Rechie Valdez has become the first Filipino woman who got elected to the House of Commons in Canada as a Member of Parliament.
Valdez has won the Ontario riding of Mississauga-Streetsville, becoming the second Canadian of Filipino ancestry to be elected as Member of Parliament.
RELATED STORY: Trudeau urges Filipino-Canadians to participate in public office
One of four Filipino candidates Valdez was fielded by the Liberal Party of Justin Trudeau in the September 20 federal election.
Addressing the supporters on election night, she said, “Today we made history and her-story, as you helped elect the first Filipina in parliament.”
Rey Pagtakhan was the first Filipino elected to the House of Commons and represented the Liberal Party in Winnipeg North, later renamed Winnipeg North—St. Paul in Manitoba, for nearly 16 years, from 1988 to 2004. The Filipino community has never had another MP for almost 20 years.
READ ON: Canada sets a record immigration target of over 400,000 in 2021
Joseph “Joe” Planta, a pioneer in online journalism in Vancouver, considers Valdez’s victory as a very significant milestone saying her election in Mississauga will inspire and open the doors for other Filipinos.
Valdez has worked in banking before going into business and is also a media personality and with her husband Christopher she has two young kids, Kyle and Cassidy. (AW)
