Anne Kang

The Honourable
Anne Kang
MLA
康安禮
Anne Kang in 2017
Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 18, 2024
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byLisa Beare
Minister of Municipal Affairs of British Columbia
In office
December 7, 2022 – November 18, 2024
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byNathan Cullen
Succeeded byRavi Kahlon (Housing and Municipal Affairs)
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training of British Columbia
In office
November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byMelanie Mark
Succeeded bySelina Robinson
Minister of Citizens' Services of British Columbia
In office
January 22, 2020 – November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded bySelina Robinson
Succeeded byLisa Beare
Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byLinda Larson
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Burnaby-Deer Lake
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 9, 2017
Preceded byKathy Corrigan
Personal details
Born1977 (age 46–47)[1]
Changhua County, Taiwan
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Other political
affiliations		Burnaby Citizens Association
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia (BM, MEd, MSc)
Harvard University
Cornell University
Anne Kang
Traditional Chinese康安禮
Simplified Chinese康安礼
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinKāng Ānlǐ

Anne Kang (Chinese: 康安禮; born 1977) is a Taiwanese-born Canadian politician who has represented the electoral district of Burnaby-Deer Lake in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, she has served in the cabinet of British Columbia since 2020, currently as Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. From 2022 to 2024, she was Minister of Municipal Affairs. Prior to her election as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Kang served as a city councillor in Burnaby for three terms.

Early life and education

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Born in Changhua County, Taiwan,[1][2] Kang immigrated to Canada as a child, and has lived in Burnaby, British Columbia since 1986.[3] She grew up in the Deer Lake neighbourhood, and graduated from Vancouver's David Thompson Secondary School with Honours in the Math & Science Program.[3]

She completed her post-secondary education at the University of British Columbia, receiving a Bachelor of Music, a Bachelor of Education (Elementary), and Diploma in Special Education (Learning Disability). Kang has received a Master’s Degree in Special Education (Gifted and Creative Learning) and completed two levels of Montessori Certification. She continued to further her education, obtaining certificates in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard University, and certificates in Change Leadership, and Financial Accounting, both from Cornell University.

Kang's personal interests are in the areas of social sustainability, youth and young adults, education and immigration.[3]

Community involvement

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Kang has volunteered, and held positions with a number of not-for-profit and community organizations. These include:[3]

  • Founding Director, Global Federation of Chinese Business Women Association of British Columbia
  • Director, Progressive Housing Society
  • Founding Director, TIO Group of Young Professionals
  • Director, Taiwanese-Canadian Association
  • Founding Director, Taiwanese Heritage Association

In recognition of her community involvement, she was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.[4]

Kang has also spoken about her challenges with stuttering, and the need to end the stigmatization of those with the condition.[5]

Municipal politics (2008-2017)

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Kang first ran for office in the 2008 municipal election as a candidate for the Burnaby Citizens Association, and was elected as a councillor on Burnaby City Council. She won re-election twice, serving as councillor for a total of three terms.[3]

As a city councillor, Kang served the community of Burnaby through several sub-roles[3] such as

  • Council Liaison for the Public Library Board
  • Vice Chair of the Environment Committee
  • Member of the Public Safety Committee
  • Council Youth Liaison.

Kang also led environmental initiatives and infrastructure projects while on Council - fostering the development of a food scrap recycling program, and planning the renovation and restructuring of the city's main library.[4][6]

Effective June 27, 2017, Kang was on unpaid leave from her position as Burnaby city councillor due to her recent election to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Her vacant position on Burnaby City Council was left unfilled until the 2018 municipal election.[7]

Provincial politics (2017-present)

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The incumbent MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake Kathy Corrigan (BC NDP) announced in 2016 her decision to not seek re-election in the next provincial election. Kang was acclaimed as the NDP's candidate for the riding in May 2016,[8][9] then won the seat in the 2017 provincial election.[10] She is among the first three Taiwanese-Canadians to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, alongside fellow New Democrats Katrina Chen and Bowinn Ma.[11]

