Wikipedia

List of electoral firsts in Canada

(Redirected from Electoral firsts in Canada)

This article lists notable achievements of women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and gay/lesbian/bisexual and transgender people in Canadian politics and elections in Canada.

This list includes:

Women edit

  • First female elected in Canada:
    • Maria Grant is the first woman in Canada to be elected to any office, in 1895. She served six years on the Victoria School Board and was presented to the future George V as the only woman elected as a school trustee in Canada.[1]
  • First female candidate in provincial election in Canada:
    • Margaret Haile ran as a candidate of the Canadian Socialist League in Toronto North for the 1902 Ontario provincial election, becoming the first woman ever to stand in a provincial election. She herself was not allowed to vote in the election.
  • Earliest elected woman in Canada (first woman in Canada elected at the federal, provincial or municipal level):
  • First woman elected to a legislature in Canada:
 
Agnes Macphail, Canada's first Woman MP
 
Kim Campbell, Canada's first female Prime Minister

First women in cabinet

(New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan have not yet had a female premier.)

  • First female deputy premier in:
  • First female MLAs elected in British Columbia:
  • First female MLA elected in Alberta:
    • Louise McKinney, she was also the first woman elected anywhere in the British Empire, 1917–1921 Alberta Legislature for the Non Partisan League, a left-wing Prohibitionist socialist party.
  • First female MLA elected in Saskatchewan:
    • Sarah Ramsland, Saskatchewan Liberal, Pelly 1919 by-election, 1925. Replaced her husband Max who won the seat in 1917 general election after his death. Was re-elected in 1921 and defeated in 1925.
  • First female MLA elected in Manitoba:
  • First female MPPs elected in Ontario:
  • First female MNA elected in Quebec:
    • Marie-Claire Kirkland, elected in 1961. Also first woman appointed a cabinet minister in Quebec, the first woman appointed acting premier, and the first woman judge to serve in the Quebec Provincial Court.
  • First female MLA elected in New Brunswick:
  • First female candidate in Prince Edward Island:
    • Hilda Ramsay, Prince Edward Island CCF candidate in 1951
  • First female MLA elected in Prince Edward Island:
  • First female MHA elected in Newfoundland and Labrador (pre-Confederation):
  • First female MLA elected in Nova Scotia:
    • Gladys Porter, Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative MLA 1960–1967
  • First female MLA elected in Yukon:
  • First female MLA elected in Northwest Territories:
  • First female MLA elected in Nunavut:
    • Manitok Thompson, Independent, 1999–2003 (Nunavut was created from the Northwest Territories in 1999, so Thompson served in its first legislature.)
  • First female elected in a Nova Scotia municipal election:
    • Mary Teresa Sullivan, Halifax City Council, 1936+
  • First female elected in an Ontario municipal election:
  • First female mayor, appointed:
  • First female mayor, elected:
  • First female mayor of a city:
  • First female mayor of:
  • First female city councillor in:
  • First female judge in
  • First female chief justice in:
  • Female presidents of major political parties
  • First female Lieutenant Governors
  • First female Commissioners of Canadian territories
    • Ione Christensen, 10th Commissioner of Yukon 1979
    • Helen Maksagak, 13th Commissioner of the Northwest Territories 1995–1999
    • Helen Maksagak, 1st Commissioner of Nunavut 1999–2000

People with disabilities edit

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender edit

Main article: List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in Canada
 
Svend Robinson, Canada's first openly gay MP

Indigenous people in Canada edit

Year that status Indians were granted the right to vote in federal elections: 1960. Year that status Indians were granted the right to vote in Quebec provincial elections: 1969[21]

