Jenny Kwan
- Born
- 1967 — British Hong Kong
- Family
- Married Dan Small in 2001, two children. Separated from Small in 2013.
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts in criminology, Simon Fraser University, 1990
- Career
- Community legal advocate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
- Political Experience
- Elected to Vancouver City Council in 1993. MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant from 1996 to 2015. First elected to the House of Commons in 2015.
- Notable
- First Chinese-Canadian member of the BC legislature. Province's first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister, serving from 1998 to 2001. Criticized NDP leader Carole James in 2010. Involved in Portland Hotel Society controversy in 2014.
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering federal politics, Jenny Kwan had a long career in provincial and municipal government in British Columbia. She was first elected to Vancouver City Council in 1993. In 1996, she was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, a position she held for nearly 20 years. During her time as an MLA, she served as a cabinet minister in various roles, including Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Women's Equality. Prior to her political career, she worked as a community legal advocate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
Key Relationships & Connections
As a long-serving politician in both provincial and federal politics, Jenny Kwan has established relationships within the New Democratic Party. In the 1990s, she was part of a group of young, influential NDP MLAs in British Columbia sometimes referred to as the "brat pack," which included figures like Glen Clark, who would become premier. In her federal role, she serves as the NDP's critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, working closely with party leader Jagmeet Singh and other members of the NDP caucus.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
In 2014, while serving as a provincial MLA, Kwan faced an investigation related to her family's travel expenses. A review found that the Portland Hotel Society (PHS), a non-profit organization and major housing provider in her constituency, had paid for trips for Kwan and her family. The investigation focused on whether it was appropriate for a non-profit, which received government funding, to cover personal travel for a politician. Kwan stated she was unaware the non-profit had covered the full costs and subsequently repaid the amount for the trips.
Public Controversies
A significant public controversy in Jenny Kwan's career occurred in 2014 following revelations about expense claims at the Portland Hotel Society (PHS), a major non-profit in her provincial riding. It was reported that the PHS had covered thousands of dollars in travel expenses for Kwan and her family, including a trip to Disneyland and travel to the UK. The news broke amid a broader audit of the non-profit's finances. Kwan apologized, stating she believed the expenses were paid for by her then-husband and not the society. She took a temporary leave of absence from her NDP caucus duties and repaid over $34,000 to the PHS. The controversy led to widespread media coverage and public debate.
Where Jenny falls on key policy spectrums
Your Money
People & Society
How We're Governed
Land & Community
How does Jenny Kwan's voting record line up with your values?
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. This amendment reflects a suggestion from the National Association of Women and the Law to strengthen language in this bill around weapons prohibitions as a condition of recognizance for offenders in intimate partner violence cases. Experts from the National Association of Women and the Law have told us that it is essential to close loopholes in the Firearms Act
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, similar to previous NDP amendments, this would extend protections in legal proceedings to all those victimized by their intimate partners, and not restrict protections to a limited number of offences. In echoing the recommendations of the National Association of Women and the Law, New Democrats are committed to ensuring that survivors of all forms of intimate partner
Thank you. I'm disappointed that—
Sure. I'll just finish up that last thought. I was saying that successive governments often have ignored these approaches due to the pattern of systemic racism in our criminal justice system and the ongoing legacy of residential schools in Canada. While it's reassuring that this bill contains a restorative justice framework, it is essential that we do not ignore the voices of indigenous peoples
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. NDP-21, as with the previous NDP amendments, would extend protections in legal proceedings to all those victimized by intimate partners and not just for a limited number of offences.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. NDP-20 is similar to the last NDP amendment. C-16 This would eliminate Bill's exception to the safety valve for particular offences, which currently increases the likelihood of charter rights violations, particularly for racialized people, who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. We cannot pick and choose when it comes to charter rights. We must
Thank you, Mr. Chair. NDP-15 is related to an earlier NDP amendment. This amendment provides complainants with a clear statutory right to counsel from the outset of the joint application process.
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I want to make sure that NDP-17.1 is under clause 59.