About Christy Clark
About Christy ClarkClark Clark has received numerous recognitions and awards, including the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for her work in the anti-bullying movement.
In November 2018, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN).
She has also been inducted into the WXN Hall of Fame.
Christy Clark, a distinguished figure among Canadian politicians, was the 35th Premier of British Columbia and the first woman to be re-elected to that position. When Clark took office, Canada’s third-largest province was struggling economically, but in just six years, she transformed the BC economy. She made significant investments in strategic infrastructure, encouraged greater participation from Indigenous communities in the economy, accelerated global trade, and modernized and diversified what is now a $250 billion economy. At the same time, Clark balanced consecutive budgets, reduced debt, and maintained some of the best health and education outcomes in the country.
Today, Clark is a highly sought-after guest speaker at events nationwide, an active board member for top Canadian companies and institutes, and an advisor to some of Canada’s leading figures and organizations.
Her deep understanding of decision-making at various levels of government has made her a trusted advisor to business leaders in corporate boardrooms, and her experience in economic development has earned her recognition as a thought leader by numerous industry leaders and think tanks.
Over the Years
1965
Clark was born on October 29, 1965, in Burnaby, British Columbia. She is the daughter of Mavis Audrey (née Bain) and Jim Clark. Her mother was a marriage and family therapist in Vancouver. Her father was a teacher and ran three-times for BC’s Legislative Assembly when Clark was a young child.
1981
Clark graduated from Burnaby South Senior Secondary and went on to attend Simon Fraser University (SFU), the Sorbonne in France and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she majored in political science and religious studies.
1991
Clark was a key figure in the re-birth of the BC Liberal Party in 1991 and worked as a researcher in Victoria for the new BC Liberal caucus.
1992
Clark became the Liberal Party of Canada’s national youth director in the lead-up to the 1993 election. She would go on to serve as Western Canada’s special advisor to the Liberal federal Minister of Transport, Douglas Young.
1996
Clark’s first election victory came in 1996, when she moved back home and was elected MLA for the riding of Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain. Throughout her five years as member of the Legislative Assembly, she served as the Official Opposition critic for the Environment, Children and Families and for the Public Service.
2001
A tireless critic of the BC-NDP government, Clark also served as campaign co-chair for the BC Liberals for the 2001 election campaign, where the party won 77 of 79 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Clark received the second highest vote margin in the province, winning her Port Moody-Westwood seat with 75% of the vote. Following the election, Premier Gordon Campbell appointed Clark Minister of Education and Deputy Premier.
2001
Shortly after that election, Clark gave birth to her son and only child, Hamish Marissen-Clark, with her then-husband Mark Marissen. This was the second time in Canadian history that a woman gave birth while serving as a cabinet minister.
2005
Clark resigned from cabinet in 2005 to spend more time with her family, and went on to become a media personality and commentator. She hosted The Christy Clark Show on weekday afternoons on CKNW 980 AM in Vancouver. She also wrote weekly columns for the Vancouver Province and the Vancouver Sun newspapers during the 2005 provincial election, and provided election analysis for Global BC and CTV News Channel during the 2006 federal election.
2010
In late 2010, Clark left her media career to seek the leadership of the BC Liberal Party. Her extensive record continues to grow.
2011
Clark becomes the Premier of British Columbia.