For the fictional character, see The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.
Penny Priddy
ParliamentCanadian
Term startJanuary 23, 2006
Term endOctober 14, 2008
PredecessorChuck Cadman
SuccessorDona Cadman
RidingSurrey North
Office 1Surrey City Councillor
Term start 12002
Term end 12005
Assembly 2British Columbia Legislative
Constituency am 2Surrey-Newton
Term start 2October 17, 1991
Term end 2May 16, 2001
Predecessor 2Rita Johnston
Successor 2Tony Bhullar
Office 3Minister of Women's Equality of British Columbia
Premier 3Michael Harcourt
Term start 3November 5, 1991
Term end 3February 22, 1996
Predecessor 3Position established
Successor 3Sue Hammell
Office 4Minister of Labour of British Columbia
Premier 4Glen Clark
Term start 4February 28, 1996
Term end 4June 17, 1996
Predecessor 4Dan Miller
Successor 4Moe Sihota
Office 5Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture of British Columbia
Premier 5Glen Clark
Term start 5June 17, 1996
Term end 5September 23, 1996
Predecessor 5Bill Barlee
Successor 5Jan Pullinger
Office 6Minister of Children and Families of British Columbia
Premier 6Glen Clark
Term start 6September 23, 1996
Term end 6February 18, 1998
Predecessor 6Position established
Successor 6Lois Boone
Office 7Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors of British Columbia
Premier 7Glen Clark
Dan Miller
Term start 7February 18, 1998
Term end 7February 24, 2000
Predecessor 7Joy MacPhail
Successor 7Michael Farnworth
Office 8Minister of Education of British Columbia
Premier 8Ujjal Dosanjh
Term start 8February 29, 2000
Term end 8November 1, 2000
Predecessor 8Gordon Wilson
Successor 8Joy MacPhail
Birth dateMarch 5, 1944 (age 82)
Birth placeToronto, Ontario
PartyNew Democratic Party
SpouseRobert Priddy
ProfessionNurse

Penny Priddy (born March 5, 1944) is a politician from British Columbia (BC), Canada. She served as member of Parliament (MP) from 2006 to 2008, representing the electoral district of Surrey North in the House of Commons of Canada. Prior to that, she was a Surrey city councillor (2002–2005), a member of the BC legislature representing Surrey-Newton (1991–2001), and a trustee with the Surrey School District (1986–1991). She is the only woman in Canadian history to be elected to school board, city council, a provincial legislature and the House of Commons.[1]

During her time in the BC legislature, she served in several cabinet posts in the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) governments of Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Dan Miller and Ujjal Dosanjh, including as minister of labour, health and education.

Biography

Born in Toronto, Ontario,[2] she was originally a nurse before moving to Surrey, British Columbia with her husband in 1981,[1] where she worked as a nursing educator. She was first elected to the Surrey School District as a trustee in 1986 under the Surrey Municipal Electors slate, before becoming part of the NDP-affiliated Surrey Civic Electors.[3]

After five years as a school trustee, she ran in the 1991 provincial election as a BC NDP candidate in Surrey-Newton, defeating Premier Rita Johnston to win the riding.[1][4] She was subsequently named to the cabinet that November, serving as Minister of Women's Equality during the premiership of Mike Harcourt.[2][5]

After Glen Clark took over as premier in February 1996, Priddy was appointed Minister of Labour. She was re-elected in the May 1996 provincial election, and briefly assumed the Small Business, Tourism and Culture portfolio that June.[a][6] She was re-assigned as Minister of Children and Families in September 1996,[7] before assuming the roles of Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors in February 1998.[6] She retained both portfolios during Dan Miller's term as premier and interim NDP leader.[8]

She was named Minister of Education in February 2000 by new Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.[9][10] With the NDP trailing in the polls, she announced on October 30, 2000 that she would not run in the following year's provincial election,[11] and was dropped from the cabinet a few days later.[12] She returned to politics in 2002 when she was elected to Surrey City Council, serving one term as councillor.[2][1]

Following the death of independent Surrey North MP Chuck Cadman, Priddy entered the race for the riding as a federal NDP candidate in the 2006 election. Priddy had been friends with Cadman and his wife Dona for many years despite their sharp political differences,[4] and later received Dona Cadman's endorsement for the Surrey North seat.[13] Priddy went on to defeat Conservative candidate David Matta and became the riding's MP, serving as the NDP's health critic from 2006 to 2007, then as the party's public safety critic and assistant justice critic from 2007 to 2008.[2] She declined to run in the 2008 federal election.[13]

Personal life and other activities

She and her husband Robert have two adult children.[13] She was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 1995, and underwent surgery and radiation therapy shortly thereafter. She then went through chemotherapy after the 1996 provincial election, and made a full recovery.[4]

In 2001, Priddy was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Kwantlen University College for her service to the people of BC.[14]

She is a member of the Canadian Women Voters Congress, Canadian Women of Municipal Government, and the Heritage Advisory Commission for the City of Surrey. She is a past co-chair of the National Women's Campaign School,[1] and served for three terms as a municipal representative to the board of directors for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority from 2011 to 2020.[15][16]

Notes

  1. ^ Priddy took a temporary leave of absence while fighting breast cancer from June to September 1996. Dan Miller served as acting Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture during this time.

References

  1. ^ Diakiw, Kevin (2011-03-15). "Penny Priddy honoured for public work". Peace Arch News. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  2. ^ "Profile - Priddy, Penny". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  3. ^ Bucholtz, Frank (2011-05-12). "Column: Hard to dent the Watts machine". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  4. ^ MacGregor, Roy (2005-12-08). "Cadman's friend in NDP's embrace". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  5. ^ "Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991–1996". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  6. ^ "Glen Clark Cabinet: 35th Parliament (5th Session) 1996; 36th Parliament (1st–3rd Session) 1996–1999". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  7. ^ "BC child protection system overhauled". Government of British Columbia. 1996-09-23. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  8. ^ "Miller Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd Session) 1999–2000". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  9. ^ "Dosanjh Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd–5th Session) 2000–2001". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  10. ^ "New B.C. cabinet". CBC News. 2000-02-29. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  11. ^ "Priddy and Sawicki won't run again". CBC News. 2000-10-30. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  12. ^ "NDP cabinet gets a major shake-up". CBC News. 2000-11-01. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  13. ^ "NDP's Penny Priddy says she won't run again". Vancouver Sun. 2008-07-16. Archived 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ "Minutes: Board Regular Meeting". Kwantlen University College. 2001-02-28. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  15. ^ "Penny Priddy Re-Appointed to Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Board of Directors". Port of Vancouver. Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 2017-05-19. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  16. ^ "Appointment of Municipal Representative to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Board of Directors". Metro Vancouver Regional District. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2023-04-03.