Anita Hagen

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Anita Hagen
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for New Westminster
In office
October 22, 1986 – May 28, 1996
Preceded byDennis Cocke
Succeeded byGraeme Bowbrick
4th Deputy Premier of British Columbia
In office
November 5, 1991 – September 15, 1993
PremierMichael Harcourt
Preceded byRita Johnston
Succeeded byElizabeth Cull
Minister of Education of British Columbia
In office
November 5, 1991 – September 15, 1993
PremierMichael Harcourt
Preceded byStan Hagen
Succeeded byArt Charbonneau
Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights of British Columbia
In office
November 5, 1991 – September 15, 1993
PremierMichael Harcourt
Succeeded byMoe Sihota
Personal details
BornMay 6, 1931
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedJune 5, 2015(2015-06-05) (aged 84)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Political partyNew Democrat
Spouse
John Hagen
​
(m. 1961)​
Residence(s)New Westminster, British Columbia
Alma materDalhousie University
Occupationteacher

Anita Mae Joan Hagen (May 6, 1931 – June 5, 2015) was a Canadian politician who represented the riding of New Westminster in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1986 to 1996.[1] As part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, she served as the province's Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights from 1991 to 1993.

Biography[edit]

She was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1931, and attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1951.[2][3] She moved to New Westminster, British Columbia in 1954, and married John Hagen in 1961.[2][3] She worked as an English teacher at a high school in neighbouring Surrey before being elected a New Westminster school trustee, serving from 1976 to 1986.[2][4] She also worked for federal NDP member of Parliament for New Westminster—Coquitlam Pauline Jewett, and served as constituency assistant for BC NDP member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for New Westminster Dennis Cocke.[2]

With Cocke retiring from the legislature, Hagen sought and won the BC NDP nomination for the riding, and was elected MLA for New Westminster at the 1986 provincial election.[4] With the NDP in opposition, Hagen served as the party's education and seniors critic.[4] After winning re-election in 1991, she was named to the cabinet by Premier Mike Harcourt, serving as Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights in the NDP government.[5] She stepped down from cabinet in 1993,[5] then retired from active politics in 1996 at the age of 65.[4]

In 2005, she campaigned against replacing the existing first-past-the-post electoral system with a single transferable vote system (BC-STV) in the electoral reform referendum.[6] She died of cancer at Vancouver General Hospital in June 2015; she was survived by husband John and two sons.[2][3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Women MLAs in British Columbia" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-20.
  2. ^ a b c d e McManus, Theresa (2015-06-09). "Anita Hagen leaves a legacy in New Westminster". New Westminster Record. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  3. ^ a b c "Anita Hagen Obituary (2015) - the Province". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  4. ^ a b c d Granger, Grant (2015-01-02). "Hagen held seats of power". New Westminster News Leader. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  5. ^ a b "Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991-1996" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  6. ^ "Opinion: STV not good for rural ridings". Kamloops This Week. 2005-04-20. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
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