Members

MLA: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Elected: 1996, 2001, 2005 NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

E-mail: jenny.kwan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Office: Room 201 Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 Phone: 250 387-3655 Fax: 250 387-4680	Constituency: 1070-1641 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y3 Phone: 604 775-0790 Fax: 604 775-0881

Jenny Kwan was first elected as the MLA for Vancouver - Mount Pleasant in 1996, becoming one of the first Chinese-Canadians to sit in BC's Legislative Assembly and the first Chinese Canadian Cabinet Minister in the history of B.C. She was re-elected in 2001, and again on May 17, 2005.

Jenny is the Opposition Caucus Chair, and serves as Opposition Critic for Economic Development.

Born in Hong Kong, Jenny Wai Ching Kwan immigrated to Canada with her family when she was nine years old. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) from Simon Fraser University. Jenny began working as a community legal advocate in the Downtown Eastside shortly after graduation.

Jenny was elected to Vancouver City Council in 1993 -- becoming the youngest councillor in Vancouver’s history -- and served for three years as the sole representative of Vancouver's municipal political party, COPE.

In 1998 Jenny was appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs, becoming BC's first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister. Jenny also served as Minister of Women's Equality and Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers and was the provincial government’s lead person in developing the Vancouver Agreement.

Jenny has worked in the areas of women's rights, community development, housing and anti-poverty advocacy.

Jenny is married and lives in East Vancouver with her husband, daughter and stepson.