Libby Davies

Libby Davies
CM
Davies at the 2006 New Democratic Party federal convention in Quebec City
Deputy leader of the New Democratic Party
In office
September 27, 2007 – October 18, 2015
Serving with Thomas Mulcair until 2011, then Megan Leslie and David Christopherson from 2012 to 2015
LeaderJack Layton
Thomas Mulcair
Preceded byBill Blaikie
Succeeded byDavid Christopherson
Shadow Minister for Health
In office
May 26, 2011 – January 22, 2015
LeaderJack Layton
Nycole Turmel
Thomas Mulcair
Preceded byUjjal Dosanjh
Succeeded byMurray Rankin
Member of Parliament
for Vancouver East
In office
June 2, 1997 – October 19, 2015
Preceded byAnna Terrana
Succeeded byJenny Kwan
Member of the Vancouver City Council
In office
1982–1993
Personal details
Born (1953-02-27) February 27, 1953
Aldershot, Hampshire, England
CitizenshipCanadian and British
PartyNew Democratic
Other political
affiliations		COPE
Domestic partner(s)Bruce Eriksen (common-law spouse; c. 1973–1997, his death)
Kimberly Elliott (present)
OccupationHuman resources coordinator
Websitewww.libbydavies.ca

Libby Davies CM (born February 27, 1953) is a Canadian politician from British Columbia. She was the member of Parliament for Vancouver East from 1997 to 2015, House leader for the New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2003 to 2011, and deputy leader of the party from 2007 until 2015 (alongside Thomas Mulcair under the leadership of Jack Layton and alongside Megan Leslie and David Christopherson after Mulcair became leader in 2012).[1][2] Prior to entering federal politics, Davies helped found the Downtown Eastside Residents Association[3] and served as a Vancouver city councillor from 1982 to 1993.[1]

Early life and career

Davies was born in Aldershot, United Kingdom, on February 27, 1953, and immigrated to Canada in 1968 with her family. She moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1969.[4] Before being elected to the Parliament of Canada, she participated in many grass-roots political organizations in the Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver. She dropped out of university to help Bruce Eriksen found the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA), an influential low-income housing advocacy group. She was instrumental in a campaign to save the Carnegie library, which was later converted into the Carnegie Community Centre serving low-income adults. From 1994 to 1997 Davies was employed by the Hospital Employees' Union.[5][6]

For 24 years, Davies lived in a common-law relationship with Vancouver city councillor Bruce Eriksen,[7] who died of cancer in 1997.[8] They had a son, Lief. In 2001, Davies became the first female Canadian member of Parliament to reveal that she was in a same-sex relationship.[5][9]

Political career

Municipal politics

Davies' first experience in politics was serving on the Vancouver Parks Board for one term, 1980–82.[10] She was elected to Vancouver City Council as a member of the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) in 1982 and was re-elected in 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990.[11] She ran for Mayor of Vancouver with the backing of COPE in 1993, losing to Philip Owen.[12]

Federal politics

Davies was first elected to parliament in 1997 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and 2011. Previously the NDP house leader and spokesperson for housing, homelessness and multiculturalism, she became the health critic in the shadow cabinet of Jack Layton upon the NDP's ascent to Official Opposition status. In parliament, she was a strong supporter of drug policy reform, specifically to halt the criminalization of drug users.

In 2005, during the parliamentary debate on same-sex marriage in Canada, Conservative MP Jason Kenney cited Davies' prior relationship with Eriksen as proof that marriage law does not discriminate against LGBT individuals, since a gay person can marry a member of the opposite sex. Davies, who was never formally married to Eriksen, joined other commentators in criticizing Kenney for playing politics with other parliamentarians' personal lives.

In December 2007, Davies received the Justice Gerald Le Dain Award for Achievement in the Field of Law. She was recognized for her "outstanding drug policy reform work" at the 2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, hosted by the Drug Policy Alliance and the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation.[13]

In 2009, she was interviewed for the Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride documentary on Gay Pride celebrations internationally.[14]

Davies faced accusations of antisemitism stemming from a June 5, 2010, interview in which she suggested that Israel has been occupied territory since 1948. She was criticized for her comments the next day in an Ottawa Citizen editorial. She responded to these criticisms in a letter to the Citizen, which was also posted on Davies' constituency website.[15]

In 2011, it was announced that Davies would serve as health critic for the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, while continuing to serve in her role as deputy leader of the NDP.[16]

Davies declined to stand as a candidate for the leadership of the New Democratic Party in 2012, citing her inability to speak French as a factor.[17]

On December 12, 2014, Davies announced that she would retire from parliament at the 2015 general election after 18 years as a member of Parliament.[18]

