Mary Polak
Encyclopedia
Mary Polak is a Member
of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
(MLA) for the riding of Langley
and currently serves as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. She previously served as Minister of Children and Families, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health and the former chair of the Surrey School Board
in Surrey
, British Columbia
.
. As chair of the Surrey School Board, she voted down a request, along with the majority of the school board, to add three specific books dealing with same sex families as recommended learning resources for the kindergarten and grade one curriculum. These books were requested by a kindergarten
teacher
to reflect the realities of today's families and to teach his pupils about diversity
and tolerance
. The BC Government also declined to approve the same books.
A legal battle to overturn the decision to ban the three books went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada
, where the school board's decision was returned to the board. The judgment cited the need for families headed by same-sex couples to be respected. Chief Justice
Beverly McLachlin dismissed the school board's argument that children would be confused or misled by classroom information about same-sex parents
. The Surrey School Board then approved a different set of books depicting same sex families. In doing so, Surrey became the first school district in BC to approve books depicting same sex families as recommended learning resources for primary grades, including kindergarten.
, but lost the 2004 Surrey-Panorama Ridge
by-election
to Jagrup Brar
, the New Democratic Party of British Columbia
candidate. This was a substantial defeat for the governing Liberals.
Polak won a seat in the 2005 provincial election
in the riding of Langley by over 52%, 18 points ahead of her next closest competitor. As an MLA for Langley she served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health and later as the Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.
Polak ran successfully again in the 2009 Provincial election earning more than 56% at the polls and increased her margin over her nearest opponent to more than 20 points.
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
(MLA) for the riding of Langley
Langley (provincial electoral district)
Langley is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It should not be confused with the federal electoral district of Langley, which encompasses a somewhat larger area...
and currently serves as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. She previously served as Minister of Children and Families, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health and the former chair of the Surrey School Board
School District 36 Surrey
School District 36 Surrey operates schools in Surrey, White Rock, and Barnston Island, British Columbia. It is the largest school district in British Columbia with 66,100 students during the 2005/2006 school year. District 36 includes 99 elementary schools, 20 secondary schools, and 6 learning...
in Surrey
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Same-sex-parents book controversy
Polak was recruited to run as a member of the Surrey Electors Team by school trustee Heather StilwellHeather Stilwell
Heather Stilwell was a political activist and former school trustee in Surrey, British Columbia. A staunch Roman Catholic, she was well-known for her opinions opposing homosexuality, abortion, and sex education....
. As chair of the Surrey School Board, she voted down a request, along with the majority of the school board, to add three specific books dealing with same sex families as recommended learning resources for the kindergarten and grade one curriculum. These books were requested by a kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
to reflect the realities of today's families and to teach his pupils about diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
and tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
. The BC Government also declined to approve the same books.
A legal battle to overturn the decision to ban the three books went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
, where the school board's decision was returned to the board. The judgment cited the need for families headed by same-sex couples to be respected. Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
Beverly McLachlin dismissed the school board's argument that children would be confused or misled by classroom information about same-sex parents
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. The Surrey School Board then approved a different set of books depicting same sex families. In doing so, Surrey became the first school district in BC to approve books depicting same sex families as recommended learning resources for primary grades, including kindergarten.
Results publishing
As school board chair, Polak made Surrey the first school district in B.C. to publish school-by-school results for both elementary and secondary schools. She also served as Chair of the Council of British Columbia School Districts and on the Board of Directors of the B.C. School Trustees Association.Provincial politics
She tried unsuccessfully to gain a seat in the Legislature as a candidate for the BC Liberal PartyBritish Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
, but lost the 2004 Surrey-Panorama Ridge
Surrey-Panorama Ridge
Surrey-Panorama Ridge was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada from 2001 to 2009.- Demographics :-1999 Redistribution:Surrey-Panorama Ridge was created from*the southern half of Surrey-Newton...
by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to Jagrup Brar
Jagrup Brar
Jagrup Brar, is a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia, Canada. He represents the riding of Surrey-Fleetwood as a member of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia.-Early life:...
, the New Democratic Party of British Columbia
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
candidate. This was a substantial defeat for the governing Liberals.
Polak won a seat in the 2005 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 2005
The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia , Canada. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
in the riding of Langley by over 52%, 18 points ahead of her next closest competitor. As an MLA for Langley she served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health and later as the Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.
Polak ran successfully again in the 2009 Provincial election earning more than 56% at the polls and increased her margin over her nearest opponent to more than 20 points.