Mentors in Profile

Alice Wong is an educator, entrepreneur and an active community leader. She moved to Canada from Hong Kong in 1980 and is currently a resident of Richmond.

While teaching ESL and then entrepreneurship at Vancouver Community College and assisting her husband in his family business, she continued her studies at UBC and obtained her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in 1993. Alice joined Kwantlen University College (now Kwantlen Polytechnic University) in 1998 and became the Manager of International Programs until October 2006.

She started the Centre for Small Business at VCC, which offered the first bilingual small business management classes for immigrants, of which many of the participants have become successful and award winning entrepreneurs.

Alice has been happily married to her husband, Enoch, for over 28 years. They have been working hard to serve other families, especially those who are disadvantaged or in need. Together with Enoch, Alice started their own business, and has been operating a consulting firm specializing in research and education since 1994.

Alice has served in many different boards including: the Rosewood Manor in Richmond, Rotary Club of 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 of current affairs programs on local Chinese and Multicultural radio and television.

Alice has been actively promoting and solving issues concerning the people in Richmond. Alice recently founded the Richmond Greenspace Society, for the promotion of greenspace usage in Richmond – especially in a time when Richmond is increasingly urbanized. Alice has been active in the field of public safety. She was part of a group that raised awareness of community safety for women, which came up as a result of the release of the so-called “balcony rapist” from prison.

On the issue of passports, Alice surveyed the needs of Richmond residents and brought their concerns about the effectiveness of the passport office to the government in 2007. Consequently, operations at the passport office have vastly improved, including moving the office to a larger space and providing better services for seniors and disabled people, and effective next year, the passport will be renewable for 10 years (compared to 5 years today).

Alice has worked to protect pedestrians, especially seniors, on traffic crossings and also promoted traffic safety. She raised funds and purchased neon-coloured stripes which can be easily worn over the shoulders and distributed them to seniors – giving car drivers better visibility of the people crossing the street.

Alice was involved in helping the victims of plane crash on Saba road (the Rosario Gardens Condominium), and also involved in raising funds for earthquake relief for the people in Sichuan province in China.

On October 14, 2008, Alice Wong was elected to the House of Commons in Richmond.

About Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East

Libby was first elected as Member of Parliament for Vancouver East in 1997. Re-elected in 2000, again in June 2004, 2006, and most recently in 2008, she is the Deputy Leader of the NDP, and has served as NDP House Leader since 2003. Libby is also the federal NDP Spokesperson for Drug Policy Reform and Solicitation Laws.

Her history as a strong community activist for Vancouver East began over 30 years ago. She and her late partner, Bruce Eriksen, were key figures in the formation of the Downtown Eastside Residents' Association (DERA) in 1973. In 10 years of community organizing, Libby developed her strong grassroots approach to working with people and diverse communities.

In 1982 Libby was elected to Vancouver City Council and served 5 consecutive terms. She became involved in every community issue, from protecting community services to developing affordable housing, fighting for parks and working for the elimination of poverty.

From 1994 to 1997 Libby worked with the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU) serving in the role of Ombudsperson for Human Rights, as well as Complaints Investigator, and Coordinator of Human Resources.

Since being elected Member of Parliament, Libby has provided a strong voice for East Vancouver. In the House of Commons she has consistently raised issues of concern to her constituents including community safety, affordable housing, adequate childcare, and post-secondary education. Libby's community office has helped hundreds of residents with federal government matters such as immigration, student loans, employment insurance, taxation, pensions, and Aboriginal affairs.

Libby has been an outspoken advocate for drug policy reforms to stop the criminalization of drug users and the harm caused by Canada's prohibitionist policies.

Libby has received awards from organizations such as the Capital Xtra's Community Achievement Award for Political Activist of the Year, the YMCA Peace Medal Award, the Vancouver and District Labour Council's Syd Thompson Award, and most recently, the Justice Gerald LeDain Award for Achievement in the Field of Law, for her work on drug policy.

Born in 1953 in England, Libby came to Canada in 1968. She moved to Vancouver in 1969 and has one son, Lief Eriksen. She lives with her partner, Kimberly Elliott.

Maria Minna was born in Pofi, Italy, on March 14, 1948, and immigrated to Canada at the age of nine. She grew up with her family in Toronto, taking a job at an early age to assist in paying off the family mortgage and to provide for her younger sisters' education. Maria completed her Honours BA in Sociology at the University of Toronto as a mature student.

Maria quickly became a well-known advocate speaking out on behalf of immigrant and visible minority Canadians, women and youth. From 1981 until 1992, she served as volunteer president of COSTI Immigrant Services, Canada's largest immigrant services organization.