Post-politics

In December 2016, Davies was named a member of the Order of Canada.[19] In 2019, she published the memoir Outside In: A Political Memoir.[20]

Davies endorsed Avi Lewis in the 2026 New Democratic Party leadership election.[21]

Electoral record

2011 Canadian federal election: Vancouver East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Libby Davies 27,794 62.83 +8.41
Conservative Irene Yatco 8,361 18.90 +3.37
Liberal Roma Ahi 4,382 9.91 −7.32
Green Douglas Roy 3,383 7.65 −3.73
Marxist–Leninist Anne Jamieson 318 0.72 +0.31
Total valid votes 44,238 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 275 0.62 +0.03
Turnout 44,513 56.21 +2
Eligible voters 79,184
New Democratic hold Swing +2.52
2008 Canadian federal election: Vancouver East
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Libby Davies 22,506 54.42 −2.15 $72,187
Liberal Ken Low 7,127 17.23 −6.19 $80,088
Conservative Ryan Warawa 6,422 15.53 +2.22 $45,821
Green Mike Carr 4,708 11.38 +5.38 $2,396
Work Less Betty Krawczyk 423 1.02 —
Marxist–Leninist Anne Jamieson 171 0.41 —
Total valid votes/Expense limit 41,357 100.0     $83,047
Total rejected ballots 270 0.65 +0.18
Turnout 41,639 54 −2.4
New Democratic hold Swing +2.02
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Libby Davies 23,927 56.57 +0.11 $75,177
Liberal Dave Haggard 9,907 23.42 −2.50 $22,205
Conservative Elizabeth M. Pagtakhan 5,631 13.31 +3.32 $76,377
Green Christine Ellis 2,536 6.00 +0.31 $156
Canadian Action Bryce Bartholomew 293 0.69 — $200
Total valid votes 42,294 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 200 0.47 −0.26
Turnout 42,494 56.4 −1.76
New Democratic hold Swing +1.30
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Libby Davies 23,452 56.46 +14.19 $64,940
Liberal Shirley Chan 10,768 25.92 −7.81
Conservative Harvey Grigg 4,153 9.99 −7.53 $44,993
Green Ron Plowright 2,365 5.69 +3.24 $1,157
Marijuana Marc Boyer 399 0.96 −0.85
Christian Heritage Gloria Anne Kieler 250 0.60 +0.25
Independent Louis James Lesosky 147 0.35 —
Total valid votes 41,534 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 305 0.73 0.73 −0.37
Turnout 41,839 58.16 +2.28
New Democratic hold Swing +11.00
Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative vote in the 2000 election.
2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Libby Davies 16,818 42.27 +0.02 $56,481
Liberal Mason Loh 13,421 33.73 −3.33 $58,199
Alliance Sal Vetro 5,536 13.91 +1.81 $14,808
Progressive Conservative Michael Walsh 1,439 3.61 +0.89 $7,603
Green Kelly Elizabeth White 975 2.45 −0.99 $177
Marijuana David Malmo-Levine 724 1.81 —
Canadian Action Brian Bacon 432 1.08 — $2,648
Independent Edna Mathilda Brass 196 0.49 —
Independent Gloria Anne Kieler 143 0.35 −0.28
Natural Law Rosemary F. Galte 97 0.24 —
Total valid votes 39,781 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 444 1.10 −0.03
Turnout 40,225 55.88 −4.00
New Democratic hold Swing +1.68
Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform Party vote in the 1997 election.
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Libby Davies 14,961 42.25 +11.22 $52,043
Liberal Anna Terrana 13,123 37.06 +1.00 $52,663
Reform Keith Mitchell 4,287 12.10 +0.16 $11,525
Green Stuart Parker 1,221 3.44 +1.99 $2,871
Progressive Conservative Jerry Cikes 964 2.72 −6.10 $5,167
Christian Heritage Gloria Kieler 226 0.63 — $844
Natural Law Wayne Melvin 185 0.52 −0.45
Independent Kimball Cariou 161 0.45 −0.41 $5,097
Marxist–Leninist Charles Boylan 158 0.44 +0.23
Independent Ryan Bloc Québécois Bigge 121 0.34 —
Total valid votes 35,407 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 403 1.13
Turnout 35,810 59.88
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +5.11
1993 Vancouver municipal election: Vancouver mayor
Party Candidate Votes % Elected
NPA Philip Owen 46,687 50.03% Y
COPE Libby Davies 37,812 40.52%
Independent Bob Seeman 4,834 5.18%
Independent Jonathan Himsworth 683 0.73%
Independent Stu Campbell 581 0.62%
Independent The Captain 403 0.43%
Independent Angus Ian Macdonald 317 0.34%
Independent Brian G. Salmi 259 0.28%
Independent Shane McCune 234 0.25%
Independent Sandy Beach 207 0.22%
Independent Helder J. Fernandes 157 0.17%
Independent Jeremy Price 148 0.16%
Independent Marion Drakos 148 0.16%
Independent Terry K. Dunne 147 0.16%
Independent Matthew A. Martin 111 0.12%
Independent Wretched Ethyl 110 0.12%
Independent Arne Hansen 109 0.12%
Independent Ari Benbasat 109 0.12%
Independent Mike Chivilo 102 0.11%
Independent Rojer Streets 43 0.05%
Independent Jonathan Hagey 41 0.04%
Independent Sean Veley 35 0.04%
Independent Evan Ozirny 33 0.04%
1990 Vancouver municipal election: Councillors
Party Candidate Votes Elected
COPE Libby Davies (inc) 69,276 Y
COPE Harry Rankin (inc) 62,208 Y
COPE Bruce Eriksen (inc) 59,131 Y
NPA Don Bellamy (inc) 55,499 Y
NPA Philip Owen 55,112 Y
NPA George Puil (inc) 55,095 Y
COPE Bruce Yorke[a] 51,800 Y
NPA Tung Chan 51,085 Y
COPE Patricia Wilson 50,844 Y
NPA Gordon Price 50,719 Y
NDP David Levi 49,968
NPA Lynne Kennedy 48,685
NPA Roberta Beiser 45,445
NPA Elizabeth Ball 45,183
Jonathan Baker (inc)[b] 45,045
Sandra Bruneau 43,467
NPA Gillian Watson-Donald 39,801
Mel Lehan 38,864
NPA Alan White 38,094
Merrilee Robson 36,664
Ian Reid 34,597
Jack Volrich[b] 19,204
Gavin Ross 16,737
Alan Clapp 13,225
Stephen Brown 12,854
John Jeffery 9,748
Thomas Tsang 9,647
Jory Faibish 9,209
Don West 8,023
Cowboy Ellis 7,538
Larry Leaf 7,117
John Milligan 6,199
Richard Nantel 4,458
Robert Demorest 2,299
Fred Nelson 2,293
Antonio Di Felice 2,107
Ned Dmytryshyn 1,961
Source: Vancouver Sun[22][23]