  • First Indigenous person elected to a legislature in Canada:
    • Solomon White, Ontario Conservative Party, 1878–1886 and 1890–1894 (first Native elected anywhere in Canada)
  • First Indigenous person appointed to Canadian Senate (first Treaty Indian named a senator in Canada):
  • First Indigenous person elected to the Canadian House of Commons (first Indigenous MP):
    • Leonard Marchand, Kamloops-Cariboo (British Columbia), Liberal Party, 1968–1979
  • First Indigenous woman elected to the Parliament of Canada:
  • First Indigenous woman MLA elected in British Columbia:
    • Melanie Mark, British Columbia New Democratic Party MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, 2016–Present
  • First Indigenous MLA elected in Alberta:
    • Mike Cardinal, Alberta Progressive Conservatives MLA Athabasca-Redwater 1989–2008
  • First Indigenous MLA elected in Saskatchewan:
  • First Indigenous woman MLA elected in Saskatchewan:
    • Joan Beatty, Saskatchewan New Democratic Party MLA for Cumberland, 2003 to 2009
  • First Indigenous MLA elected in Manitoba:
    • Elijah Harper, Manitoba New Democratic Party MLA Rupertsland, 1981–1992
  • First Indigenous MPP elected in Ontario:
    • Solomon White, Ontario Conservative Party, 1878–1886 and 1890–1894
  • First Indigenous MNA elected in Quebec:
  • First Indigenous MLA elected in New Brunswick:
    • T. J. Burke, NB Liberal MLA for Fredericton-Nashwaaksis 2006–2010
  • First Indigenous MHA elected in Newfoundland and Labrador:
    • Kevin Aylward Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal MHA St. George's-Stephenville East, 1985–2003
  • First Indigenous premier:
  • First Indigenous speaker of a legislature:
    • Richard Nerysoo, Northwest Territories, 1989–1991
  • First Indigenous leader of an official party in the Manitoba legislature:
    • Wab Kinew, Manitoba New Democratic Party, 2017–Present
  • First Indigenous leader of an official party in the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature:
  • First Métis elected to the House of Commons:
  • First Métis MHA elected in Newfoundland and Labrador:
  • First Métis Leader of an official party in the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature:
    • Yvonne Jones, Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, 2011
  • First Inuk elected to the Canadian House of Commons (first Inuit MP):
  • First Inuk woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons (first female Inuit MP):
  • First Inuk legislator elected in Canada:
    • Simonie Michael, member of the Northwest Territories Legislative Council, Eastern Arctic, 1966–1970
  • First Inuk MLA elected in Manitoba:
    • George Hickes, Manitoba New Democratic Party MLA, Point Douglas, 1990–2011
  • First Inuk MHA elected in Newfoundland and Labrador:
  • First Inuk Premier:
  • First Inuk speaker of a legislature:
  • First Inuk appointed to the federal cabinet:
    • Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative Party of Canada, Minister of Health, 2008.
  • First Indigenous person elected mayor in British Columbia:

Acadians edit

Arab Canadians edit

  • First Arab Canadian elected to the House of Commons (first Arab Canadian MP):
  • First female Arab Canadian elected to the House of Commons:
  • First Arab Canadian Premier:
    • Joe Ghiz Prince Edward Island 1986 – 25 January 1993
  • First Arab Canadian in Cabinet
  • First Arab Canadian leaders of political parties
    • Fonse Faour, Newfoundland New Democratic Party leader, 1980–1981
    • Joe Ghiz, Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, 1981–1993
    • Hassan Husseini, Communist Party of Ontario, 1998–2001
    • Lorraine Michael, Newfoundland New Democratic Party leader 2006–2015
  • First Arab Canadian Senator:

Armenian Canadians edit

Black Canadians edit

 
Rt. Hon Lincoln Alexander, first African-Canadian MP in Canada and the first African-Canadian Lt. Governor of Ontario
  • Earliest Black Canadians elected in Canada:
    • Wilson Ruffin Abbott, Elected to Toronto city council in 1840.
    • Abraham D. Shadd, Councillor of Raleigh Township (from 1858)
    • Abner Hunt Francis, Elected as councillor of Victoria in 1865, however, he resigned after being sworn in since he was not listed on the 1863 Assessment Role.
    • Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, Councillor of Victoria (1867–1869)
    • John Waters, Town Councilor, Town of Niagara (Niagara-on-the-Lake), 1874–1876, 1877–1880
    • James W. Douglas, Victoria City, British Columbia MLA, 1875–1878 (his paternal grandmother was part Black. As well, his mother was Cree.)
    • Burr Plato, town council member, Town of Niagara Falls (from 1886);
    • William Hubbard, City of Toronto city council member (from 1894) and a member of the Board of Control. To this day, by virtue of his being on the citywide elected Board of Control, the only visible minority ever elected citywide across Toronto.[23]
  • First Black candidate to run for the House of Commons:
  • First Black Canadian elected to the House of Commons:
  • First Black leader of a federal political party:
  • First Black leader of a provincial political party:
  • First Black candidate to run for the Ontario Legislature:
    • Stanley G. Grizzle, York East, ran for the Ontario CCF (the forerunner to the Ontario New Democratic Party) in the 1959 provincial general election.
  • First Black Canadian elected to a Provincial Legislature in Canada:
  • First Black woman elected to municipal council:
  • First Black woman elected in Canada:
 