She also served as a director of the National Council on Welfare and as a member of the United Way Campaign Committee, the Women's Legal Education Action Fund, the National Action Committee on Immigrant and Visible Minority Women, and president of the National Congress of Italian-Canadians.

Chatelaine Magazine singled Maria out in 1986 as one of 10 women to watch in Ontario because her "accomplishments are stunning."

A public policy consultant by profession, Maria was appointed Co-Chair of the Worker's Compensation Board of Ontario's Task Force on Vocational Rehabilitation in 1986. She held public hearings across Ontario and delivered a hard-hitting report that resulted in significant improvements to the manner in which injured workers were treated.

In 1991, she was appointed Chair of the WCB Task Force on Service Delivery. She interviewed senior management and front-line personnel across Ontario and delivered a report that resulted in significant improvement in the delivery of services to WCB clients and the elimination of waste.

As Vice-President of MacBain Public Affairs Inc., she provided counsel and service to clients in manufacturing and financial services.

First elected to Parliament in October 1993, Maria was appointed Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development in 1994 and served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration from 1996 to 1998.

Maria is widely recognized as one of the most progressive members of the national Liberal caucus. She fought hard to maintain Canada's social safety net and universal health care system. She also fought for the National Child Tax Benefit to reduce child poverty, and for programs to support early childhood development. She served as Chair of the Social Policy Committee of the National Liberal Caucus for several years.

As Minister of International Co-operation from August 1999, until January 2002, Maria was in charge of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) - the agency responsible for Canada's more than $2 billion annual commitment to improving living conditions in developing countries across the globe.

She doubled Canada's overseas investment in health and nutrition and quadrupled investments in education, HIV/AIDS prevention and child protection. She ensured that gender equality and human rights formed an integral part of all of those priority areas. She also ensured that all CIDA projects adhered to high environmental standards.

Maria represented Canada with distinction at meetings of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, Global Coalition of African States, and the United Nations. Under her leadership, Canada hosted the International Conference on HIV/AIDS and the International Conference on War-Affected Children.

In the 39th Parliament, Maria was the Liberal Critic for the Status of Women.  Maria is currently the Liberal Critic for Labour. She also chairs the Canada-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Canada-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Peace Advocate:

Maria serves as Vice-Chair of the Canadian branch of the Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament, an international non-partisan forum for parliamentarians committed to nuclear disarmament.

In March 2004, she led an all-party delegation of Members of Parliament, Senators and leaders from the Canadian-Sri Lankan business community to Sri Lanka to demonstrate Canada's support of the reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the tsunami, and to encourage the peace process. She met with government officials in Colombo and with representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern area of the island nation which is under the control of the LTTE.

On October 2004, Maria was apppointed special adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Women, Peace and Security.

Awards:

In March 1994, Maria received the "International Women's Day Award" from the Women's Inter-Cultural Network in recognition of her "demonstrated commitment to women's issues."

In June 2001, she received the "President's Award" of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her lifetime of service to people of immigrant background. She was described as having "always been a strong force and supporter of the South Asian community."

In November 2001, she had the honour of receiving the prestigious Premio Italia nel Mondo award for individuals of Italian origin who are exceptional members of their societies. Previous winners include New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Luciano Pavarotti and Sofia Loren.

In June 2002, Maria received the RESULTS Canada "Outstanding Leadership Award" at a reception in Ottawa hosted by Greek Ambassador Leonidas Chrysanthopolous. RESULTS Canada President Blaise Salmon said she was selected as the first recipient of the award because, as Minister of International Co-operation, she "created a vital legacy that will provide essential life-saving basic services for some of the world's poorest people for years to come."

Maria was presented with the President's Award of the Canada-Sri Lanka Business Council at a gala dinner attended by more than 400 members of Toronto's Sri Lankan community in December 2006.

"The President's Award is awarded annually to an eminent Canadian who has contributed in large measure to bilateral relations between Canada and Sri Lanka," the Business Council said in the awards program brochure. "To this end, Ms. Minna has worked tirelessly in the last decade supporting the peace initiatives in Sri Lanka. Her work with the Sri Lankan community in Canada is legendary."

Civic Involvement

First elected Mayor in the November 2005 Civic Election after serving for three terms as a City Councillor. Sharon has been involved with the City of Kelowna Arts Foundation, Parks and Facilities Committee and the Community Housing Needs Committee.  She has served as Chair of the City of Kelowna’s Heritage Commission and Sports Tourism Committee.  Regionally, she continues to serve on the Board of the Central Okanagan Regional District and has been Chair of the Regional Air Quality Committee, Central Okanagan Community Health Advisory Committee and the Regional Parks Committee.  In addition to being the chair of the Youth Advisory Committee, she is also a representative on the Accessibility Committee and the Community Action Towards Children’s Health (CATCH) Committee.