2023 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant provincial by-election explained

Election Name:	2023 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant provincial by-election
Country:	British Columbia
Seats For Election:	Riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Type:	Parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Party Colour:	no
Party Name:	no
Previous Election:	2020 British Columbia general election
Previous Year:	2020
Next Election:	43rd British Columbia general election
Next Year:	43rd
Turnout:	17.84%
Image1:	Joan Phillip & Melanie Mark (cropped).png
Candidate1:	Joan Phillip
Last Election1:	66.95%
Popular Vote1:	5,459
Percentage1:	67.79%
Swing1:	0.84%
Candidate2:	Jackie Lee
Last Election2:	12.98%
Popular Vote2:	1,101
Percentage2:	13.67%
Swing2:	0.69%
Image3:	GRN
Candidate3:	Wendy Hayko
Last Election3:	20.07%
Popular Vote3:	931
Percentage3:	11.56%
Swing3:	8.51%

Posttitle:	Elected
Before Election:	Melanie Mark
After Election:	Joan Phillip

A by-election was held in the provincial riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant in British Columbia on June 24, 2023, to elect a new member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia following the resignation of NDP MLA Melanie Mark.^[1]

The by-election was held on the same day as one in Langford-Juan de Fuca.^[2] ^[3]

Background

Constituency

The seat covers an urban area in the city of Vancouver. The riding consists of its namesake neighbourhood Mount Pleasant and the eastern parts of downtown Vancouver including Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside.

Representation

The seat has been held by the British Columbia New Democratic Party for most of its history.^[4] Future member of Parliament Jenny Kwan represented the seat from 1996 to 2015.^[5]

On February 22, 2023, Melanie Mark announced her resignation as MLA and cabinet minister. In her resignation speech, Mark criticized how "institutions fundamentally resist change ... particularly colonial institutions and government at large", and said that she would "continue to advocate and fight from outside of this House".^[6]

Candidates

Kimball Cariou (Communist), leader of the Communist Party;^[7] previously the Communist candidate in Vancouver-Hastings during the 2020 provincial election^[8]
Wendy Hayko (Green), emergency management expert;^[9] previously the Green candidate in Vancouver-Quilchena during the April 2022 provincial by-election^[10]
Jackie Lee (United), businessman^[11]
Karin Litzcke (Conservative), education advocate;^[12] previously the People's Party candidate in Vancouver East during the 2021 Canadian federal election,^[13] and the Libertarian candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway during the 2020 provincial election.
Joan Phillip (New Democratic), Indigenous leader;^[14] previously the NDP candidate in Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola during the 2021 Canadian federal election^[15]

References

News: Larsen . Karin . 2023-02-22 . Melanie Mark, first First Nations woman to serve in B.C. Legislature, delivers tearful resignation . . 2023-02-23.
Web site: Premier . Office of the . 2023-05-27 . Byelections called for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, Langford-Juan de Fuca BC Gov News . 2023-06-03 . news.gov.bc.ca . en.
Web site: 2023-05-28 . Byelection called for Langford-Juan de Fuca, John Horgan's former seat . 2023-06-03 . Times Colonist . en.
Web site: 2023-03-31 . Former premier John Horgan officially resigns B.C. seat of Langford-Juan de Fuca . 2023-06-03 . thestar.com . en.
News: LABC . Official Biography: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (40th Parliament) . .
News: Larsen . Karin . 2023-02-22 . Melanie Mark, first First Nations woman to serve in B.C. Legislature, delivers tearful resignation . . 2023-02-23.
Web site: COMMUNIST PARTY OF BC PLATFORM for the June 24, 2023 by-elections VOTE KIMBALL CARIOU (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) and TYSON RIEL STRANDLUND (Langford-Juan de Fuca) – Communist Party of B. C. . 2023-06-18 . en-US.
Web site: Kimball Cariou – Communist Party of B. C. . 2023-06-18 . en-US.
Web site: Wendy Hayko . 2023-06-03 . BC Green Party . en.
Web site: (2022) Wendy Hayko named candidate for Vancouver-Quilchena by-election . 2023-06-18 . BC Green Party . en.
Web site: 2023-05-27 . B.C. Premier David Eby calls two byelections for June 24 . 2023-06-03 . thestar.com . en.
Web site: Jordan . 2023-06-01 . Vancouver and Langford 2023 byelections coming, here's the candidates . 2023-06-03 . B.C. Rise News, Politics . en-CA.
Web site: 2021-09-17 . Election 2021: Your quick guide to every Vancouver MP candidate . 2023-06-18 . Vancouver Is Awesome . en.
Web site: Shaw . Rob . Apr 30, 2023 . Rob Shaw: NDP acclaims Indigenous leader and climate activist Joan Phillip to run in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant - BC News . 2023-06-03 . www.castanet.net . en.
Web site: Canada election: Extended interview with NDP candidate Joan Phillip Watch News Videos Online . 2023-06-03 . Global News . en-US.