The Honourable
Melanie Mark
MLA
Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak
Minister without Portfolio
In office
September 28, 2022 – April 14, 2023
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byPosition Abolished
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport of British Columbia
In office
November 26, 2020 – September 28, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byLisa Beare (Tourism, Arts and Culture)
Succeeded byLisa Beare
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byLinda Reid (Advanced Education)
Shirley Bond (Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training)
Succeeded byAnne Kang
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
In office
February 2, 2016 – April 14, 2023
Preceded byJenny Kwan
Succeeded byJoan Phillip
Personal details
Born1975[1]
Political partyNew Democrat
Children2
Alma materSimon Fraser University

Melanie Joy Mark (born 1975), also known by her Nisga'a name Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak,[2] is a Canadian politician in the province of British Columbia. A member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), she served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant from 2016 to 2023. From 2017 to 2020, she served as Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training; from 2020 to 2022, she served as Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. Mark is the first First Nations woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and the first First Nations woman to serve in the Cabinet of British Columbia. On February 22, 2023, Mark announced her intention to resign as MLA and cabinet minister, her resignation took effect April 14 of the same year.

Biography

Born of Nisga'a, Gitxsan, Cree, and Ojibway ancestry, Mark was raised in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. She credits her aunts and grandparents with helping her get through the death of her younger brother who was killed by a semi trailer while riding a bicycle, her mother's addiction and homelessness, and her father's overdose.[3][4]

After attending six different high schools, including Van Tech,[5] Charles Tupper, and Ladysmith, she became the first person in her family to graduate from high school and attend college and university. She received a diploma in criminology from a joint program offered by Native Education College and Douglas College,[6] then went on to major in political science and minor in sociology at Simon Fraser University (SFU), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005.[7] She also received an advanced executive certificate from Queen's School of Business.[8] She worked with the Native Court Workers' Association, Covenant House, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Hazelton as a summer student, and as the national aboriginal project coordinator for Save the Children Canada's Sacred Lives Project.[5]

From 2000 to 2006, Mark served as president of the Urban Native Youth Association. She is the co-founder of the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre.[8] Beginning in 2007, she worked for eight years in the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, becoming an associate deputy representative in 2013.[9] The Office is the supporting agency for the Representative for Children and Youth, a non-partisan officer of the BC Legislature reporting directly to the BC Legislative Assembly, mandated to advocate for young people and families going through the provincial child and youth welfare system.

In 2006, Mark received the YWCA Vancouver Young Woman of Distinction Award, and in 2015, she received the Chief Joe Mathias Leadership Award from the Native Education College.[10] In 2016, she was the recipient of the inaugural Janusz Korczak Medal for Children's Rights Advocacy[11] and in 2018, she was the recipient of the Stenberg College, Be the Change, Community Leadership Award.[12]

Mark has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[13]

Politics

After Jenny Kwan announced she would be resigning as MLA of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant to stand in the 2015 federal election, Melanie Mark entered the nomination contest to be the New Democratic Party (NDP)'s candidate for the ensuing by-election.[14] On June 14, 2015, she defeated Diana Day for the NDP nomination.[15] When the by-election was held on February 2, 2016, Mark was elected with 61% of the vote, defeating BC Liberal Party candidate Gavin Dew and Green Party of British Columbia candidate Pete Fry.[16] She became the first Indigenous woman elected to the Legislature of British Columbia.[9] Following the 2017 general election, after which the NDP formed government, Mark was named as the Minister of Advanced Education in July 2017.[6]

As Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, Mark oversaw policy changes that made college and university more accessible to more British Columbians. She created the Provincial Tuition Waiver program, which supports youth in and from the foster system to access post secondary education tuition free.[17] She oversaw the creation of the B.C. Access Grant, which provides upfront, non-repayable financial assistance to low- and middle-income students enrolled in full-time studies at B.C. colleges and universities,[18][19] as well as the elimination of fees for Adult Basic Education and English language learning programs[20] and interest on provincial student loans.[21]

Following the 2020 election, Mark was named the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport on November 26.[22] On September 28, 2022, Mark announced that she would step down from cabinet in order to take medical leave, and was appointed a minister without portfolio.[22][23]

On February 22, 2023, Mark announced her resignation as MLA and cabinet minister. In her resignation speech, Mark criticized how "institutions fundamentally resist change ... particularly colonial institutions and government at large," and said that she would "continue to advocate and fight from outside of this House."[24] Mark described the legislature as a "torture chamber" and the opposition as "absolutely awful", adding, "the nastiness from white men in here is awful."[1] A by-election to replace Mark took place on June 24, 2023.[25]

