Annamarie Castrilli

Annamarie Castrilli is a former politician, lawyer, educator and rights advocate in Ontario, Canada.

Background Castrilli was educated at the University of Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969, a Master of Arts degree in 1970, and a Ph.D. in 1977. She subsequently attended Osgoode Hall Law School, receiving an LL.B. in 1984. She began her law career with the firm of Harries, Hauser, Loudon & Syron from 1985 to 1989 and was a Tax Partner with Bratty and Partners in 1990. From 1991 to 1995, she ran a private practice as a corporate lawyer. The general election was won by the Progressive Conservatives, and Castrilli became the Opposition Critic for Colleges and Universities, also serving as Opposition Critic for Women's Issues Critic to the Attorney-General. She was subsequently appointed Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development and a member of the Tripartite Legislative Committee of the Ontario Government on the Calgary Constitutional Accord, overseeing the Calgary Accord constitutional referendum in Ontario.

When Lyn McLeod resigned as Liberal leader in 1996, Castrilli initially entered the race to succeed her, ultimately giving her support to eventual winner Dalton McGuinty. (See Ontario Liberal Leadership Conventions.)

Castrilli initially planned to run as a Liberal in the 1999 provincial election, but was defeated for the party's nomination in York Centre by fellow caucus member Monte Kwinter. The Progressive Conservative government had previously reduced the number of constituencies from 130 to 103, forcing several incumbent Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to compete against one another for renomination.

On the last sitting day of the legislature, Castrilli crossed the floor to sit as a Progressive Conservative. She won the PC nomination in the Parkdale—High Park constituency, and lost to Liberal MPP Gerard Kennedy in the general election. Kennedy and Castrilli had both been candidates for the Liberal party leadership in 1996.

Later life She was appointed by Premier Mike Harris as the director of "Partnership with Ontarians", an office created to promote the province for international business.

In the federal election of 2004, Castrilli supported Conservative Party candidate Michael Mostyn. Later in the year, she was co-chair of Jim Flaherty's unsuccessful bid to lead the provincial Tories.

She is also the founding partner of Castrilli Law, a director of SEADAC Strategic Consultants Inc., a director of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians and the Chair of the Educational Foundation of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.