14 Facts About Ida Chong

Ida Chong is a Canadian politician who served as the member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Oak Bay-Gordon Head from 1996 until 2013.

Ida Chong was born in Victoria as one of eight children to father Peter and mother Yokee Yee.

Ida Chong became a Certified General Accountant in 1981, and launched her own accounting firm with business partner Karen Kesteloo in 1985.

Ida Chong was named fellow of the Certified General Accountants of BC in 2006, and was awarded a CGA-BC lifetime membership in 2014.

Ida Chong was elected municipal councillor for Saanich in 1993, serving until 1996.

Together with NDP MLA Jenny Kwan, Ida Chong was one of the first two Chinese-Canadian members of the BC Legislative Assembly.

Ida Chong served as opposition critic for Small Business and deputy critic for Finance in her first term.

Ida Chong was re-elected in 2001,2005 and 2009, before losing to the Green Party's Andrew Weaver in 2013.

Ida Chong first entered Gordon Campbell's cabinet in January 2004 as Minister of State for Women's and Seniors' Services, before being named Minister of Advanced Education that December.

Ida Chong reprised the Seniors' and Women's Issues portfolio after the 2005 election, and went on to serve as Minister of Community Services; Minister Responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative; Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development; Minister of Healthy Living and Sport; Minister of Science and Universities; and Minister of Regional Economic and Skills Development under Campbell.

Ida Chong was the subject of an MLA recall under the British Columbia Recall and Initiative Act in 2010, as part of a larger campaign opposing the Liberal government's introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax.

Ida Chong subsequently served as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation from September 2012 until the end of her term in 2013.

On September 18,2014, Ida Chong announced her intention to run for mayor of the City of Victoria in that November's municipal election.

Ida Chong has been an active member of the Victoria, BC community volunteering on a number of boards.