Tag Archives: Melanie Mark

Joan Phillip, the second First Nations woman in the ‘B.C.’ cabinet, is patient but unrelenting

By  Kayla MacInnis, IndigiNews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In February of 2023, Melanie Mark stood before the “B.C.” legislature, visibly shaken, as she read out her resignation speech.

“This place felt like a torture chamber,” she said, holding an eagle feather and wearing her grandfather’s beaded moosehide fringe jacket.

A descendant of the Nisg̱a’a and Gitxsan people on her mom’s side and Cree, Ojibway, French, and Scottish on her father’s side, Mark was the first First Nations woman to serve on the cabinet of “British Columbia” from February 2016 until April 2023.

Continue reading Joan Phillip, the second First Nations woman in the ‘B.C.’ cabinet, is patient but unrelenting

Election 2020: 10 Indigenous candidates running

(The 10 indigenous candidates from left to right are, top row: Earl Einarson, Adam Sumexheltza, Ellis Ross, Melanie Mark, Roy Jones Jr. Bottom row: Anna Thomas, Gordon Sebastian, Anne Marie Sam, Nicole Halbauer, Adam Olsen).

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Oct. 24, B.C. will elect 87 members of the legislative assembly (MLAs). This comes after current Premier John Horgan called a snap election, leaving many to make quick decisions as to whether or not they would run. IndigiNews reviewed all of the candidates running and determined that there are 10 indigenous candidates participating in this provincial election.  Here’s what we know about them: 

Continue reading Election 2020: 10 Indigenous candidates running