Alice Wong
Alice Wong Chan Siu-ping PC (traditional Chinese: 黃陳小萍; simplified Chinese: 黄陈小萍; née Chan, born June 30, 1948) is a Canadian politician and a member of the Conservative Party who served as the member of Parliament (MP) for the electoral district of Richmond Centre from 2015 to 2021. She previously served as the MP for the Richmond riding from 2008 to 2015. In 2011, she was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be Minister of State for Seniors, becoming the first Chinese-Canadian woman to serve in the Cabinet of Canada. She served in that position until 2015.
Alice Wong | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
黃陳小萍 | |||||||||
| Shadow Minister for Seniors | |||||||||
| In office August 30, 2017 – September 8, 2020 | |||||||||
| Leader | Andrew Scheer Erin O'Toole | ||||||||
| Shadowing | Jean-Yves Duclos Filomena Tassi Deb Schulte | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Mark Warawa | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Rosemarie Falk | ||||||||
| Shadow Minister for Small Business | |||||||||
| In office November 20, 2015 – August 29, 2017 | |||||||||
| Leader | Rona Ambrose (interim) Andrew Scheer | ||||||||
| Shadowing | Bardish Chagger | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Brian Masse | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Dan Albas | ||||||||
| Minister of State for Seniors | |||||||||
| In office May 18, 2011 – November 4, 2015 | |||||||||
| Prime Minister | Stephen Harper | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Julian Fantino | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Families, Children and Social Development) | ||||||||
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Richmond Centre Richmond (2008–2015) | |||||||||
| In office October 14, 2008 – September 20, 2021 | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Raymond Chan | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Wilson Miao | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born | June 30, 1948 British Hong Kong | ||||||||
| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Canadian Alliance (until 2003) | ||||||||
| Spouse | Enoch Wong | ||||||||
| Residence | Richmond, British Columbia | ||||||||
| Profession |
| ||||||||
| Website | alicewong | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 黃陳小萍 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黄陈小萍 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Early life edit
Wong immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1980. She is a businesswoman and educator. She holds a PhD in Instruction and Curriculum from the University of British Columbia and worked as the manager of international programs at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She also has taught ESL and entrepreneurship classes at Vancouver Community College where she founded the Centre for Small Business at VCC, which offered the first bilingual small business management classes for immigrants. Wong has also operated a consulting firm specializing in research and education.
She has served on the boards of various community organizations including the Rotary Club of Richmond, Rosewood Manor in Richmond, Benevolent Relief Seniors Care Society, Ethno Business Council, Chiu Chow Benevolent Association, and the Women's Enterprise Society of BC. She is a guest host on local Chinese and multicultural radio and television. Wong founded the Richmond Greenspace Society to promote green space in urban settings, improving passport office efficiency, raising funds to improve the safety of senior pedestrians, and raising funds for the Sichuan earthquake relief. She has been married to her husband Enoch since 1982.
Member of Parliament edit
Wong was first elected in 2008 in the riding of Richmond with 50% of the votes cast, compared to the incumbent Raymond Chan, who received 31%.[1] In 2011, she was re-elected with 58% of the vote compared to 18% for her nearest rival.[2] In 2015 she was re-elected in the riding of Richmond Centre with 44.2% of the vote compared to her nearest rival's 41.4%.[3]
On May 18, 2011, Wong was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of State for Seniors.[4] Reelected in 2015, she left the Cabinet as the Liberal Party gained a majority in the House of Commons.
She was re-elected in the 2019 federal election, but was excluded from new leader Erin O'Toole's Shadow Cabinet.[5]
Wong was defeated in the 2021 Canadian federal election, losing Richmond Centre to Liberal Wilson Miao.
Political views edit
In the fall of 2012, Alice Wong stated that the government's top priorities focuses on job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity.[6]
Wong refused to play a role in the Canada Summer jobs program over the human rights statement supporting abortion and LGBT rights.[7]
Abortion edit
Wong is anti-abortion, and is a volunteer for the Campaign Life Coalition, a national organization which opposes abortion, same-sex marriage and gender identity legislation.[8]
Wong voted in support of Bill C-233 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sex-selective abortion), which would restrict abortion access, making it a criminal offence for a medical practitioner to knowingly perform an abortion solely on the grounds of the child's genetic sex.[9]
Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has identified Wong's stance as anti-abortion.
