Jenn McGinn

Jenn McGinn
McGinn in 2008
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Fairview
In office
October 29, 2008 – May 12, 2009
Preceded byGregor Robertson
Succeeded byMargaret MacDiarmid
Personal details
Born
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
PartyBritish Columbia New Democratic Party
Other political
affiliations
Coalition of Progressive Electors
Occupationaccount manager

Jenn McGinn is a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA) from 2008 to 2009, representing the electoral district of Vancouver-Fairview as part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (NDP) caucus. She is the first openly lesbian MLA in British Columbia.

Biography

Born in Prince Edward Island, McGinn first became involved in politics as a high school student in Charlottetown in the late 1980s. She joined the NDP at 17 years old, then became president of the P.E.I. Young New Democrats. She moved to Vancouver in 1993, and worked in various roles such as vice-president of the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, director of development for the Surrey Women's Centre, and executive director of the South Granville Seniors Centre.

She ran as a Coalition of Progressive Electors candidate for Vancouver Park Board commissioner in the 2005 municipal election, but was unsuccessful. She subsequently worked as an account manager with the community business banking team of Vancity Savings Credit Union prior to entering provincial politics.

After Vancouver-Fairview MLA Gregor Robertson resigned his seat to run in the 2008 mayoral election, McGinn was nominated as the NDP candidate for the ensuing by-election; her candidacy was endorsed in a Georgia Straight editorial. She was elected to the legislature by defeating BC Liberal candidate Margaret MacDiarmid in the October 2008 by-election, and served as opposition critic for Community Living BC in the 38th Parliament.

After the 2008 by-election the boundaries of Vancouver-Fairview were redrawn by Elections BC as part of a larger province-wide redistribution. McGinn once again faced MacDiarmid in the 2009 provincial election, but this time lost to the latter; she returned to Vancity following her electoral defeat.

Electoral record

By-election, October 29, 2008: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Jenn McGinn 5,487 46.66
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid4,77940.64
GreenJane Sterk8567.28–
ConservativeWilf Hanni4834.11
MarijuanaJodie Emery1551.32
2009 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Fairview
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
LiberalMargaret MacDiarmid11,03447.09$144,364
New DemocraticJenn McGinn9,88142.17$106,859
GreenVanessa Violini2,2329.52$749
IndependentGraham Clark1650.70$250
ReformNorris Matthew Barens850.36$250
RefederationAlex Frei370.16$260
Total valid votes 23,434100.00
Total rejected ballots 1520.64
Turnout 23,58656.50
Registered voters 41,748
Source: Elections BC

References

  1. 1 2 Hainsworth, Jeremy (October 29, 2008). "Queers win BC by-elections". Xtra Magazine. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "McGinn switches coasts to win for NDP". CBC News. November 3, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "MLA: Jenn McGinn". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  4. ↑ Hainsworth, Jeremy (October 25, 2005). "Safer parks for queers". Xtra Magazine. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  5. ↑ "The "Straight" slate for a more livable region [Vancouver]". The Georgia Straight. November 17, 2005. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  6. ↑ "NDP's Spencer Herbert and Jenn McGinn easy choices in Vancouver by-elections". The Georgia Straight. October 22, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Vancouver-Fairview". CBC News. April 29, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  8. ↑ Smith, Charlie (May 12, 2009). "B.C. Liberal Margaret MacDiarmid takes Vancouver-Fairview from NDP". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Our Team". Vancity Community Foundation. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ "2009 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes - Vancouver-Fairview (VFA) Voting results by voting area" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved March 2, 2026.