A rookie and two incumbent Canadian Filipino members of the Manitoba legislative assembly won in the April 19, 2016 election in the province.
Jon Reyes, who was born in Winnipeg, represents the constituency of St. Norbert. A former soldier and now a businessman, Reyes ran with the Progressive Conservative Party, which unseated the ruling NDP. It was his first foray into provincial politics.
The Brian Pallister-led Conservatives are back in power in Manitoba after 16 years. The party promised during the campaign to improve infrastructure, increase business opportunities, and reverse a sales tax hike.
Reyes is the founder and past president of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council. For bringing together the Filipino business community across the province and developing stronger trade ties between Canada and the Philippines, he received a certificate of appreciation from the City of Winnipeg.
The NDP’s Flor Marcelino, who was the first woman of colour to be elected in the Manitoba legislative assembly in 2007, won a third term. Marcelino will continue to represent the constituency of Logan.
Following the defeat of the NDP, party leader Gre Selinger resigned. On May 7, 2016, Marcelino was named interim leader of the NDP in Manitoba party and leader of the opposition in the Manitoba legislative assembly.
In Tyndall Park, Ted Marcelino, also with the NDP, won his second term. Marcelino was challenged in the election by Aida Champagne, also a Canadian Filipino, who ran with the Liberals.
Before he was first elected as the MLA in 2011, Marcelino was well known in the community for his volunteer work helping new Canadians. He assisted families with their Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program applications and worked as counsel at the Immigration and Refugee Board.
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