Carolyn Parrish

Carolyn Parrish is the MP for the riding of Mississauga-Erindale in Mississauga, Ontario, and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Before entering politics, she was a secondary school teacher. Noted for commenting "Damn Americans, I hate those bastards" in the spring of 2003 when tensions between Canada and the US (over the war in Iraq) were high. Parrish endured harsh criticism for her statement, for which she later apologized and insisted was completely spontaneous and unplanned.

She was also the subject of much controversy as Canada's ridings were rezoned and redivided. Parrish formerly represented the riding of Mississauga-Centre; this riding was partly merged with Mississauga-South, which had been represented by Steve Mahoney. The nomination battle was a bitter one, but Parrish was chosen by the members of the Liberal party in the newly-created riding.

Parrish was elected in Mississauga-Erindale in the June 2004 federal election. She received over 50% of the popular vote, surprising many who had expected her anti-American statement (and the Liberal party's lagging approval rating) to hurt her.

In August, 2004, Parrish again created controversy by referring to the North American missile defense proposal as "a coalition of idiots".