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Jenny Kwan

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For the American actress, see Jennie Kwan.

Jenny Kwan
MP
Kwan in 2021
Member of Parliament
for Vancouver East
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byLibby Davies
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
In office
May 28, 1996 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byMike Harcourt
Succeeded byMelanie Mark
British Columbia Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers
In office
February 29, 2000 – June 5, 2001
PremierUjjal Dosanjh
Preceded byJan Pullinger
Succeeded byGeorge Abbott
British Columbia Minister of Women's Equality
In office
July 21, 1999 – February 24, 2000
PremierGlen Clark
Dan Miller
Preceded byPenny Priddy
Succeeded byEvelyn Gillespie
British Columbia Minister of Municipal Affairs
In office
February 18, 1998 – July 21, 1999
PremierGlen Clark
Preceded byMichael Farnworth
Succeeded byJim Doyle
Personal details
Born1967 (age 56–57)
British Hong Kong
Political partyNew Democratic
ResidenceVancouver[1]
Alma materSimon Fraser University (BA)
Websitewww.jennykwanndp.ca
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese關慧貞
Simplified Chinese关慧贞
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuān Huìzhēn
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingGwaan1 Wai6-zing1

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MP (Chinese: 關慧貞; born 1967) is a Canadian politician who is the member of Parliament (MP) for Vancouver East. A member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Kwan was elected to the House of Commons in 2015.

She was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), representing Vancouver-Mount Pleasant from 1996 to 2015 with the British Columbia (BC) NDP, and was a provincial cabinet minister from 1998 to 2001. Kwan entered politics in 1993, when she was elected to the Vancouver City Council.

Background

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Kwan immigrated to Canada at age nine with her family from British Hong Kong.[2] She speaks English, French, and Cantonese.

Kwan graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology.[2] She started her career as a community legal advocate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside before entering politics.[2]

Political career

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Municipal politics (1993–1996)

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In 1993, Kwan at age 26 was elected as the youngest-ever member of Vancouver City Council. She was the sole representative of the Coalition of Progressive Electors throughout her term on council.[2]

Provincial politics (1996–2015)

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In the 1996 British Columbia general election, Kwan entered provincial politics. After being nominated, she was elected as the MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, in East Vancouver. She succeeded Premier Mike Harcourt, who at the time had just resigned over a series of serious fundraising scandals, including Bingogate.

In 2001, Kwan, along with Joy MacPhail, was one of only two NDP MLAs to survive the party's electoral collapse in the 2001 British Columbia general election due to a BC Liberal landslide upset.[3][4] She was re-elected in 2005, 2009, and 2013,[5] continuing to serve as an opposition MLA.

Leadership controversy, December 2010

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In December 2010, Kwan released a statement to the media criticizing NDP leader Carole James, and calling for an immediate leadership convention, after party candidates suffered defeat in the 2009 election.[4][6][7] In response to Kwan's statement, James called an emergency caucus session to address opposition to her continued leadership.[8][9] Before the caucus meeting was held, however, James announced her resignation as party leader.[10][11] While Kwan was accused of self-interest, at the time she claimed to have no plans to run for the leadership of the party.[12]

Portland Hotel Society controversy, March 2014

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In March 2014, an audit of the Portland Hotel Society showed that Kwan's ex-husband, Dan Small, had improperly expensed the cost of a family Disneyland trip to the society.[13][14] At the time of the trip, Kwan had still been married to Small and had participated in the trip with their children.[15] When the audit became public, Kwan held a press conference where she denied any knowledge that the society had paid for the trip, and said she would reimburse the society.[16] Following the conference, Kwan took a brief leave of absence.[17]

Member of Parliament (2015–present)

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In January 2015, Kwan announced her plan to seek the NDP nomination in Vancouver East for the forthcoming federal election, after NDP MP Libby Davies, who had served since 1997, chose not to seek another term.[18][19][20] Mable Elmore, her legislative colleague from Vancouver-Kensington, was also seeking the party's nomination in the riding.[21] Supporters of Kwan's candidacy included Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs president Stewart Philip, Chinese Freemasons Association president Herbert Yiu, former British Columbia natural resources minister Robert Arthur Williams, and United Steelworkers official Steve Hunt.[18] She was nominated on March 22.[22][23] Vancouver East had elected an MP from the NDP or its predecessor, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, in all but two elections since it was first contested in 1935; it voted for Liberal candidates in 1974 and 1993.

