Rechie Valdez
Rechie Valdez | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Women and Gender Equality | |
| Assumed office May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Marci Ien (Women and Gender Equality and Youth) |
| Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) | |
| Assumed office May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Gerry Ritz (Minister of State) |
| Chief Government Whip | |
| In office March 14, 2025 – May 13, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Carney |
| Preceded by | Mona Fortier |
| Succeeded by | Mark Gerretsen |
| Minister of Small Business | |
| In office July 26, 2023 – March 14, 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Mary Ng |
| Succeeded by | Position discontinued |
| Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville | |
| Assumed office September 20, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Gagan Sikand |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rechie Aileen Salazar[1] September 17, 1980 Kitwe, Zambia |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Residence(s) | Mississauga, Ontario |
| Alma mater | University of Windsor |
| Profession | Politician |
Rechie Aileen Valdez (née Salazar, born September 17, 1980)[1][2] is a Canadian entrepreneur, television personality, and politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of Canada as Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism). She was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 2021 federal election representing Mississauga—Streetsville as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She is the first Filipino Canadian woman, and second Filipino Canadian after former Manitoba Liberal MP Rey Pagtakhan, to be elected as a Member of Parliament in Canada and Cabinet Minister.
Early life
[edit]Valdez was born Rechie Aileen Salazar on September 17, 1980 to overseas Filipino workers Zosimo Jr. and Normita Salazar in Kitwe, Zambia. The family eventually migrated to Canada in 1989, residing in the Erin Mills neighborhood of Mississauga, Ontario together with her brother.
Valdez went to St. Joseph Secondary School and Holy Name of Mary College School where she graduated in 1993; and completed a computer science degree at the University of Windsor in 2003.[1]
Career
[edit]Valdez spent a few years in the financial sector before venturing into business. She owned a baking business, had competed in The Big Bake on Food Network Canada, and hosted and produced a television show Fearlessly Creative on Filipino TV.[2]
Personal life
[edit]She is married to Christopher Valdez, and has two children.[3][4] Outside politics, Valdez plays basketball as a hobby, where she once held a basketball fundraising activity for Montreal Children's Hospital and SickKids in Toronto.[2]
Election results
[edit]| 2025 Canadian federal election: Mississauga—Streetsville | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Rechie Valdez | 31,287 | 51.53 | +4.19 | ||||
| Conservative | Sue McFadden | 27,231 | 44.85 | +10.53 | ||||
| New Democratic | Bushra Asghar | 1,388 | 2.29 | –9.80 | ||||
| Green | Chris Hill | 439 | 0.72 | –1.41 | ||||
| People's | Logan Araujo | 366 | 0.60 | –3.13 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 60,711 | |||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | 60,711 | 69.96 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 86,785 | |||||||
| Liberal notional hold | Swing | –3.17 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[5][6] | ||||||||
| 2021 Canadian federal election: Mississauga—Streetsville | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Rechie Valdez | 23,698 | 47.3 | -3.1 | $57,311.79 | |||
| Conservative | Jasveen Rattan | 17,131 | 34.2 | +1.1 | $62,172.94 | |||
| New Democratic | Farina Hassan | 6,186 | 12.3 | +2.0 | $3,193.29 | |||
| People's | Gurdeep Wolosz | 1,851 | 3.7 | +2.5 | $2,365.54 | |||
| Green | Chris Hill | 1,048 | 2.1 | -2.5 | $298.25 | |||
| Animal Protection | Natalie Spizzirri | 210 | 0.4 | ±0.0 | $2,470.94 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 50,124 | 99.3 | – | $115,206.97 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 333 | 0.7 | ||||||
| Turnout | 50,457 | 58.7 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 85,976 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -2.1 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[7] | ||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Cabana, Ysh (January 25, 2024). "Rechie Valdez". Canadian Encyclopedia.
- ^ a b c Aiello, Rachel (October 19, 2021). "'I feel a great responsibility': Meet Liberal Rechie Valdez, Canada's first Filipina MP". CTV News. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ "Rechie Valdez makes history as first Filipino woman elected Member of Parliament in Canada". The Georgia Straight. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ "Liberal Rechie Valdez wins Mississauga-Streetsville". Toronto Star. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ "List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
External links
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