Wai Young (Chinese: 楊蕭慧儀; born May 20, 1960, in Hong Kong) is a Canadian politician from Vancouver, British Columbia. She represented the electoral district of Vancouver South for the Conservative Party of Canada from 2011 to 2015. She was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 2011 election, but was defeated by the Liberal Party candidate Harjit Sajjan in the 2015 election.[1] She started her own municipal party, Coalition Vancouver, on June 21, 2018.[2] She is leader of the party and ran as its mayoral candidate for the 2018 municipal election. She unsuccessfully contested the 2019 federal election.

Wai Young
楊蕭慧儀
Member of Parliament
for Vancouver South
In office
May 30, 2011 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byUjjal Dosanjh
Succeeded byHarjit Sajjan
Personal details
Born (1960-05-20) May 20, 1960 (age 64)
Hong Kong
Political partyConservative (federal)
Coalition Vancouver (municipal)
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
ProfessionPolicy consultant, small business owner
ReligionChristianity
Websitevotewaiyoung.ca

Personal

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Young was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada at the age of four. She attended Killarney Secondary School and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in sociology. Young has also taken post-graduate coursework in Mass Communications and Urban Planning and Design at Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is a mother of twins and has been the foster parent of seven children.[3]

Before politics

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Prior to being elected, Young was a consultant and small businesswoman who contributed to social policies and program development. Her clientele included all three levels of governments and community groups such as the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association, South Vancouver Policing Centre and S.U.C.C.E.S.S.[3] Some of her work includes developing services for immigrants, and helping to found the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA). Young founded and chaired Canada's first Youth-At-Risk Task Force, which became the National Crime Prevention Program [4] Young also established Canada's longest-running breakfast program for underprivileged children.[3] Finally, Young also worked for the provincial Ministry of Children and Family Development and the federal ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Wai Young has spent over thirty years working and volunteering in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, at a number of community agencies including the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Association of Neighbourhood Houses, the Strathcona Community Centre and YWCA Vancouver [4]

Politics

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After losing by 20 votes in the 2008 federal election, Young was elected in 2011 by a margin of nearly 4,000 votes in a closely watched rematch over former B.C. Premier Ujjal Dosanjh. In doing so, she became the first Conservative MP to be elected in Vancouver since 1988.

As the only Government MP in the City of Vancouver, Wai championed for over 60 major infrastructure projects.[4] These projects included the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Supportive Community Housing, the Salvation Army Deborah's Gate Program, the Wavefront Wireless Commercialization Centre Society and the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Program [4]

On October 26, 2011, Young was elected Vice-Chair of the Canada-China Legislative Association (CCLA). On March 5, 2013, Young was elected Chair of the CCLA. This association provides a forum for discussing bilateral and multilateral issues facing both Canada and China.[3]

Regarding the first SkyTrain faregate, Young said "The new faregates will make SkyTrain service safer and more secure for commuters."[5]

On January 7, 2014, Young announced $2.5 million of federal funding towards the Killarney Seniors Centre.[6]

She was defeated by the Liberal Party candidate Harjit Sajjan in the 2015 election. She started her own municipal party, Coalition Vancouver, on June 21, 2018. She is leader of the party and ran as its mayoral candidate for the 2018 municipal election.

In July 2019, Young was announced as the Conservative candidate in Vancouver South for the 2019 election.[7] She was defeated in a rematch with Sajjan.