Notes

  1. ^ Bruce Yorke (COPE) resigned in 1992 and was replaced through a by-election by Lynne Kennedy (NPA).
  2. ^ a b Formerly NPA, failed to secure nomination

References

  1. ^ a b "Parliamentarian File - Complete File - DAVIES, Libby". PARLINFO. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Mulcair says NDP 'poised' to form government". CBC News. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  3. ^ "About Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East". Libby Davies - MP for Vancouver East. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  4. ^ "Candidate: Davies, Libby". The Globe and Mail. 2005. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Libby Davies". Women Suffrage and Beyond. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  6. ^ Maclean's magazine, The NDP's union-made caucus, May 16, 2011, retrieved 2012-10-08
  7. ^ Libby Davies, Vancouver East (29 October 2001). "House of Commons Debates, Private Members' Business, Marriage Capacity Act". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Canada: House of Commons. col. 1145.
  8. ^ Fong, Petti (15 November 2008). "Vancouver play a walk on the wild side". Toronto Star. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  9. ^ Smith, Dale (19 October 2010). "Where are all the lesbians in federal politics?". Xtra.ca. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Legacy of Park Board Libby Davies". YouTube. November 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  11. ^ "6-term Vancouver MP Libby Davies won't run in 2015 election". CTV News. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  12. ^ Mackie, John (30 November 2002). "The Mayors of Vancouver: A lively history". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  13. ^ Editor. Carnegie Newsletter, Dec. 15, 2007 Carnegie Newsletter
  14. ^ Propes, Richard. "The Independent Critic - "Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride" Review". theindependentcritic.com. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  15. ^ Libby's response to inflamatory [sic] editorial Archived 29 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine www.libbydavies.ca June 11, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  16. ^ "Layton announces New Democrat shadow cabinet" (Press release). New Democratic Party. May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  17. ^ "NDP's Libby Davies out of leadership race". CBC News. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  18. ^ "Libby Davies, NDP deputy leader, won't run in 2015". CBC News. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  19. ^ "Order of Canada's newest appointees include Paralympian, Supreme Court judge and astrophysicist". CBC News, December 30, 2016.
  20. ^ "Libby Davies recounts four decades of political activism in her book Outside In: A Political Memoir". The Globe and Mail, May 21, 2019.
  21. ^ Seebruch, Nick (8 January 2026). "Off the Hill (FULL VIDEO): Analyzing the NDP leadership race". rabble.ca. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference VanSun19901119 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference result was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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