At Home sa Abroad: The road ahead for Rechie Valdez, first Filipina in Canada’s Cabinet

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-Canadian Rechie Valdez made history not once, but twice, in Canadian politics.

In 2021, she became the first Filipino woman to become a Canadian Member of Parliament, and in July 2023, the first Filipino woman in Canada’s Cabinet.

The Canadian entrepreneur, television personality, and community advocate represents the riding, the equivalent of a legislative district, of Mississauga-Streetsville as a Member of Parliament.

Now Canada’s Minister of Small Business, Valdez takes on new challenges while proudly representing the Filipino presence in Canadian society.

In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler multimedia reporter Michelle Abad speaks with Canadian Minister of Small Business Rechie Valdez to talk about her recent appointment, her roots as a Filipino-Canadian, and what lies ahead.

Watch the video on Rappler on Monday, August 21, at 7 pm, Manila time. – Rappler.com

At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos is Rappler’s one-stop video podcast for all things Filipino diaspora. 

Watch other At Home sa Abroad episodes:

• How this leadership program helped Fil-Ams connect with their roots
• How is the local economic crisis affecting OFWs?
• Inside a migration reporter’s notebook
• The Filipino diaspora through a migrant’s eyes
• Is exporting Filipino workers a good thing?
• How this Gen Z couple is making their LDR work
• Tales of Martial Law, People Power from migrant Filipinos
• The plight of overseas Filipino women
• Navigating the int’l film industry as a Filipino woman
• After EU decision, what’s next for Filipino seafarers?
• Why do so many Filipinos go abroad to work?
• Filipino mom and daughter champion diversity in US
• Commemorating Independence Day as a Filipino abroad
• 1 year of Marcos’ migration governance
• Realities of Filipina marriage migration