Electoral record

2020 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticMelanie Mark14,53066.95+1.63$22,210.72
GreenKelly Tatham4,35620.07+3.14$5,570.94
LiberalGeorge Vassilas2,81612.98−3.06$8,413.63
Total valid votes 21,70299.03–
Total rejected ballots 2120.97−0.07
Turnout 21,91448.01−9.61
Registered voters 45,644
New Democratic hold Swing −0.76
Source: Elections BC[26][27]
2017 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticMelanie Mark15,96265.33+5.18$40,109
GreenJerry Kroll4,13616.93−10.15$68,641
LiberalConny Lin3,91716.03+4.74$32,647
IndependentMike Hansen2120.87–$30
CommunistPeter Marcus1350.55–$0
Your Political PartyShai Joseph Mor720.29−0.36$85
Total valid votes 24,43498.96–
Total rejected ballots 2561.04+0.57
Turnout 24,69057.62+34.45
Registered voters 42,848
New Democratic hold Swing +7.67
Source: Elections BC[28][29]
British Columbia provincial by-election, February 2, 2016: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticMelanie Mark5,62760.14−5.69$71,603
GreenPete Fry2,53327.07+15.15$29,065
LiberalGavin Dew1,05611.29−7.45$66,547
LibertarianBonnie Boya Hu790.85–$250
Your Political PartyJeremy Gustafson610.65–$454
Total valid votes 9,356100.00–
Total rejected ballots 440.46−0.51
Turnout 9,40023.17−26.60
Registered voters 40,561
New Democratic hold Swing −10.42

References

  1. 1 2 DeRosa, Katie (February 22, 2023). "B.C. First Nations cabinet minister blasts 'nastiness from white men' in legislature as she resigns". National Post.
  2. ↑ "My Nisga'a name is HLI HAYKWHL ẂII XSGAAK. I am the descendent of #BriefcaseWarriors. The Nisga'a paddled by canoe fr the Nass to Victoria to defend our rights. Implementing #DRIPA will be another defining moment for generations 2 come. W/ a thundering heart let's PaddleTogether". Twitter. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Shaw, Rob (February 3, 2016). "B.C.'s newest MLA 'a shining example of resilience'". Vancouver Sun.
  4. ↑ Mark, Melanie. "My life, so far". Canadian Woman Studies Journal. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Wab Kinew Runs for Office", Indian Country Today, February 2016, accessed 10 February 2016
  6. 1 2 Chan, Cheryl (September 1, 2017). "Q&A with Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Melanie Mark". SFU Alumni Appreciation Project. Simon Fraser University. 2016-04-18. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  8. 1 2 "Hon. Melanie Mark". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  9. 1 2 Smith, Charlie (February 2, 2016). "NDP's Melanie Mark becomes first indigenous woman elected to B.C. legislature from Vancouver–Mount Pleasant". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Melanie Mark - NEC Chief Joe Mathias Leadership Award 2015". YouTube. June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "The inaugural Janusz Korczak Medal for Children's Rights Advocacy – Janusz Korczak Association of Canada". www.januszkorczak.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  12. ↑ "Be the Change: Resistance, Resilience & Recovery". Stenberg College. 2018-04-06. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  13. ↑ "CityNews".
  14. ↑ MacLeod, Andrew (2015-05-22). "Two Candidates Set to Battle for BC NDP Nomination in Vancouver". The Tyee. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  15. ↑ "B.C. NDP members nominate Melanie Mark as their next candidate in Vancouver–Mount Pleasant". The Georgia Straight. 2015-06-14. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  16. ↑ "B.C. NDP candidates Jodie Wickens and Melanie Mark win Metro Vancouver byelections". CBC News. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  17. ↑ Training, Advanced Education Skills and (2019-10-26). "Tuition waiver opens doors for 1,119 former youth in care | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  18. ↑ "B.C. Access Grant (Full-Time) | StudentAidBC". studentaidbc.ca. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  19. ↑ "BC government announces further support for post-secondary students | News". dailyhive.com. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  20. ↑ "No more tuition fees for adult basic education or English language learning in B.C." CBC News. August 8, 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  21. ↑ Russell, Anne. "Students at UFV celebrate the elimination of interest on B.C. student loans | UFV Today". Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  22. 1 2 "B.C. Tourism Minister Melanie Mark resigns from cabinet to take medical leave". CBC News. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  23. ↑ Province of British Columbia. "Order-in-Council 498-2022".
  24. ↑ Larsen, Karin (2023-02-22). "Melanie Mark, first First Nations woman to serve in B.C. Legislature, delivers tearful resignation". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  25. ↑ Premier, Office of the (2023-05-27). "Byelections called for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, Langford-Juan de Fuca | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  26. ↑ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  27. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  28. ↑ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  29. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
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  1. ↑ Linda Reid served as Minister of Advanced Education, whilst Shirley Bond served as Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training
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