She was elected to the House of Commons in October 2015, defeating candidates Edward Wong (Liberal) and James Low (Conservative) by wide margins.[24] On November 12, NDP leader Tom Mulcair appointed her to be the party's critic for immigration, refugees and citizenship.[25] Kwan supported Jagmeet Singh in his successful campaign in the 2017 NDP leadership election.[26]

She was re-elected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. On May 12, 2023, it was reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service approached Kwan about a meeting concerning Chinese diplomats threatening her.[27][28]

Electoral record

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Federal

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2021 Canadian federal election: Vancouver East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 27,969 56.4 $70,443.58
Liberal Josh Vander Vies 9,797 19.8 $41,387.88
Conservative Mauro Francis 5,399 10.9 $9,491.11
Green Cheryl Matthew 3,826 7.7 $5,835.22
People's Karin Litzcke 1,382 2.8 $3,823.14
Libertarian Gölök Buday 831 1.7 $0.00
Communist Natasha Hale 387 0.8 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 45,591 – – $119,373.85
Total rejected ballots 528
Turnout
Eligible voters
Source: Elections Canada[29]
2019 Canadian federal election: Vancouver East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 29,236 52.6 +2.66 $86,021.45
Liberal Kyle Demes 10,085 18.1 -10.06 $25,852.88
Green Bridget Burns 8,062 14.5 +5.31 $51,975.81
Conservative Chris Corsetti 6,724 12.1 +1.33 $4,528.19
People's Karin Litzcke 679 1.2 – $7,718.34
Libertarian Gölök Z. Buday 562 1.0 – $182.20
Communist Peter Marcus 177 0.3 -0.59 $476.56
Marxist–Leninist Anne Jamieson 86 0.2 -0.16 $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 55,611 100.0
Total rejected ballots 537
Turnout 56,148 61.1
Eligible voters 91,951
New Democratic hold Swing +6.36
Source: Elections Canada[30][31]
2015 Canadian federal election: Vancouver East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 29,316 49.94 -12.89 $107,948.45
Liberal Edward Wong 16,532 28.16 +18.25 $103,236.57
Conservative James Low 6,322 10.77 -8.13 $10,430.75
Green Wes Regan 5,395 9.19 +1.54 $29,914.97
Communist Peter Marcus 525 0.89 – –
Independent D. Alex Millar 216 0.37 – –
Marxist–Leninist Anne Jamieson 214 0.36 -0.35 –
Pirate Shawn Vulliez 188 0.32 – –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 58,708 100.00   $226,454.95
Total rejected ballots 405 0.69 –
Turnout 59,113 67.44 –
Eligible voters 87,657
New Democratic hold Swing -15.57
Source: Elections Canada[32][33][34]

Provincial

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2013 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Wai Ching Kwan 13,845 65.83 +1.88 $78,020
Liberal Celyna Sia Sherst 3,942 18.74 −2.06 $18,622
Green Barinder Hans 2,506 11.92 −2.36 $7,727
Marijuana William Austin 349 1.66 – $250
Independent Jeremy Gustafson 260 1.24 – $480
Communist Peter Marcus 129 0.61 −0.36 $344
Total valid votes 21,031 99.03 –
Total rejected ballots 207 0.97 −0.25
Turnout 21,238 49.77 +3.30
Registered voters 42,672
New Democratic hold Swing +1.97
Source: Elections BC[35]
2009 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 11,232 63.95 −0.29 $79,796
Liberal Sherry Darlene Wiebe 3,654 20.80 −0.48 $41,506
Green John T. Boychuck 2,507 14.28 +4.05 $7,013
Communist Peter Marcus 171 0.97 +0.48 $1,565
Total valid votes 17,564 100
Total rejected ballots 218 1.23
Turnout 17,782 46.47
2005 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 12,974 64.24 $98,030
Liberal Juliet Andalis 4,298 21.28 $34,819
Green Raven Bowen 2,066 10.23 $1,882
Marijuana Christopher Patrick Bennett 308 1.53 $100
Independent Mike Hansen 205 1.02 $406
Work Less Niki Westman 187 0.93 $100
Communist Peter Marcus 98 0.49 $2,928
Democratic Reform Imtiaz Popat 43 0.21 $100
Platinum Kirk Anton Moses 17 0.08 $130
Total valid votes 20,196 100
Total rejected ballots 312 1.54
Turnout 20,508 49.93
2001 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 7,163 44.48 -19.57 $60,582
Liberal Gail Sparrow 5,343 33.18 +8.82 $56,796
Green Dale Hofmann 2,612 16.22 +11.86 $3,276
Marijuana David Malmo-Levine 489 3.03 – $721
Unity Ken Wright 166 1.03 – $185
No Affiliation Liar Liar 148 0.92 – –
Communist Kimball Cariou 142 0.88 -0.19 $332
Party of Citizens Franklin Wayne Poley 42 0.26 – 331
Total valid votes 16,105 100.00
Total rejected ballots 208 1.29
Turnout 16,313 59.36
New Democratic hold Swing -14.2
1996 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes % ± Expenditures
New Democratic Jenny Kwan 11,155 64.05 $41,905
Liberal Anne Beer 4,243 24.36 $32,735
Green Paul Alexander 759 4.36 $100
Progressive Democrat John Spark 584 3.35 $100
Reform Wayne Marsden 354 2.03%
Communist Kimball Cariou 121 0.69 $319
Natural Law John S.W. Kent 114 0.65 $120
Social Credit Agnes Kokko 86 0.49 $526
Total valid votes 17,416 100.00
Total rejected ballots 284 1.60
Turnout 17,700 60.50

