Bill Siksay: Difference between revisions
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When Robinson resigned the Burnaby—Douglas seat in April 2004 due to a controversy around his theft of a piece of jewellery, Siksay won the nomination to replace Robinson as the NDP candidate in the upcoming election, and won the riding in the [[Canadian federal election, 2004|2004 federal election]] on [[June 28]].<ref>[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=6c68da58-bafc-4a4f-b39e-8cd226e21c57&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience]</ref> |
When Robinson resigned the Burnaby—Douglas seat in April 2004 due to a controversy around his theft of a piece of jewellery, Siksay won the nomination to replace Robinson as the NDP candidate in the upcoming election, and won the riding in the [[Canadian federal election, 2004|2004 federal election]] on [[June 28]].<ref>[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=6c68da58-bafc-4a4f-b39e-8cd226e21c57&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience]</ref> |
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With his election, Siksay became |
With his election, Siksay became [[List of the first LGBT holders of political offices|the first openly gay person to be elected]] to Canada's Parliament in his first term. All of the previous MPs to come out as gay — Robinson, [[Libby Davies]], [[Réal Ménard]] and [[Scott Brison]] — came out only after they were already sitting as MPs, and [[Mario Silva]] officially came out in a ''[[Toronto Star]]'' profile shortly after the election. |
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In the [[New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet|NDP Shadow Cabinet]], Siksay is currently critic for Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy, and for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues; the NDP's is the only shadow cabinet with this latter position.[http://www.ndp.ca/billsiksay] He was previously critic for Citizenship and Immigration, and then for Canadian Heritage and Housing. |
In the [[New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet|NDP Shadow Cabinet]], Siksay is currently critic for Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy, and for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues; the NDP's is the only shadow cabinet with this latter position.[http://www.ndp.ca/billsiksay] He was previously critic for Citizenship and Immigration, and then for Canadian Heritage and Housing. |
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Revision as of 17:31, 25 April 2009
William Livingstone Siksay | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Burnaby—Douglas | |
| Assumed office 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Svend Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 11, 1955 Oshawa, Ontario |
| Political party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Brian Burke |
| Residence | Burnaby |
| Profession | Member of Parliament |
William Livingstone (Bill) Siksay, MP (born March 11, 1955, in Oshawa, Ontario to parents Patricia and William Siksay) is a Canadian politician, the Member of Parliament (MP) who represents the British Columbia riding of Burnaby—Douglas for the New Democratic Party.
Receiving his high school diploma from McLaughlin Collegiate and Vocational Institute in Oshawa, Ontario, Siksay attended Victoria College at the University of Toronto, graduating with a B.A. in 1978. He then enrolled in the M.Div. programme at the Vancouver School of Theology at the University of British Columbia, studying as a candidate to be a congregational minister in the United Church of Canada. He was one of the first people to come out as gay or lesbian in the process of his ordination and helped start the debate in the church on the ordination and commissioning of openly gay or lesbian candidates.[1] He did not complete the programme and was not ordained.
Prior to running for elected office, he was constituency assistant to Svend Robinson for over 18 years. He also ran in the 1997 election in the riding of Vancouver Centre, but lost to incumbent Hedy Fry.
When Robinson resigned the Burnaby—Douglas seat in April 2004 due to a controversy around his theft of a piece of jewellery, Siksay won the nomination to replace Robinson as the NDP candidate in the upcoming election, and won the riding in the 2004 federal election on June 28.[2]
With his election, Siksay became the first openly gay person to be elected to Canada's Parliament in his first term. All of the previous MPs to come out as gay — Robinson, Libby Davies, Réal Ménard and Scott Brison — came out only after they were already sitting as MPs, and Mario Silva officially came out in a Toronto Star profile shortly after the election.
In the NDP Shadow Cabinet, Siksay is currently critic for Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy, and for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues; the NDP's is the only shadow cabinet with this latter position.[2] He was previously critic for Citizenship and Immigration, and then for Canadian Heritage and Housing.
In May 2005, Siksay introduced a bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. (NDP)
In January 2006, Siksay was re-elected to the Burnaby—Douglas seat with a slightly increased majority, with a margin of 2.5% (versus 2% in 2004). He was again re-elected by a narrow margin in the 2008 election.
Bill Siksay was the only MP in parliament to vote against the Tackling Violent Crime Act (Bill C-2),[3] arguing that its provisions on the age of consent would harm LGBT youth.
Siksay resides in Burnaby with his partner The Rev. Brian Burke, and remains an active member of the United Church of Canada.
References
- ^ Smith, Dale (July 2007), "Siksay Celebrates 20 Years" (PDF), Outlooks, p. 22, retrieved 2007-09-12
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.howdtheyvote.ca/vote.php?id=478