Burnaby-Lougheed MLA not seeking reelection in 2024
Posted November 22, 2023 4:46 pm.
Last Updated November 22, 2023 4:53 pm.
Former minister of child care and Burnaby-Lougheed MLA Katrina Chen announced Wednesday that she will not seek reelection in the new year.
In a statement, Chen says as 2024 will mark her 10th year in elected politics, it’s time to depart Victoria.
Chen was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2017, and was the first Taiwanese-Canadian elected to B.C. Cabinet.
“Thanks to many for your trust and support, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have represented our community and served as the first dedicated Minister of State for Child Care, standing up the first social program in a generation.”
“I will continue to work hard as your MLA in the coming year — and I’ll always be your neighbour and strong advocate for our community, just as I have been.”
As Chen made her announcements, support for her decision and gratitude for her service poured in across social media sites.
“I really appreciate how accessible you’ve been as a representative. I’m definitely going to miss having you as my MLA,” one X user wrote.
MLA Grace Lore says Chen’s decisions as a lawmaker have changed and improved lives.
“Her impact has been transformative for communities, for families, and especially for women and moms,” she wrote.
Vancouver Coun. Christine Boyle shared that she has much respect and gratitude for Chen, “for the important work she has done in the community for decades. Including the last decade in elected office. And for the courage and compassion she models every day.”
Vancouver-Hastings MLA Nikki Sharma says Chen changed her life, and the lives of many in B.C., “profoundly.”
Chen says after leaving cabinet in 2022, on the National Day of Remembrance and Action of Violence Against Women, she had the opportunity to focus on her son and address her trauma as a survivor with professional help.
In a statement released by Premier David Eby in December 2022, she asked Eby not to consider her for cabinet reshuffle as she looked to “take time and space to heal.”
Chen has previously shared that she’s a survivor of gender-based violence that was inflicted more than once, including when she was a child.
“For years, I thought I had to act tough to prove my worth as a younger woman of colour in politics, especially when faced with discriminations,” Chen wrote.
“I’ve finally learned to embrace the power of vulnerability and authenticity. If life is like a book, my story definitely has some challenging chapters, but it is also a meaningful book filled with constant growth and learning.
“I want to live in the moment more, and I’ll continue to contribute to our community in every capacity I can.”
–With files from The Canadian Press