Jean Augustine, first Black woman elected to the House of Commons
 
Michaëlle Jean, Canada's first Black Governor General
  • First Black MNA in Quebec:
    • Jean Alfred, Papineau, Parti Québécois MNA 1976–1981
  • First Black Canadian and Female City Councillor in Montreal:
  • First Black Canadian City Councillor in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta:
    • Ajibola "Jibs" Abitoye, October 17, 2017
  • First Black Canadian and Female City Councillor in London, Ontario:
    • Arielle Kayabaga, October 22, 2018
  • First Black Female MNA in Quebec:
  • First Black MLA in Nova Scotia:
    • Wayne Adams, Nova Scotia Liberal MLA for Preston 1993–1998
  • First Black female MLA in Nova Scotia:
    • Yvonne Atwell, Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLA for Preston 1998–1999
  • Black Speakers of Legislatures in Canada
    • Emery Barnes, British Columbia New Democratic Party MLA 1972–1996, Speaker in British Columbia Legislature 1993 to 1996 when he retired.
    • Alvin Curling, Ontario Liberal MPP 1985–2005, Speaker 2003–2005
  • First Black woman in Cabinet:
  • First Black Governor General of Canada:
  • First Black Lieutenant Governor:
  • first black female candidate for a Canadian federal party leadership
  • First Black Senator:
    • Anne Cools, Liberal Senator 1983–2004, Conservative, 2004+
  • First Black mayor:
  • First Black female mayor:

Chinese Canadians edit

 
Douglas Jung, Canada's first Chinese MP
  • First Chinese-Canadian leader of a political party (federally or provincially)
    • Arthur Lee (李僑棟), British Columbia Liberal leader, 1984–1987 (the British Columbia Liberals had no seats)
    • Victor Lau, Saskatchewan Green Party Leader 2006 (interim), 2011–present
  • First Chinese-Canadian in Cabinet:
    • Bob Wong (黄景培), Ontario Liberal, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure (1987–89), Minister of Citizenship(1989–90)
    • Raymond Chan (陳卓愉|陳卓愉), Federal Liberal, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) (1993–2001), Minister of State (Multiculturalism)(2004–2006), First Chinese-Canadian federal cabinet minister
    • Gary Mar (馬健威), Alberta Progressive Conservative, Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations, Minister of Health and Wellness, Minister of Learning, Minister of the Environment, and twice Minister of Community Development (1993–2007)
    • Jenny Kwan (關慧貞|關慧貞), British Columbia NDP, Minister of Municipal Affairs (1998–99), Minister of Women's Equality (1999–2000), Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers (2000–01)
    • Michael Chong (莊文浩|莊文浩), Federal Conservative, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada (2006)
    • Michael Chan, Ontario Liberal, Minister of Revenue (2007), Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2007–2018)
    • Alice Wong (黃陳小萍|黃陳小萍), Federal Conservative, Minister of State for Seniors (2011–2021)
  • First Chinese-Canadian senator:
  • First Chinese-Canadian governor general of Canada:
  • First Chinese-Canadian lieutenant governors
    • David Lam (林思齊|林思齊), British Columbia Lieutenant Governor 1988–1995
    • Norman Kwong (林佐民|林佐民), Lieutenant Governor of Alberta 2005–2010
    • Philip S. Lee (李紹麟|李紹麟), Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
  • First Chinese-Canadian mayor in Canada:
    • Peter Wing (吳榮添), Mayor of Kamloops, first elected 1966, served for three terms

Croatian Canadians edit

  • First Croatian Canadian elected to a Legislature:
    • David Stupich, British Columbia MLA, Nanaimo and the Islands, 1963–1969, Nanaimo 1972–1988
  • First Croatian-born Canadian elected to a Legislature:
    • John Sola, Ontario Liberal MPP, Missisauga East, 1987–1993 (expelled), Independent MPP 1993–1995
  • First Croatian Canadian elected to the House of Commons (first Croatian Canadian MP):
  • First Croatian-born Canadian elected to the House of Commons:

Czech Canadians edit

Dutch Canadians edit

Filipino Canadians edit

 
Conrad Santos, First Filipino Canadian elected in Canada

German Canadians edit

Greek Canadians edit

  • First Greek Canadian elected to the House of Commons (first Greek Canadian MP):
  • First Greek Canadian Senator:
  • First Greek elected to the Ontario legislature:
    • George Samis, Ontario New Democratic Party MPP 1974 by-election, 1985, Cornwall
  • First Greek Minister in the Province of Nova Scotia:

