10 things to know about Rechie Valdez | FIRST Filipino-Canadian WOMAN to Serve Cabinet in Canada
Over the past few weeks, the headline “Minister Rechie Valdez, Filipino-Canadian Woman to serve Cabinet in Canada” might have crossed your newsfeed at least once and that’s a great thing! She is also considered to be the first Filipino-Canadian woman to be elected to Parliament since she won the seat in 2021. We are so proud of Rechie Valdez, such huge, significant milestones for Filipinas, now taking on the role of Minister of Small Business in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new Cabinet. Valdez has always been a huge advocate for her Filipino heritage, so much in fact that before reciting her oath, that she greeted everyone “Mabuhay,” and then solemnly pledged, “I, Rechie Valdez, do sincerely and solemnly promise and swear that I will truly and faithfully, and to do the best of my skill and knowledge, execute the powers and trust purpose in me as Minister of Small Business, so help me God.” Clearly we can see how serious she is about her responsibilities as a dignitary but still puts her Filipino roots first before swearing in. However there is more than just this milestone that makes Rechie Valdez unstoppable, let’s get into 10 things you should know about Minister of Small Business, Rechie Valdez.
1. Rechie is the First Filipino Canadian Woman to be a part of the Canadian cabinet. She is the second Filipino to be elected, the last one was former Manitoba Liberal MP Rey Pagtakhan, who was elected 17 years prior.
2. This is her second “first'' in Canadian history. Valdez’s very first historic moment was when she was elected as the first Filipino-Canadian member of Parliament for Mississauga—Streetsville, Ontario in 2021.
3. Born and raised in Zambia, Southern Africa, she immigrated to Canada together with her Filipino parents, Zosimo and Normita Salazar, in 1989 when she was nine.
4. She developed a love for baking and owns a Filipino influenced bakery in Mississauga, Ontario, called Chietopia.
5. She put her baking skills to the test when she competed on season 2 of Food Network’s hit show, The Big Bake Bake, pairing up with teammates Damion and Fran to create team, Bake to The Future.
6. Notably, Valdez has a diverse background in the media industry, having hosted the “Fearlessly Creative” television show on Filipino TV, a Canadian specialty channel broadcasting Tagalog-language content.
7. Valdez has partnered with basketball associations and raised funds for children’s charities across Canada such as the Montreal Children's Hospital and SickKids in Toronto.
8. One of her biggest highlights is the creation of the National Women’s Entrepreneurship Day bill and she even seconded the bill for the National Indigenous Teachers Day.
9. She has been an advocate for the Filipino-Canadian community, working continuously to strengthen ties between Canada and the Philippines. Her role as the chair of the Canada-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group and her active participation in various events like the Fun Philippines Toronto Street Festival and the 2023 Philippine Economic Briefing in Toronto shows her dedication to truly bring together the Filipino Canadian community.
10. Additionally, she played a significant role in the Canadian North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Parliamentary Association and the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association from 2022 to 2023.
Filipino names are truly some of the most diverse names you’ll ever come across. Our last names alone can have Spanish influence, Chinese influence, and in some cases American influences due to the involvement of the U.S. during World War II.
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