Filipino Canadian Yvonne Clarke has been elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Porter Creek Centre, making her the first person of Filipino descent to be elected in Yukon, Canada.
Clarke was recognized for her leadership of the Canadian Filipino Association of the Yukon, where she served as president. She was recently sworn in as the territory’s first Filipina MLA after winning the election held on April 12, 2021.
“To all constituents in the Porter Creek Centre riding, it is my privilege and honor to be your MLA and the first Yukon-Filipina to be voted into the legislative assembly,” Yvonne Clarke wrote in a Facebook post.
“Thank you for believing in me and placing your trust in me. It was an absolute pleasure to meet so many of you during my campaign and I want to keep the conversations going!” Clarke added.
Yvonne Clarke won her electoral district with 704 votes representing the Yukon Party, defeating incumbent Liberal Paolo Gallina by 61 votes and NDP Shonagh McCrindle by 334 votes.
Originally from Cebu, Clarke has lived in the Yukon since 1995. Her professional background ranges from public service to small business ownership to extensive volunteer work.
The Filipina MLA also currently serves as the Chair of the Yukon Advisory Council on Women’s Issues, advancing the legal, social and economic equality of Yukon women, and sits as a Yukon representative on the RCMP Commissioner’s Diversity Advisory Committee.
According to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics’ 2016 census, 23% of Yukon’s immigrants are from the Philippines. Clarke is the fifth Filipina Canadian to be elected to a provincial legislature in Canada.
Filipino leaders in top U.S. government posts include Gloria Steele, Camille Calimlim Touton, and Veronica Valdez who are now serving as the acting heads of federal and development agencies after they were appointed by United States President Joe Biden.
Filipino-American Jason Tengco was recently named the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s White House Liaison.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Yvonne Clarke, the newly elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Porter Creek Centre, making her the first person of Filipino descent to be elected in Yukon, Canada.
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