VANCOUVER – Taking a cue from Forbes magazine recently published a list of the most powerful women in politics, which included India’s Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi – Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith made his own list of local powerful women which includes two-Surrey based politicians – councillor Barinder Rasode and MP Nina Grewal. Although the list would have to be considered disappointing when you only have these two for consideration from the Indo-Canadian community and the recently elected Jinny “Jogindro” Sims as the community’s only political representatives.
Here’s who made the list:
1. Christy Clark, B.C. premier
2. Dianne Watts, mayor of Surrey
3. Lois Jackson, chair Metro Vancouver and mayor of Delta
4. Libby Davies, deputy leader and health critic, New Democratic Party
5. Mary McNeil, Minister of Children and Family Development
6. Stephanie Cadieux Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government
7. Naomi Yamamoto Minister of Advanced Education
8. Judy Villeneuve, Surrey councillor
9. Mary Polak, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
10. Andrea Reimer, Vancouver councillor
11. Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, mayor of West Vancouver
12. Kathy Corrigan, NDP MLA, Burnaby–Deer Lake
13. Mable Elmore, NDP MLA, Vancouver-Kensington
14. Sue Hammell, NDP MLA, Surrey–Green Timbers
15. Patti Bacchus, chair, Vancouver board of education
16. Colleen Jordan, Burnaby councillor
17. Laurae McNally, chair, Surrey board of education
18. Jenny Kwan, NDP MLA, Vancouver–Mount Pleasant
19. Gayle Martin, City of Langley councillor
20. Heather Deal, Vancouver councillor
21. Chief Kim Baird, Tsawwassen First Nation
22. Catherine Ferguson, mayor of White Rock
23. Linda Hepner, Surrey councillor
24. Barinder Rasode, Surrey councillor
25. Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)
26. Nina Grewal, Conservative MP, Fleetwood–Port Kells
27. Wai Young, Conservative MP, Vancouver South
28. Hedy Fry, Liberal MP, Vancouver Centre
29. Joyce Murray, Liberal MP, Vancouver Quadra
30. Margaret MacDiarmid, B.C. Liberal MLA, Vancouver-Fairview