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Official Biography: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (39th Parliament)". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
  3. ^ McMartin, Will (2005-09-14). "Budget Battlers Ready to Rumble". The Tyee.
  4. ^ a b MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-02). "James Allies Scramble to Defend Against Kwan's Attack". The Tyee.
  5. ^ LABC. "Official Biography: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (40th Parliament)". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
  6. ^ MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-01). "'Carole James is dividing the party': NDP MLA Kwan". The Tyee.
  7. ^ Fowlie, Jonathan (2010-12-02). "NDP leader Carole James will convene emergency meeting over revolt". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2010-12-06.
  8. ^ Thomson, Stephen (2010-12-03). "Jenny Kwan says she will "wait and see" outcome of emergency NDP caucus session". Georgia Straight.
  9. ^ MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-03). "'Every MLA Will Be Held Accountable': James". The Tyee.
  10. ^ Fowlie, Jonathan and Rob Shaw (2010-12-06). "Carole James quits as NDP leader". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2011-03-16.
  11. ^ Tieleman, Bill (2010-12-07). "She Had to Go: Carole James' resignation was inevitable after NDP's 2009 election defeat". The Tyee.
  12. ^ Smith, Charlie (2010-12-01). "Jenny Kwan doesn't want to become NDP leader, so who will it be?". Georgia Straight.
  13. ^ Rob Shaw; Tiffany Crawford (20 March 2014). "Portland Hotel Society audit finds hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable expenses". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  14. ^ Laanela, Mike (21 March 2014). "NDP MLA Jenny Kwan repaying $35K for Europe, Disney trips". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  15. ^ Bains, Camille (21 March 2014). "NDP MLA and family took Disney trip cited in scathing audit". CTV / Canadian Press. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  16. ^ The Canadian Press (24 March 2014). "Jenny Kwan Unpaid Leave Still Being Worked Out: Adrian Dix". Huffington Post.
  17. ^ Hunter, Justine and Ian Bailey (24 March 2014). "Jenny Kwan takes temporary leave amid questions about social-services provider". The Globe and Mail.
  18. ^ a b Luba, Frank (25 January 2015). "Jenny Kwan to run for federal NDP seat in Vancouver East". Vancouver Sun. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 4 May 2015.
  19. ^ Smith, Charlie (16 December 2014). "NDP can hold Vancouver East if the party chooses the right candidate". The Georgia Straight.
  20. ^ Nuttall, Jeremy (4 February 2015). "Game On For Coveted East Van Riding". The Tyee.
  21. ^ The Province (18 January 2015). "Elmore officially launches NDP nomination bid for Vancouver East". The Province.
  22. ^ "MLA Jenny Kwan selected as NDP representative for Vancouver East". CKNW. 22 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Jenny Kwan wins federal NDP nomination for Vancouver East". CBC News. 22 March 2015.
  24. ^ "Canada election 2015: Big name B.C. politicians challenged". CBC News. October 19, 2015.
  25. ^ "Mulcair announces shadow cabinet, and vows to make sure Liberal government 'fulfills its promises'". National Post. November 12, 2015.
  26. ^ Duggan, Kyle (July 28, 2017). "Jenny Kwan endorses Singh in NDP race". iPolitics. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  27. ^ CBC News (2023-05-12). "CSIS has begun offering other MPs briefings on foreign interference". CBC News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  28. ^ Lord, Craig (May 29, 2023). "NDP's Jenny Kwan says CSIS revealed China is targeting her". Global News. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  29. ^ "Confirmed candidates — Vancouver East". Elections Canada. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  30. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  31. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  32. ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Vancouver East, 30 September 2015
  33. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  34. ^ "Résultats du soir d'élection - Circonscriptions".
  35. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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