Development

- Women and Gender Equality

- Post-Secondary Education

A member of the Wood Mountain Lakota Nation in Saskatchewan (Treaty 4 territory), Leah continues to fight for justice, equality, and a better future for all, keeping Community at the Centre in Winnipeg Centre.