B.C. NDP MLA ‘experiencing some health issues,’ party says

Vancouver-Strathcona MLA Joan Phillip is seen in a B.C. NDP handout image.

B.C. NDP MLA ‘experiencing some health issues,’ party says

Vancouver-Strathcona MLA Joan Phillip is “experiencing some health issues,” the B.C. NDP confirmed Wednesday.

The nature of the 73-year-old’s condition hasn’t been disclosed, but the party said she has continued to participate in votes as she receives care.

The fall sitting of the B.C. legislature ends this week.

“While she takes the time to address her health needs, Joan will continue to represent the residents of Vancouver-Strathcona, her office remains open, and her staff continue to serve and assist constituents,” NDP caucus chair Garry Begg said in a statement.

Begg said party members are “sending our love and strength” to Phillip, and asked that the public “do the same while respecting her privacy.”

On top of her MLA duties, Phillip serves as the NDP’s parliamentary secretary for community development and non-profits.

The Indigenous leader and environmental activist—who is married to Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, longtime president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs—first came to office in a 2023 byelection, and was re-elected in 2024.

Over the last year, both B.C. NDP MLA Grace Lore and B.C. Conservative MLA Brent Chapman announced they were battling cancer, but would remain in office during treatment.

Given the NDP’s single-seat majority in the legislature, any one member having to fully step back from their duties could lead to a host of complications, said Stewart Prest, political scientist with Simon Fraser University.

It would leave the NDP with “no real margin for error,” Prest said, and force the government to maintain close relations with MLAs outside the party.

“The NDP may have to look to the Greens for that final vote to ensure they can break a tie,” Prest said. “It’s a more unpredictable environment.”

In October, Lore provided an update that she was recovering after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy. There are options for MLAs to continue voting virtually while undergoing serious treatment, Prest noted.

With no details available about the extent of Phillip’s health issues, Prest stressed that “the human part of this story is important to keep an eye on.”

“We really wish her the best, and a speedy recovery,” he said.