B.C. tourism minister resigns due to 'pressing and urgent personal matters'
British Columbia's tourism minister has resigned from cabinet and gone on medical leave effective immediately, the premier announced Wednesday.
In a brief statement, John Horgan said Minister of Tourism, Art, Culture and Sport Melanie Mark "advised me of her decision to resign her cabinet portfolio and go on medical leave to focus on pressing and urgent personal matters."
Mark will continue to represent the riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant in the legislature.
Horgan said he has asked Lisa Beare to assume the tourism portfolio in addition to her role as minister of citizens’ services.
"While I regret that she [Mark] will not be at the cabinet table, I respect her decision and her commitment to her constituents," the premier said.
Mark was the first Indigenous woman to become an MLA in B.C. after she was elected in the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant riding in 2016.
Before working as B.C.'s Minister of Tourism, she held the position of Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.
During that time, she helped develop a policy that removed all fees for people accessing Adult Basic Education.
She also helped launch the world's first Indigenous Law Program at the University of Victoria in 2018. The inaugural class of that program graduated in June of this year.
In her biography on the B.C. Legislative Assembly website, Mark is quoted saying that education is "the great equalizer" and that she often references the saying, "a rising tide lifts all canoes."
"I value my role and remain committed to the constituents of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant,” Mark said on Twitter just before noon Wednesday.
"I thank my family and colleagues for their support at this time."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.