Hungarian Canadians edit

Icelandic Canadians edit

  • First Icelandic-Canadian elected to a legislature in Canada:
  • First Icelandic-Canadian Provincial Party Leader:
  • First Icelandic-Canadian Premier:

Iranian Canadians edit

  • First Iranian Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (1st Iranian Canadian Provincial MPP)
  • First Iranian Canadian elected to the Canadian House of Commons (1st Iranian Canadian MPs)
  • First Iranian Canadian elected to the Québec National Assembly (1st Iranian Canadian MNA)
    • Amir Khadir, Québec Solidaire MNA, Mercier, 2008–present. Also the first Iranian-Canadian co-spokesperson of a major provincial political party

Italian Canadians edit

  • First Italian Canadian to a provincial legislature
    • Phil Gaglardi, 1952=1968, also first cabinet minister of Italian origin 1955 onwards
  • First Italian Canadian Elected to the House of Commons (1st Italian Canadian MP)
  • First Italian Canadian Cabinet Minister (Federal)
  • First Italian Canadian Senator
  • First Italian Canadian to run for the leadership of a major party (federally or provincially):
  • First Italian Canadian provincial party leader

Japanese Canadians edit

Jewish Canadians edit

See also: List of Jewish Canadian politicians
 
Henry Nathan, Canada's First Jewish MP

Korean Canadians edit

Latvian Canadians edit

Macedonian Canadians edit

Maltese Canadians edit

Muslim Canadians edit

Norwegian Canadians edit

Polish Canadians edit

Portuguese Canadians edit

Russian Canadians edit

Slovak Canadians edit

South Asian Canadians edit

 
Moe Sihota, first South Asian Canadian elected to provincial parliament in Canada
  • Note: South Asians include those of Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, or Bangladeshi ancestry.
  • First South Asian elected in Canada:
  • First South Asian candidate in British Columbia:
  • First South Asian Canadian candidate in Canada:
  • First South Asian Provincial Premier:
    • Ujjal Dosanjh, British Columbia New Democratic Party, February 24, 2000, to June 5, 2001 (Punjabi-Canadian)
  • First South Asian Territorial Premier:
    • Ranj Pillai, Yukon Liberal Party, January 28, 2023 – present (Malayali-Canadian)
  • First South Asian leaders of a major political party:
    • Raj Pannu, Alberta New Democratic Party February 2, 2000 – 2004 (MLA 1997–2008) (Punjabi-Canadian)

Note: Hardial Bains was the first South Asian Canadian to lead a political party. He founded and led the Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada from 1970 to 1997


  • First South Asian MLA elected in Manitoba:
  • First South Asian MPP elected in Ontario:
  • First South Asian MLA elected in Nova Scotia:
  • First South Asian School Board Trustee elected in Canada:
    • Neethan Shan, York Region District School Board 2006–present
  • South Asian Canadian Senators
  • South Asian presidents, vice presidents and secretaries of political parties
    • Sav Dhaliwal, President of the British Columbia NDP (2009) (Punjabi-Canadian)
    • Raj Sharan, Former president of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party

Tamil Canadians edit

  • First Tamil-Canadian candidate to run for the House of Commons:
    • Joseph Thevarkunnel, NDP candidate in 2000 federal election for Oak Ridges
  • First Tamil-Canadian candidate to run in Ontario
    • Chandran Mylvaganam, NDP Candidate in 1993 by-election in Don Mills
  • First Tamil-Canadian elected in Canada
    • Logan Kanapathi, elected Councillor for Ward 7 in Markham, Ontario in 2006 and one of the first two to be elected as MPP in 2018
    • Neethan Shan, elected York School Board Trustee for Markham Wards 7 and 8
  • First Tamil-Canadian Female elected in Canada
    • Juanita Nathan, elected York School Board Trustee for Markham Wards 7 and 8
  • First Tamil-Canadian and Tamil Female elected House of Commons
    • Rathika Sitsabaiesan, elected Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Rouge River, Ontario from 2011 to 2015

Ukrainian Canadians edit

  • First Ukrainian Canadian elected to a Legislature in Canada:
  • First Ukrainian Canadian elected to the House of Commons (first Ukrainian Canadian MP):
  • First Ukrainian Canadian Senator:
  • First Ukrainian Canadian cabinet minister:
    • Michael Starr, federal Progressive Conservative, Minister of Labour, 1957–1963
  • First Ukrainian Canadian leader of a major political party:
    • Roy Romanow, Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leader 1987–2001
  • First Ukrainian Canadian Premier:
  • First Ukrainian Canadian Governor General of Canada:
  • First Ukrainian Canadian Mayor

