Born in Montreal, she spent her early years in Chisholm, Minnesota with her brother Sean Patrick Hajdu, raised by her aunt and uncle. Her Hungarian last name comes from her stepfather. At 12 years old, Hajdu moved to Thunder Bay to live with her mother. Due to a tumultuous relationship, she ended up living on her own at age 16, attempting to finish high school. After graduating from high school, she got a job in Thunder Bay through an employment-insurance initiative, at a non-profit adult-literacy group, where she trained in graphic design. Hajdu then attended Lakehead University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. In 2015, she received a Master of Public Administration from the University of Victoria.
Career
Hajdu worked mainly in the field of harm prevention, homelessness, and substance misuse prevention, including nine years as the head of the drug awareness committee of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. She also worked as a creative director and graphic designer in marketing. Prior to her election in 2015 she was the executive director at Shelter House, the city's largest homeless shelter. On November 4, 2015, she was appointed the Minister of Status of Women in the federal Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In this capacity, she convened in July 2016 an advisory council to help develop of Canada's strategy against gender-based violence. She was sworn in as Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour on January 10, 2017. On October 29, 2018, Minister Hajdu, alongside Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef and President of the Treasury Board and Minister for Digital Government Scott Brison introduced pay equity legislation for federally regulated workplaces.
As Minister of Health, Hajdu oversees the Department of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, key agencies coordinating the Canadian government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. On March 25, Hajdu informed the Senate that she would invoke the Quarantine Act effective at midnight, federally mandating that all travellers returning to the country must self-isolate for 14 days, prohibiting those who are symptomatic from using public transit as transport to their place of self-isolation, and prohibiting self-isolation in settings where they may come in contact with those who are vulnerable.
