Hedy Fry becomes longest serving female MP in Canadian history

Hedy Fry, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Vancouver Centre, has become the longest serving female MP in the history of the Parliament of Canada.

The 74-year-old Liberal MP has held onto her seat since 1993 when she ousted sitting Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Kim Campbell from the riding. This made her the fifth person to ever evict a sitting Prime Minister and the first woman to do so.

She won her eight consecutive campaign last October with 56% of the vote, a 25% increase over the 2011 election.

“You know what they say… time flies when you’re having fun,” reads a Facebook post by Fry. “My deepest gratitude to my Vancouver Centre constituents. It is an honour to serve as your Member of Parliament.”

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Fry earned a Masters degree in English Literature at Oxford and a degree in Medicine with Honours from the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1970, she immigrated to Canada and practiced family medicine shortly after in downtown Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital.

But she was more than just a practician for 20 years, having served as the presidents of the Vancouver Medical Association, B.C. Medical Association, and the Federation of Medical Women. She also chaired the Canadian Medical Association’s Multiculturalism Committee for seven years.

Prior to being elected as MP, she was a host on CBC’s Doctor, Doctor television program.

The riding of Vancouver Centre covers the downtown Vancouver peninsula and Central Broadway.