Vietnamese Canadians edit

Elections edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Wikipedia: "Women in Canadian politics"
  2. ^ Biography, Toronto Star, by Mark Maloney Accessed March 10, 2007
  3. ^ a b c "Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell (1947 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 12 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Mary Ellen Smith (1863–1933)". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Mary Collins (1940 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 12 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Tilly Jean Rolston (1887–1953)". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Chrystia Freeland named Canada's first female finance minister". BBC News. 18 August 2020.
  8. ^ Women in BC Politics
  9. ^ "Rita Johnston (1935 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Grace McCarthy (1927 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Nora Arnold (1891–1953)". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Helena Gutteridge (1879?–1960)". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Helen Gregory MacGill". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Beverley McLachlin (1943 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 12 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Iona Campagnolo (1932 – )". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 15 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Gay person running for Board of Education". The Body Politic, Vol. 29 (December 1976/January 1977), p. 5.
  17. ^ a b "Gays gain despite Tory triumph". The Body Politic, Vol. 35 (July/August 1977). p. 10.
  18. ^ Robin Hardy, "Gay Candidate Drops Campaign, But Sees Role for Gay Alderperson". The Body Politic, Issue 46, p. 6.
  19. ^ "Gay candidate loses in school board race". The Body Politic, Vol. 49 (December 1978/January 1979), p. 12.
  20. ^ "Blake Desjarlais is Canada's first Two Spirit Canadian MP: 'We're starting to see ourselves more' | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  21. ^ Aboriginal People: History of Discriminatory Laws, Wendy Moss, Elaine Gardner-O'Toole, Law and Government Division, Last revised, November 1991
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Parliament of Canada, List of ethnic origins of MPs
  23. ^ Son of slaves changed the face of Toronto as first black councillor. Toronto Star, February 11, 2011.
  24. ^ "Rosemary Brown (1930–2003)". www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Unit 8: The Post War Years". www.qesn.meq.gouv.qc.ca. Archived from the original on 25 August 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  26. ^ a b Black Canadian History
  27. ^ Philippe Gigantès – Parliament of Canada biography
  28. ^ a b c d Firsts in Canadian Parliamentary History
  29. ^ Pietro Rizzuto – Parliament of Canada biography
  30. ^ a b "Naranjan Singh Grewall: first NRI Mayor of Mission, BC, Canada". NRI Naranjan Singh Grewall was the first (Indo Canadian) Mayor of Mission, B.C., Canada and the first Indo Canadian mayor within any city in Canada, in 1954.He was elected Canada's first Sikh city councilor,to a public office in Mission, not only in Canada, but all of North America in 1950. In 1941, he came to Mission, B.C. from Toronto, Ontario. He purchased and became the operator of six lumber companies across the Fraser Valley. Referring to holders of forest management licenses as 'Timber Maharajahs', he warned that within 10 years 3 or 4 giant corporations would effectively control the industry in B.C. Mr. Grewall became a voice for the growing industry and openly critiqued the then government's policies of granting licenses to their friends. Throughout his life, Naranjan Grewall remained incredibly charitable.
  31. ^ "Diversity flourishes in Mission". May 12, 2017. In 1950, Naranjan Grewall became the first Hindu (as it was phrased at that time) in Canada to be elected to public office, after the voting franchise was extended to visible minority groups in 1947. In 1954, he was appointed to the position of mayor of Mission City by the board and later ran for the CCF in the Dewdney riding in 1956 [...] The two most legendary personalities from the Sikh community who graced Mission, and both employed hundreds of people, owning several large mills in the area, were Herman Braich Sr. and Naranjan Grewall.
  32. ^ "Grewall first Indo-Canadian to hold office of mayor in Canada". February 6, 2014. He was later nominated as a provincial candidate for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1956, making him also the first visible minority to run as a candidate in Canada. He was narrowly defeated by Socred Labour Minister Lyle Wicks. [...] During the much-heated 1956 provincial election, Grewall, as a CCF candidate, commonly addressed the issues of taxes, bridges, farmers and the forestry industry, which he claimed were being "monopolized" by a handful of large companies in the province. Grewall referred to these stakeholders as "timber maharajahs," and said the system would revert to a "form of feudalism, which I left 30 years ago."
  33. ^ Feb 23, Karl Salgo Published on; 2021 3:46pm (2021-02-23). "Newfoundland and Labrador's mail-in election is a Canadian first". iPolitics. Retrieved 2021-03-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links edit

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