Matthew Luloff
Deputy Mayor of Ottawa
In office
December 2018  December 9, 2020
Serving with Laura Dudas, George Darouze
Preceded byBob Monette
Mark Taylor
Succeeded byJenna Sudds
Ottawa City Councillor
Assumed office
December 1, 2018
Preceded byBob Monette
ConstituencyOrléans East-Cumberland Ward (from 2022)
Orléans Ward (until 2022)
Personal details
BornOttawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyConservative (federal)
Liberal (federal; until 2023)
Independent (municipal)
ResidenceQueenswood Heights
EducationCarleton University
ProfessionPolitician, soldier, political aide, musician
AwardsGeneral Campaign Star Sacrifice Medal
Websitehttps://matthewluloff.ca/
Military service
AllegianceCanada
Branch/serviceCanadian Army
Years of service2003-2009
RankCorporal
UnitPrincess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Governor General’s Foot Guards
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan

Matthew J. Luloff[1] (born c. 1984)[2] is a Canadian politician who is the Ottawa City Councillor for Orléans East-Cumberland Ward,[3] a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is a Canadian Forces veteran and served in Afghanistan.

Military service

In 2003 he joined the Governor General's Foot Guards army reserve unit, participating in the Changing the Guard Ceremony on Parliament Hill for four summers and military exercises on the weekends.[2]

Luloff then transferred to the regular force and moved to Manitoba in 2006 to train with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the base in Shilo.[4] After training as a reconnaissance patrolman, he deployed to Afghanistan in February 2008. Part way through the tour, he was assigned to a rifle platoon and helped to navigate foot patrols.[2] He was stationed in small combat outposts along the Arghandab River, patrolling the volatile Panjwai-Zharey districts of Kandahar Province.[5]

In 2009, Luloff was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and received a medical release from the Canadian Armed Forces.[2]

Political career

Now a Conservative, Luloff is a former member of the Liberal Party of Canada.[6]

Federal government

Upon leaving the Canadian Armed Forces & completing a degree at the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa,[7] Luloff transitioned to a different form of public service, working for several members of Parliament, including John McKay and Judy Foote.[8]

Following Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party election victory in 2015, Luloff began a role as Issues Manager in the office of Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence.[9]

Municipal councillor

In October 2018, Luloff ran in a field of 17 candidates vying for the role of City Councillor for Orleans Ward, winning by a margin of almost 300 votes.[9]

Because of his history with music, one of Luloff's first priorities was to expand the City of Ottawa's Public Library music instrument lending program, which he was successful with in November 2019.[10] The program was expanded include four local branches thanks to donations from Sun Life Financial.[10]

In addition to being named Deputy Mayor by Mayor Jim Watson,[11] Luloff was also appointed the Council Liaison for Veteran and Military Issues.[12] In this capacity, he launched the Veteran's Task Force, a network of partners working to inspire social responsibility, proactive collaboration and support for veterans and their families.[13]

In 2020, Luloff was chosen by council to become the City's newest Chair of the Public Library Board.[14] In this role, he set to work to abolish overdue penalties for book lending, joining only a handful of other public library systems to go fine-free.[15] Explaining why this move was important Luloff explained, "We can talk as a board all we want about addressing racial and income inequality, or we can actually address racial and income inequality."[16] Luloff led the board in 2022 in establishing a new intellectual freedom policy for the Ottawa Public Library, one of the most liberal and permissive in North America.[17]

Luloff was chosen by council in December 2020 to replace Jenna Sudds as Chair of Community and Protective Services Committee.[18]

Luloff was easily re-elected in the 2022 Ottawa municipal election in the re-named Orléans East-Cumberland Ward.

In 2023, Luloff raised constituent concerns that the construction of 81 affordable housing units in his ward would adversely affect parking. The project was approved after a week and a half delay.[19][20]

Federal politics

Luloff will be the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the Next Canadian federal election in Orléans.[21]

Personal life

Luloff grew up in Orléans, graduated from St. Matthew High School, and spent his summers and weekends working as a lifeguard and instructor at a variety of pools including Bob McQuarrie Recreational Complex and The Ray Friel Centre.[5] Following his service, Matthew attended the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.[7]

He lives in Orléans with his wife Laura and their two daughters.[5]

Music and podcast

In addition to public service, Luloff is a musician. Starting at age 14, he has been involved in the local music scene in various bands and ensembles. Hearts&Mines, a manifestation of both his passion for Rock & Roll plus the traumas suffered while serving overseas.[22]

Luloff also produces music on his own, ranging from electronic dance music through his Still Cities project,[23] to acoustic self-titled solo albums, the newest of which is in the works and set for release sometime in 2021.

Additionally, Luloff hosts a regular podcast entitled Veteran X, a podcast about the scars of real battles "What we start to see is a common thread that a lot of people are feeling the exact same way so basically what Veteran X tells you is you're not alone."[22]

References

  1. Elections Canada Donation History
  2. 1 2 3 4 "After beating 16 others in Orléans, army veteran finds another way to serve, this time at city hall | Ottawa Citizen". October 29, 2018.
  3. "Afghanistan Veteran Matthew Luloff Wins Wild Race in Orleans". October 23, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  4. "Promise to fallen comrade takes councillor-elect, veteran Matt Luloff to Windsor for Remembrance Day". Global News. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Matthew Luloff". ottawa.ca. October 3, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  6. "Ottawa Votes: What you need to know about the candidates in Orléans | Ottawa Citizen". October 16, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Matthew Luloff". carleton.ca. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  8. "Former Canadian soldier in Afghanistan, now a Liberal staffer who plays in a hip rock 'n' roll band: HOH". The Hill Times. July 19, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Matthew Luloff wins packed race in Orléans | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "More local library branches offering musical instruments". OttawaMatters.com. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  11. "Analysis: The politics behind Ottawa Mayor Watson's latest cabinet picks". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  12. "Supporting our veterans and their families in our community". Jim Watson. October 30, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  13. Dept, Innovative Client Services (October 27, 2020). "City launches Veterans Task Force to assist local veterans and their families". ottawa.ca. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  14. Dept, Innovative Client Services (February 26, 2020). "Council appoints new members to committees and boards". ottawa.ca. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  15. "Chair Luloff: Ottawa Public Library to go fines free | Président Luloff: La Bibliothèque publique d'Ottawa éliminera les amendes – Matthew Luloff". matthewluloff.ca. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  16. "Long overdue: Why more Ontario libraries are going fine-free". TVO.org. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  17. "Intellectual Freedom | Ottawa Public Library". biblioottawalibrary.ca. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  18. "Ottawa's budget, transit fares, Lansdowne: Highlights from a packed council meeting". Global News. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  19. "Councillors approve Orleans development despite parking concerns". Ottawa. March 20, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  20. "Parking concerns delay vote on affordable units in Orléans". CBC. 2023.
  21. "Ottawa councillor Matt Luloff named as Conservative candidate for Orléans". CBC. November 10, 2023.
  22. 1 2 Arsalides, Mike (October 23, 2018). "Luloff a real-life rock star". Ottawa. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  23. "Still Cities". Spotify. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
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