Jenny Kwan
 |
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. It includes attribution to IMDb, which may not be a reliable source for biographical information. Please help by adding additional, reliable sources for verification. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2009) |
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (Consider using more specific cleanup instructions.) Please help improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (August 2009) |
- For the California Dreams actress, please see Jennie Kwan.
| Jenny Kwan | |
|---|---|
| MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | Mike Harcourt |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs of British Columbia |
|
| In office February 18, 1998 – July 21, 1999 |
|
| Premier | Glen Clark |
| Preceded by | Michael Farnworth |
| Succeeded by | Jim Doyle |
| Minister of Women's Equality of British Columbia |
|
| In office July 21, 1999 – February 24, 2000 |
|
| Premier | Glen Clark, Dan Miller |
| Preceded by | Penny Priddy |
| Succeeded by | Evelyn Gillespie |
| Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers of British Columbia |
|
| In office February 29, 2000 – June 5, 2001 |
|
| Premier | Ujjal Dosanjh |
| Preceded by | Jan Pullinger |
| Succeeded by | George Abbott |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Website | jennykwan.ca |
Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (Chinese: 關慧貞) is a Hong Kong-born Canadian politician. She is currently a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, and a senior member of the provincial caucus of the New Democratic Party.
Contents |
[edit] Personal life
Kwan immigrated to Canada at age 9 from Hong Kong. She speaks both English and Cantonese. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and was a community legal advocate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside before entering politics. Jenny currently lives in East Vancouver, with her husband, daughter, son and stepson.[1]
[edit] Short film acting appearance
Between the 2001 and 2005 elections, Kwan was invited by director Ling Chiu to play the part of eldest sister in the 2004 short film A Fortune In Frozen Dim Sum.[citation needed]
[edit] Political career
[edit] Vancouver city councillor
In 1993, Kwan became the youngest-ever member of Vancouver City Council. She was the sole representative of the civic party known as COPE throughout her term on council.[1]
[edit] Provincial politics
In 1996, Kwan entered provincial politics deciding to run as the NDP candidate for the electoral district of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, in East Vancouver. She successfully won her seat.
In her first legislative term, Kwan she served in several positions, including as the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Women's Equality and Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers.
In 2001, Kwan, along with Joy MacPhail, was one of only two NDP MLAs to survive the party's electoral defeat.[2][3] She was also re-elected in 2005 and again on May 12, 2009,[1] where she received 11,196 votes or 64% of the vote.[4]
[edit] Leadership controversy, December 2010
On December 1, Kwan released a statement to the media criticizing NDP party leader Carole James, and calling for an immediate leadership convention.[3][5][6] In response to Kwan's statement, James called an emergency caucus session to address opposition to her continued leadership.[7][8] Before the caucus meeting was held, however, James announced her resignation as party leader.[9][10]
Kwan claims she has no plans, herself, to run for the leadership of the party.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Official Biography: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/39thParl/kwanJ.htm.
- ^ McMartin, Will (2005-09-14). "Budget Battlers Ready to Rumble". The Tyee. http://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/09/14/BudgetBattlers/.
- ^ a b MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-02). "James Allies Scramble to Defend Against Kwan's Attack". The Tyee. http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/12/02/KwansAttack/.
- ^ Elections BC. "Statement of Votes, 39th Provincial General Election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant". Elections BC. http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2009GE/VMP.pdf.
- ^ MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-01). "'Carole James is dividing the party': NDP MLA Kwan". The Tyee. http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Election-Central/2010/12/01/KwanJames/.
- ^ Fowlie, Jonathan (2010-12-02). "NDP leader Carole James will convene emergency meeting over revolt". Vancouver Sun. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/leader+Carole+James+will+convene+emergency+meeting+over+revolt/3918385/story.html.
- ^ Thomson, Stephen (2010-12-03). "Jenny Kwan says she will "wait and see" outcome of emergency NDP caucus session". Georgia Straight. http://www.straight.com/article-362895/vancouver/jenny-kwan-says-she-will-wait-and-see-outcome-emergency-ndp-caucus-session.
- ^ MacLeod, Andrew (2010-12-03). "'Every MLA Will Be Held Accountable': James". The Tyee. http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/12/03/JamesResponseToKwan/.
- ^ Fowlie, Jonathan and Rob Shaw (2010-12-06). "Carole James quits as NDP leader". Vancouver Sun. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Carole+James+quits+leader/3934785/story.html.
- ^ Tieleman, Bill (2010-12-07). "She Had to Go: Carole James' resignation was inevitable after NDP's 2009 election defeat". The Tyee. http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/12/07/SheHadToGo/.
- ^ Smith, Charlie (2010-12-01). "Jenny Kwan doesn't want to become NDP leader, so who will it be?". Georgia Straight. http://www.straight.com/article-362721/vancouver/jenny-kwan-doesnt-want-become-ndp-leader-so-who-will-it-be.
[edit] External links
- Official Biography, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
- Biography, New Democratic Party
- Jenny Kwan at the Internet Movie Database
|
||||||||||||||