Electoral record

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Federal

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2019 Canadian federal election: Vancouver South
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Harjit Sajjan 17,808 41.2 -7.61 $96,879.65
Conservative Wai Young 14,388 33.3 -0.58 $82,900.36
New Democratic Sean McQuillan 8,015 18.6 +4.63 none listed
Green Judy Zaichkowsky 2,451 5.7 +3.12 none listed
People's Alain Deng 532 1.2 $11,771.39
Total valid votes/expense limit 43,194 100.0
Total rejected ballots 431
Turnout 43,625 58.9
Eligible voters 74,114
Liberal hold Swing -3.52
Source: Elections Canada[8][9]
2015 Canadian federal election: Vancouver South
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Harjit Sajjan 21,773 48.81 +15.05 $161,402.16
Conservative Wai Young 15,115 33.88 -8.54 $118,748.27
New Democratic Amandeep Nijjar 6,230 13.97 -7.10 $63,954.79
Green Elain Ng 1,149 2.58 +0.37 $5,232.68
Marxist–Leninist Charles Boylan 178 0.40 -0.09
Progressive Canadian Raj Gupta 166 0.37
Total valid votes/Expense limit 44,611 100.00   $203,440.39
Total rejected ballots 259 0.58
Turnout 44,870 64.04
Eligible voters 70,062
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +11.80
Source: Elections Canada[10][11]
2011 federal election redistributed results[12]
Party Vote %
  Conservative 15,571 42.43
  Liberal 12,389 33.76
  New Democratic 7,732 21.07
  Green 808 2.20
  Others 202 0.55
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Wai Young 19,504 43.31 +4.87
Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh 15,604 34.65 -3.84
New Democratic Meena Wong 8,552 18.99 +1.37
Green Jean Hakizimana 1,151 2.55 -2.38
Marxist–Leninist Charles Boylan 222 0.49 -0.01
Total valid votes 45,033 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 281 0.62 +0.09
Turnout 45,314 55.77 +3.77
Eligible voters 81,245
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.36
2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh 16,110 38.49 -9.56 $74,163
Conservative Wai Young 16,090 38.44 +11.30 $80,086
New Democratic Ann Chambers 7,376 17.62 -3.45 $22,765
Green Csaba Gulyas 2,065 4.93 +1.65 $413
Marxist–Leninist Charles Boylan 211 0.50 +0.04
Total valid votes/Expense limit 41,852 100.0     $85,093
Total rejected ballots 223 0.53 +0.12
Turnout 42,075 52.00 -4.00
Liberal hold Swing -10.43

Municipal

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2018 Vancouver municipal election: Vancouver Mayor
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Independent Kennedy Stewart 49,705 28.71  Y
NPA Ken Sim 48,748 28.16
Independent Shauna Sylvester 35,457 20.48
Coalition Vancouver Wai Young 11,872 6.86
Yes Vancouver Hector Bremner 9,924 5.73
Vancouver 1st Fred Harding 5,640 3.26
ProVancouver David Chen 3,573 2.06
Independent Sean Cassidy 1,536 0.89
IDEA Vancouver Connie Fogal 1,435 0.83
Independent Mike Hansen 951 0.55
Independent Jason Lamarche 695 0.40
Independent Rollergirl 686 0.40
Independent Ping Chan 653 0.38
Independent John Yano 510 0.29
Independent Tim Ly 349 0.20
Independent Sophia C. Kaiser 336 0.19
Independent Satwant K. Shottha 331 0.19
Independent Lawrence Massey 233 0.13
Independent Katy Le Rougetel 181 0.10
Independent Gölök Z. Buday 178 0.10
Independent Maynard Aubichon 139 0.08

Awards

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  • Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient [4]
  • YWCA Woman of Distinction Award Nominee[4]
  • Volunteer of the Year, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation [4]

References

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  1. ^ Jon Azpiri (October 19, 2015). "Liberal Harjit Sajjan defeats Tory incumbent Wai Young in Vancouver South". Global News. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  2. ^ McElroy, Justin (June 21, 2018). "'Free the roads': Wai Young joins Vancouver's race for mayor on anti-bike lane platform". CBC. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Wai Young - Member of Parliament for Vancouver South". waiyoung.ca. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Unknown". [permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "First SkyTrain faregate installed". The Surrey Leader. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  6. ^ "The Vancouver Sun - Killarney seniors centre closer to construction with federal funding". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  7. ^ "Home". vancouversouth.com.
  8. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  9. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Vancouver South, 30 September 2015". Archived from the original on October 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates 42nd General Election October 19, 2015". Archived from the original on October 3, 2015.
  12. ^ Pundits' Guide to Canadian Elections
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