Tassi's first run for elective office was as a candidate for the
Ontario Liberal Party in the
1995 provincial election, where she finished a narrow second to
NDP incumbent
David Christopherson. Two decades later, she became the federal Liberal candidate in Hamilton during the
2015 federal election. Her candidacy attracted some media controversy, as she had made statements in the past suggesting that her
Roman Catholic faith made her personally opposed to
abortion, which seemingly put her in conflict with Liberal leader
Justin Trudeau's requirement that all candidates agree to vote in favour of abortion rights. Trudeau clarified that Tassi had agreed to support the legal right to abortion. Prior to entering federal politics, Tassi was a Catholic school board trustee. After previously serving as
Deputy Government Whip, Tassi was appointed to cabinet as
Minister of Seniors on July 18, 2018, becoming the first minister responsible for the portfolio since 2015. After being re-elected in
2019, Tassi was named
Minister of Labour, a job she held for just under two years until she was named
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and
Receiver General for Canada in the cabinet shuffle held following the
2021 federal election. Tassi served in that job until August 31, 2022, when she was named
Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, having requested to be moved to a portfolio with a lighter workload in order to deal with a family health matter. Tassi did not seek re-election in the
2025 Canadian federal election.
Liberal John-Paul Danko succeeded her as
Member of Parliament for
Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas. == Electoral record ==