Melanie Mark

Melanie Joy Mark is a Canadian politician, the first First Nation woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and subsequently the first First Nations' woman to serve in the Cabinet of British Columbia; she is a British Columbia New Democratic Party MLA representative for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. She was elected on February 2, 2016 in a by-election, winning with 61% of the vote and defeating Green Party of British Columbia candidate Pete Fry and BC Liberal Party candidate Gavin Dew.[1]

The Honourable Melanie Mark MLA
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office July 18, 2017
Premier	John Horgan
Preceded by	Linda Reid
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2, 2016
Preceded by	Jenny Kwan
Personal details
Political party	New Democrat
Spouse(s)	Cassidy Kannemeyer
Children	Maya and Makayla

Biography

Born of Nisga'a, Gitxsan, Cree, and Ojibway ancestry, Mark was raised in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood in difficult circumstances. She credits her grandparents with helping her get through the early death of her father from an overdose and dealing with her mother's addiction to drugs. She states her childhood as example of lack of appropriate support for indigenous people because she was sexually assaulted three times before 10 years of age, her brother was killed by a car collision when she was a teenager, she had kick-fighting incidents outside of her school, and was moved by Ministry of Children, Family Development to another family, out from her mother and not to her grandparents.[2]

She earned a degree in political science at Simon Fraser University (SFU) after attending several different schools, including Van Tech,[3] Douglas College, Native Education College, and Queen's School of Business. She worked with the Native Court Workers’ Association, Covenant House, the RCMP in Hazelton as a summer student, and as the national aboriginal project coordinator for Save the Children Canada’s Sacred Lives Project.[3]

From 2000 to 2006, Mark served as president of the Urban Native Youth Association. 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.[4] 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.

In January 2018, she married Cassidy Kannemeyer, a basketball coach for Capilano University, just six days after the proposal.[5]

Politics

Melanie Mark was first elected on February 2, 2016 in a by-election, winning with 61% of the vote and defeating BC Liberal Party candidate Gavin Dew and Green Party of British Columbia candidate Pete Fry.[6] She is the first indigenous woman elected to the legislature of British Columbia.[4] Following the BC general election, Mark was named as the Minister of Advanced Education in July 2017.[7]

In October 2017, Mark was criticized by the Opposition over reports that she had continued to receive her salary at the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth for 11 months, totalling $105,791, after leaving the position to run for elected office. At the time of her byelection, a representative from the Office had stated she had left voluntarily to pursue other job opportunities, which would have made her ineligible for severance payments. However, following the reports, an NDP caucus spokesperson said the Office had been restructured and her position was eliminated.[8]

In May 2018, Mark responded to criticism from the opposition BC Liberals over her refusal to supply her email records in response to an FOI request by them. Mark said she was not required to supply her sent emails as all final decisions were kept on file with her Deputy Minister. “The decisions and direction I make with the ministry are all on public record with the deputy minister’s office, that’s how records are kept,” Mark said.[9]

Electoral record

2017 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	New Democratic	Melanie Mark	15,962	65.31
	Green	Jerry Kroll	4,136	16.92
	Liberal	Conny Lin	3,917	16.03
	Independent	Mike Hansen	212	0.87
	Communist	Peter Marcus	142	0.58
	Your Political Party	Shai Joseph Mor	72	0.29
Total valid votes			24,441	100.00
Source: Elections BC[10]

British Columbia provincial by-election, February 2, 2016: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Melanie Mark	5,353	60.82	-5.01
	Green	Pete Fry	2,325	26.42	+14.50
	Liberal	Gavin Dew	994	11.29	-7.45
	Libertarian	Bonnie Boya Hu	74	0.84
	Your Political Party	Jeremy Gustafson	55	0.62
Total valid votes			8,801	100.00
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
	New Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. "B.C. NDP candidates Jodie Wickens and Melanie Mark win Metro Vancouver byelections". CBC News. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
2. Shaw, Rob (February 3, 2016). "B.C.'s newest MLA 'a shining example of resilience'". Vancouver Sun.
3. "Wab Kinew Runs for Office", Indian Country Today, February 2016, accessed 10 February 2016
4. 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.
5. "Mount Pleasant MLA Melanie Mark ties the knot". Vancouver Courier. January 19, 2018.
6. "B.C. NDP candidates Jodie Wickens and Melanie Mark win Metro Vancouver byelections". CBC News. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
7. Chan, Cheryl (September 1, 2017). "Q&A with Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
8. Andrew Macloed (4 October 2017). "Salary Continued After Leaving Government Job | The Tyee". The Tyee. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
9. Rob Shaw (16 May 2018). "Advanced Education minister says her deputy, not her, logs emails records". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
10. "2017 Provincial General Election Preliminary Voting Results". Elections BC. Retrieved 31 May 2017.

British Columbia Provincial Government of John Horgan
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
Linda Reid Shirley Bond[1]	Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training July 18, 2017–	Incumbent

1. Linda Reid served as Minister of Advanced Education, whilst Shirley Bond served as Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training