Penny Priddy
Member of Parliament
for Surrey North
In office
January 23, 2006 – October 14, 2008
Preceded byChuck Cadman
Succeeded byDona Cadman
Surrey City Councillor
In office
2002–2005
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Surrey-Newton
In office
October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byRita Johnston
Succeeded byTony Bhullar
Minister of Women's Equality of British Columbia
In office
November 5, 1991 – February 22, 1996
PremierMichael Harcourt
Preceded byJoan Smallwood
Succeeded bySue Hammell
Minister of Labour of British Columbia
In office
February 28, 1996 – June 17, 1996
PremierGlen Clark
Preceded byDan Miller
Succeeded byMoe Sihota
Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture of British Columbia
In office
June 17, 1996 – September 23, 1996
PremierGlen Clark
Preceded byBill Barlee
Succeeded byJan Pullinger
Minister of Children and Families of British Columbia
In office
September 23, 1996 – February 18, 1998
PremierGlen Clark
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byLois Boone
Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors of British Columbia
In office
February 18, 1998 – February 24, 2000
PremierGlen Clark
Dan Miller
Preceded byJoy MacPhail
Succeeded byMichael Farnworth
Minister of Education of British Columbia
In office
February 29, 2000 – November 1, 2000
PremierUjjal Dosanjh
Preceded byGordon Wilson
Succeeded byJoy MacPhail
Personal details
Born (1944-03-05) March 5, 1944
Toronto, Ontario
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseRobert Priddy
Residence(s)Surrey, British Columbia
ProfessionNurse

Penny Priddy (born March 5, 1944) is a politician from British Columbia (BC), Canada. She served as member of Parliament (MP) from 2006 to 2008, representing the electoral district of Surrey North in the House of Commons of Canada. Prior to that, she was a Surrey city councillor (2002-2005), a member of the BC legislature representing Surrey-Newton (1991-2001), and a trustee with the Surrey School District (1986-1991). She is the only woman in Canadian history to be elected to school board, city council, a provincial legislature and the House of Commons.[1]

During her time in the BC legislature, she served in several cabinet posts in the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) governments of Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Dan Miller and Ujjal Dosanjh, including as minister of labour, health and education.

Biography

Born in Toronto, Ontario,[2] she was originally a nurse before moving to Surrey, British Columbia with her husband in 1981,[1] where she worked as a nursing educator. She was first elected to the Surrey School District as a trustee in 1986 under the Surrey Municipal Electors slate, before becoming part of the NDP-affiliated Surrey Civic Electors.[3]

After five years as a school trustee, she ran in the 1991 provincial election as a BC NDP candidate in Surrey-Newton, defeating Premier Rita Johnston to win the riding.[1][4] She was subsequently named to the cabinet that November, serving as Minister of Women's Equality during the premiership of Mike Harcourt.[2][5]

After Glen Clark took over as premier in February 1996, Priddy was appointed Minister of Labour. She was re-elected in the May 1996 provincial election, and briefly assumed the Small Business, Tourism and Culture portfolio that June.[lower-alpha 1][6] She was re-assigned as Minister of Children and Families in September 1996,[7] before assuming the roles of Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors in February 1998.[6] She retained both portfolios during Dan Miller's term as premier and interim NDP leader.[8]

She was named Minister of Education in February 2000 by new Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.[9][10] With the NDP trailing in the polls, she announced on October 30, 2000 that she would not run in the following year's provincial election,[11] and was dropped from the cabinet a few days later.[12] She returned to politics in 2002 when she was elected to Surrey City Council, serving one term as councillor.[2][1]

Following the death of independent Surrey North MP Chuck Cadman, Priddy entered the race for the riding as a federal NDP candidate in the 2006 election. Priddy had been friends with Cadman and his wife Dona for many years despite their sharp political differences,[4] and later received Dona Cadman's endorsement for the Surrey North seat.[13] Priddy went on to defeat Conservative candidate David Matta and became the riding's MP, serving as the NDP's health critic from 2006 to 2007, then as the party's public safety critic and assistant justice critic from 2007 to 2008.[2] She declined to run in the 2008 federal election.[13]

Personal life and other activities

She and her husband Robert have two adult children.[13] She was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 1995, and underwent surgery and radiation therapy shortly thereafter. She then went through chemotherapy after the 1996 provincial election, and made a full recovery.[4]

In 2001, Priddy was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Kwantlen University College for her service to the people of BC.[14]

She is a member of the Canadian Women Voters Congress, Canadian Women of Municipal Government, and the Heritage Advisory Commission for the City of Surrey. She is a past co-chair of the National Women's Campaign School,[1] and served for three terms as a municipal representative to the board of directors for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority from 2011 to 2020.[15][16]

Notes

  1. ↑ Priddy took a temporary leave of absence while fighting breast cancer from June to September 1996. Dan Miller served as acting Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture during this time.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Diakiw, Kevin (March 15, 2011). "Penny Priddy honoured for public work". Peace Arch News. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Profile - Priddy, Penny". Library of Parliament. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ Bucholtz, Frank (May 12, 2011). "Column: Hard to dent the Watts machine". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 MacGregor, Roy (December 8, 2005). "Cadman's friend in NDP's embrace". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991-1996" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Glen Clark Cabinet: 35th Parliament (5th Session) 1996; 36th Parliament (1st - 3rd Session) 1996 - 1999" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  7. ↑ "BC child protection system overhauled". Government of British Columbia. September 23, 1996. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Miller Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd Session) 1999-2000" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Dosanjh Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd - 5th Session) 2000 - 2001" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  10. ↑ "New B.C. cabinet". CBC News. February 29, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Priddy and Sawicki won't run again". CBC News. October 30, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ "NDP cabinet gets a major shake-up". CBC News. November 1, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 "NDP's Penny Priddy says she won't run again". Vancouver Sun. July 16, 2008. Archived from the original on September 16, 2008.
  14. ↑ "Minutes: Board Regular Meeting" (PDF). Kwantlen University College. February 28, 2001. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Penny Priddy Re-Appointed to Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Board of Directors". Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. May 19, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Appointment of Municipal Representative to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Board of Directors". Metro Vancouver Regional District. April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
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