Stephanie Valenzuela has been elected City Councilor of Montreal in Québec province, the first Filipino Canadian to win the government post.
The Philippine Embassy in Canada reported that Valenzuela received 58.56% of the votes and led her nearest opponent by a margin of 1,484 votes in the general elections held November 6-7, 2021.
The first-generation Filipino Canadian is set to represent the District of Darlington in the Borough of Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grace.
Valenzuela and her parents have been working with the Filipino community and volunteering for services such as the yearly flower distribution in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce to offering meals at shelters.
The newly elected councilor is the director of Communications for the Filipino Heritage Society of Montreal and is part of the Strengthening Families Program team led by the Côte-des-Neiges Black Community Association.
Councilor-elect Valenzuela is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal with a degree in Political Sciences and International Development.
In receiving the news of Valenzuela’s victory, Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles remarked: “The Filipino diaspora across Canada celebrates the historic win of Stephanie Valenzuela as the first Canadian of Filipino heritage to be elected to the City Council of Montreal. During the several opportunities I had to meet her, she has given a commitment to be a voice of the 35,000-strong Filipino diaspora in Montreal.”
The Ensemble Montreal site describes Councilor Valenzuela: “Stephanie believes that representation is extremely important. Growing up in an ethnically populous borough, she quickly learned that diversity is not a threat, but a strength. Her deep understanding of the needs in her district and her involvement in the community inspired her to embark on this political journey with Ensemble Montreal.”
Earlier this year, Yvonne Clarke became the first Filipina Canadian Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly while Rechie Valdez made history as the first Filipina Member of Parliament in Canada.
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