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RECHIE VALDEZ Filipino Canadian Rechie Valdez made history with her appointment to Justin Trudeau's Cabinet. |
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Cabinet got more diverse July 26 when he named three new ministers of Asian descent, including the country's first Filipino Canadian minister and first minister from Sri Lanka.
RECHIE VALDEZ
Rechie Valdez will serve as the minister of small business. She was first elected as Member of Parliament (MP) in 2021 in the riding, or district, of Mississauga-Streetsville,
While she was not a parliamentary secretary before being elevated to cabinet, Valdez was a member of a few parliamentary committees and associations.
Born and raised in Zambia, Valdez immigrated to Canada with her family in 1989 and is the country's first Filipina MP and now she the first Filipina in Canada's Cabinet.
“I realize the responsibility that lays on me to be able to speak about the issues that are very similar to others, but very unique to Filipinos," said Valde "It’s a very proud moment.”
Before entering politics, Valdez was an entrepreneur. She owned a baking business and co-founded a line of Filipino fusion pastries.
“I’ve gone through so much transition and change. I've pivoted from corporate banking to owning a small business, so this is no different,” she told CTVNews.ca in a recent interview. “The things that I'm learning are different, they're unique, because they're all about politics and policies… but that's the only difference.”
GARY ANANDASANGAREE
Gary Anandasangaree was first elected in 2015 as the MP for the Toronto riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park.
On Wednesday, he was sworn in as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, a position previously held by Marc Miller.
Anandasangaree had previously served as the parliamentary secretary to the Crown-Indigenous relations minister, as well as to the justice and heritage ministers.
Born in Sri Lanka, he arrived in Canada with his mother in 1983. Anandasangaree holds degrees from Carleton University in Ottawa and Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
He managed a law firm in Scarborough that focused on business, real estate and international human rights law, and has represented the organization Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada at the United Nations. He's also been involved with Tamil community organizations.
In March, Anandasangaree made the news for comments he made on Sri Lanka, calling it "a failed and bankrupt state."
ARIF VIRANI
India-born Arif Virani was first elected as the MP for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto in 2015. He was named minister of justice and attorney general on Wednesday, replacing David Lametti.
Along with previously serving as parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice, Virani also was parliamentary secretary to the ministers of international trade, democratic institutions, heritage and immigration.
An Ismaili Muslim and Ugandan Asian refugee to Canada in 1972, Virani has a bachelor's degree in history and political science from McGill University in Montreal and a law degree from the University of Toronto, where he graduated as valedictorian.
During that time, he spent a year working in Ottawa under the Parliamentary Internship Programme.
Virani practised law for 15 years, including as a civil litigator at Fasken Martineau and a constitutional litigator at the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. He is a founding board member of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, in Toronto, which provides legal services to people on low incomes who are of South Asian heritage.
He also worked as an analyst with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, an investigator at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse in Montreal, and an assistant trial attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal prosecuting the Rwandan genocide.
While she was not a parliamentary secretary before being elevated to cabinet, Valdez was a member of a few parliamentary committees and associations.
Born and raised in Zambia, Valdez immigrated to Canada with her family in 1989 and is the country's first Filipina MP and now she the first Filipina in Canada's Cabinet.
“I realize the responsibility that lays on me to be able to speak about the issues that are very similar to others, but very unique to Filipinos," said Valde "It’s a very proud moment.”
Before entering politics, Valdez was an entrepreneur. She owned a baking business and co-founded a line of Filipino fusion pastries.
“I’ve gone through so much transition and change. I've pivoted from corporate banking to owning a small business, so this is no different,” she told CTVNews.ca in a recent interview. “The things that I'm learning are different, they're unique, because they're all about politics and policies… but that's the only difference.”
She also competed on a season of the competition show "The Big Bake" and has helped raise funds for charities such as SickKids.
Valdez has also worked in corporate banking, has been an advocate for women in business, and is a self-described sports enthusiast.
Valdez has also worked in corporate banking, has been an advocate for women in business, and is a self-described sports enthusiast.
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| GARY ANANDASANGAREE |
Gary Anandasangaree was first elected in 2015 as the MP for the Toronto riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park.
On Wednesday, he was sworn in as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, a position previously held by Marc Miller.
Anandasangaree had previously served as the parliamentary secretary to the Crown-Indigenous relations minister, as well as to the justice and heritage ministers.
Born in Sri Lanka, he arrived in Canada with his mother in 1983. Anandasangaree holds degrees from Carleton University in Ottawa and Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
He managed a law firm in Scarborough that focused on business, real estate and international human rights law, and has represented the organization Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada at the United Nations. He's also been involved with Tamil community organizations.
In March, Anandasangaree made the news for comments he made on Sri Lanka, calling it "a failed and bankrupt state."
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| MINISTER ARIF VIRANI |
ARIF VIRANI
India-born Arif Virani was first elected as the MP for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto in 2015. He was named minister of justice and attorney general on Wednesday, replacing David Lametti.
Along with previously serving as parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice, Virani also was parliamentary secretary to the ministers of international trade, democratic institutions, heritage and immigration.
An Ismaili Muslim and Ugandan Asian refugee to Canada in 1972, Virani has a bachelor's degree in history and political science from McGill University in Montreal and a law degree from the University of Toronto, where he graduated as valedictorian.
During that time, he spent a year working in Ottawa under the Parliamentary Internship Programme.
Virani practised law for 15 years, including as a civil litigator at Fasken Martineau and a constitutional litigator at the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. He is a founding board member of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, in Toronto, which provides legal services to people on low incomes who are of South Asian heritage.
He also worked as an analyst with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, an investigator at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse in Montreal, and an assistant trial attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal prosecuting the Rwandan genocide.
The three new ministers were among the seven new members named to Trudeau's cabinet during Wednesday's reshuffling, including:
- Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism
- Terry Beech, minister of citizens' services,
- MP Ya'ara Saks,minister of mental health and addictions,
- Jeanna Sudds, minister of families, children and social development.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the blog Views From the Edge.