Conversion Therapy edit
On June 22, 2021, Wong was one of 63 MPs to vote against Bill C-6, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy), which was ultimately passed by majority vote, making certain aspects of conversion therapy a crime, including "causing a child to undergo conversion therapy."[10]
Environment edit
Her environmental platform has been criticized by the opposition for her views regarding shark fin soup because she was seen publicly eating the soup at a news conference in October 2012.[11] Many environmentalists condemn the process of shark finning. She said in a statement, "If a product such as shark fin is derived from a legal, humane and sustainable harvest, we see no basis to restrict its trade".[12]
Electoral record edit
| 2021 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Wilson Miao | 13,440 | 39.34 | +10.87 | $46,560.77 | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 12,668 | 37.08 | –11.56 | $106,375.38 | |||
| New Democratic | Sandra Nixon | 6,196 | 18.14 | +3.67 | $7,576.20 | |||
| Green | Laura Gillanders | 1,109 | 3.25 | –2.87 | $3,975.22 | |||
| People's | James Hinton | 748 | 2.19 | +0.80 | None listed | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 34,161 | 100.00 | – | $108,507.63 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 340 | 0.99 | +0.04 | |||||
| Turnout | 34,501 | 46.22 | –6.75 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 74,640 | |||||||
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +11.22 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[13][14][15] | ||||||||
| 2019 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 19,037 | 49.04 | +4.84 | $101,329.13 | |||
| Liberal | Steven Kou | 11,052 | 28.47 | -12.89 | $86,522.82 | |||
| New Democratic | Dustin Innes | 5,617 | 14.47 | +2.97 | $0.00 | |||
| Green | Françoise Raunet | 2,376 | 6.12 | +3.23 | $2,308.51 | |||
| People's | Ivan Pak | 538 | 1.39 | – | $5,776.08 | |||
| Independent | Zhe Zhang | 197 | 0.51 | – | $184.60 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 38,817 | 99.05 | $102,820.08 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 371 | 0.95 | +0.38 | |||||
| Turnout | 39,188 | 52.97 | -4.56 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 73,975 | |||||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +8.86 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[16][17] | ||||||||
| 2015 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 17,622 | 44.21 | -13.86 | $154,059.88 | |||
| Liberal | Lawrence Woo | 16,486 | 41.36 | +22.61 | $110,802.58 | |||
| New Democratic | Jack Trovato | 4,602 | 11.54 | -6.66 | $11,679.42 | |||
| Green | Vincent Chiu | 1,152 | 2.89 | -2.10 | $2,372.74 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 39,862 | 99.43 | $202,743.02 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 227 | 0.57 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 40,089 | 57.53 | – | |||||
| Eligible voters | 69,678 | |||||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | -18.23 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[18][19] | ||||||||
| 2011 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 25,109 | 58.36 | +8.59 | $89,330.05 | |||
| Liberal | Joe Peschisolido | 8,027 | 18.66 | -12.19 | $54,757.85 | |||
| New Democratic | Dale Jackaman | 7,860 | 18.27 | +6.46 | $9,038.79 | |||
| Green | Michael Wolfe | 2,032 | 4.72 | -1.71 | $2,933.09 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 43,028 | 100.0 | $91,788.64 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 220 | 0.51 | +0.06 | |||||
| Turnout | 43,248 | 50.97 | +1 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 84,855 | |||||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +10.39 | ||||||
| 2008 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 21,329 | 49.77 | +11.08 | $79,037 | |||
| Liberal | Raymond Chan | 13,221 | 30.85 | -11.98 | $78,275 | |||
| New Democratic | Dale Jackaman | 5,059 | 11.81 | -2.17 | $14,221 | |||
| Green | Michael Wolfe | 2,754 | 6.43 | +1.93 | $1,900 | |||
| Independent | Wei Ping Chen | 397 | 0.93 | – | $6,851 | |||
| Independent | Dobie Yiu-Chung To | 93 | 0.22 | – | $1,813 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 42,878 | 100.0 | $86,879 | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 192 | 0.45 | 0.01 | |||||
| Turnout | 43,070 | 52 | -4 | |||||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.53 | ||||||
| 2004 Canadian federal election: Richmond Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Raymond Chan | 18,204 | 44.48 | +2.44 | $64,433 | |||
| Conservative | Alice Wong | 14,457 | 35.32 | -14.51 | $71,614 | |||
| New Democratic | Dale Jackaman | 6,142 | 15.00 | +9.32 | $11,072 | |||
| Green | Stephen H.F. Kronstein | 1,743 | 4.25 | +2.36 | $160 | |||
| Canadian Action | Allan Warnke | 376 | 0.91 | – | $625 | |||
| Total valid votes | 40,922 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 226 | 0.55 | +0.08 | |||||
| Turnout | 41,148 | 62.29 | +0.59 | |||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +8.48 | ||||||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Wong, Fry among winners in B.C. battlegrounds". CTV News. October 15, 2008. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
- ^ . Richmond Review. BCLocalNews.com. May 3, 2011. Archived from the original on May 8, 2011. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". www.elections.ca. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "Stephen Harper's new cabinet includes Metro Vancouver's Alice Wong, James Moore". The Georgia Straight. May 18, 2011. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
- ^ O'Toole, Erin. "It's time to take another look at the Conservative Party. Meet our Shadow Cabinet. We are here to fight for you and your family". Twitter. @erinotoole. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Helping 1,600 Canadians with disabilities getting jobs". Alice Wong, MP website. October 11, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/alice-wong-summer-job-grants-attestation-1.4605632 CBC News, April 6, 2018.
- ^ Campaign Life Coalition (June 28, 2022). "Candidate, Alice Wong: CLC rating: Pro-life, pro-family". Campaign Life Coalition. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ House of Commons (June 2, 2021). "2nd reading of Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sex-selective abortion)". LEGISinfo.
- ^ House of Commons (June 22, 2021). "3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-6, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy)". LEGISinfo. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ "NDP criticizes Tory MP for eating shark fin soup". CBC News. October 13, 2012. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
- ^ "Shark Fin Soup Enjoyed By MP Alice Wong For Chinese Media". Huffington Post. October 13, 2012. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
- ^ "Election Night Results — Elections Canada". Elections Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- ^ "Final Election Expenses Limits for Candidates — 44th Canadian Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns – 44th Canadian Election". ELections Canada. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Candidate Campaign Returns — Richmond Centre". Elections Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
- ^ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Richmond Centre, 30 September 2015
- ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
External links edit
- Alice Wong official site
- Profile at Parliament of Canada
- Alice Wong – Parliament of Canada biography
- Speeches, votes and activity at OpenParliament.ca