There is a lot of disappointment in the Filipino community as B.C. NDP Premier John Horgan unveiled his new Cabinet today (November 26).
Filipinos have asked Horgan to include the only Filipino-Canadian member of the legislative assembly (MLA) in cabinet, but this did not happen.
Mable Elmore has been ignored again for a cabinet post.
The B.C. NDP is starting its second term in office, following its decisive victory in the October 24, 2020 provincial election.
Elmore, for her part, won her fourth term as the B.C. NDP MLA for Vancouver-Kensington.
During the first term of Horgan’s New Democrats, Elmore did not get into cabinet.
Before the election, Elmore was also the parliamentary secretary for poverty reduction.
When Horgan announced the new cabinet on November 26, Elmore got a new parliamentary secretary position.
Elmore will serve as parliamentary secretary for Seniors Services & Long Term Care.
RJ Aquino and Rudy Antonio led the community effort to release an open letter to Horgan, asking for Elmore’s inclusion in cabinet.
The letter was signed by more than 50 Filipino community associations.
There was also a separate petition signed individually by Filipinos, which called for the same.
On Twitter, Aquino wrote the following:
“I’m disappointed that @mableelmore was not included in the cabinet. I’m disappointed that we haven’t received a response. I’m disappointed that we were not heard. We will not, as they hope, “get over it.” We’ll continue to ask @jjhorgan to prove he can see colour.”