Anita Hagen Explained

Anita Hagen
Birth Date:May 6, 1931
Birth Place:Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death Place:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Residence:New Westminster, British Columbia
Assembly1:British Columbia Legislative
Constituency Am1:New Westminster
Term Start1:October 22, 1986
Term End1:May 28, 1996
Predecessor1:Dennis Cocke
Successor1:Graeme Bowbrick
Office2:4th Deputy Premier of British Columbia
Premier2:Michael Harcourt
Term Start2:November 5, 1991
Term End2:September 15, 1993
Predecessor2:Rita Johnston
Successor2:Elizabeth Cull
Office3:Minister of Education of British Columbia
Premier3:Michael Harcourt
Term Start3:November 5, 1991
Term End3:September 15, 1993
Predecessor3:Stan Hagen
Successor3:Art Charbonneau
Office4:Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights of British Columbia
Premier4:Michael Harcourt
Term Start4:November 5, 1991
Term End4:September 15, 1993
Successor4:Moe Sihota
Occupation:teacher
Alma Mater:Dalhousie University

Anita Mae Joan Hagen (May 6, 1931 – June 5, 2015) was a Canadian politician who represented the riding of New Westminster in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1996.[1] As part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, she served as the province's Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights from 1991 to 1993.

Biography

She was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1931, and attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1951. She moved to New Westminster, British Columbia in 1954, and married John Hagen in 1961. She worked as an English teacher at a high school in neighbouring Surrey before being elected a New Westminster school trustee, serving from 1976 to 1986.[2] She also worked for federal NDP member of Parliament for New Westminster—Coquitlam Pauline Jewett, and served as constituency assistant for BC NDP member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for New Westminster Dennis Cocke.

With Cocke retiring from the legislature, Hagen sought and won the BC NDP nomination for the riding, and was elected MLA for New Westminster at the 1986 provincial election.[2] With the NDP in opposition, Hagen served as the party's education and seniors critic.[2] After winning re-election in 1991, she was named to the cabinet by Premier Mike Harcourt, serving as Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights in the NDP government.[3] She stepped down from cabinet in 1993,[3] then retired from active politics in 1996 at the age of 65.[2]

In 2005, she campaigned against replacing the existing first-past-the-post electoral system with a single transferable vote system (BC-STV) in the electoral reform referendum.[4] She died of cancer at Vancouver General Hospital in June 2015; she was survived by husband John and two sons.[5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Women MLAs in British Columbia . Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. https://web.archive.org/web/20110220035507/http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/Public/Reference/Women_MLAs.pdf . 2011-02-20 .
  2. Web site: Hagen held seats of power . Grant . Granger . New Westminster News Leader . 2015-01-02 . 2023-04-17 .
  3. Web site: Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991-1996 . Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. 2023-04-01.
  4. Web site: Opinion: STV not good for rural ridings . Kamloops This Week . 2005-04-20 . 2023-04-17 .
  5. Web site: Anita Hagen leaves a legacy in New Westminster . Theresa . McManus . New Westminster Record . 2015-06-09 . 2023-04-17 .
  6. Web site: Anita Hagen Obituary (2015) - the Province. . 2023-04-17 .