She was named Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors within the Government of British Columbia in July 2017,[12][13] additionally serving as Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism as of July 2019.[14] She was appointed Minister of Citizens' Services in January 2020.[15]

Kang won re-election as MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake in the 2020 provincial election, and was named Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training in November 2020.[16] She was subsequently named Minister of Municipal Affairs in the Eby ministry on December 7, 2022.[17] After the 2024 election, she was named Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, her second time overseeing the ministry.[18]

Electoral record

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2020 British Columbia general election: Burnaby-Deer Lake
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Anne Kang 9,190 56.62 +8.73 $35,031.32
Liberal Glynnis Hoi Sum Chan 5,163 31.81 −3.73 $0.00
Green Mehreen Chaudry 1,878 11.57 −0.52 $1,332.72
Total valid votes 16,231 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots    
Turnout    
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[19]
2017 British Columbia general election: Burnaby-Deer Lake
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Anne Kang 8,747 47.89 −0.59 $59,836.00
Liberal Karen Xiao Bao Wang 6,491 35.54 −7.59 $69,149.01
Green Rick McGowan 2,209 12.09 +3.70 $1,081.00
Conservative Graham Bowers 589 3.23 – $105.80
Independent Elias Ishak 229 1.25 – $3,349.14
Total valid votes 18,265 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 136 0.74 −0.24
Turnout 18,401 53.00 +4.97
Registered voters 34,716
Source: Elections BC[20][21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Peng, Jenny (2017-08-01). "Born in Taiwan, serving Canada". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  2. ^ 加國省議員康安禮返鄉訪彰化縣長王惠美 推動兩地觀光與投入老人照護 [Canadian MLA Anne Kang visits homeland and meets Changhua County magistrate Wang Huei-mei, promotes tourism and explores senior care] (in Traditional Chinese). Changhua County Department of Civil Affairs. 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Councillor Anne Kang". City of Burnaby. Archived from the original on 2017-07-20.
  4. ^ a b "Anne Kang". Your BCA Team for Council. Burnaby Citizens Association. Archived from the original on 2017-04-14. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  5. ^ "NDP MLA Anne Kang hopes to begin a dialogue to end the stigma around stuttering". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  6. ^ "Metrotown Library to get $400K Reno". City of Burnaby. 2016-02-06. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  7. ^ "No Byelection to be Held for Kang's Seat". Burnaby Now. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  8. ^ "Burnaby councillor and music teacher Anne Kang named replacement for retiring B.C. NDP MLA Kathy Corrigan". Vancouver Sun.
  9. ^ Deutsch, Jeremy (2016-05-02). "City councillor gets NDP nod for Burnaby-Deer Lake". Burnaby Now. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  10. ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  11. ^ "Taiwanese Canadian leader describes election of three B.C. MLAs as historic milestone". CBC Politics. The Georgia Straight. 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2017-06-17.
  12. ^ "Anne Kang to Serve as Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors". BC Care Providers Association. BC Care Providers Association. 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  13. ^ Zussman, Richard; McElroy, Justin (2016-05-02). "B.C.'s new NDP government sworn into office". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  14. ^ "Premier Horgan appoints Sheila Malcolmson as parliamentary secretary for environment, makes changes to other PS roles" (Press release). Office of the Premier of British Columbia. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  15. ^ "B.C. premier fills Jinny Sims vacancy, swaps jobs in cabinet tweak". The Canadian Press, via CBC News. 2020-01-20. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  16. ^ Godfrey, Dustin (2020-11-26). "Two Burnaby MLAs named to B.C. cabinet, one nominated for Speaker". Burnaby Now. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  17. ^ "New cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate" (Press release). Office of the Premier of British Columbia. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  18. ^ "Burnaby Centre MLA Anne Kang given new cabinet position". Burnaby Now. 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  19. ^ "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  20. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election Preliminary Voting Results" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  21. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
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