{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Josephine Pon | native_name = {{nobold|盤世寶}} | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA|size=100%}} | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = British Hong Kong<ref name="div2018">{{Cite web | url=https://crtc.gc.ca/fra/BCASTING/ann_rep/Rogers_2018_CD_Report.pdf | title=2018 Diversity Report | website=crtc.gc.ca | date=2019-01-31 | publisher=Rogers Media Inc.}}</ref> | office = Alberta Minister of Seniors and Housing | succeeding = | term_start = April 30, 2019 | term_end = June 9, 2023 | predecessor = Lori Sigurdson | successor = Jason Nixon | party = United Conservative Party | occupation = Business Management | alma_mater = University of Liverpool | office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Beddington | predecessor2 = New district | term_start2 = April 16, 2019 | term_end2 = May 29, 2023 | successor2 = Amanda Chapman }}
'''Josephine Pon''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECA}} is a Canadian politician who was elected in the 2019 Alberta general election to represent the electoral district of Calgary-Beddington in the 30th Alberta Legislature. She is a member of the United Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alberta election: Calgary-Beddington results - Calgary {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4848668/alberta-election-calgary-beddington-results/ |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref> She was a member of the Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund and the Special Standing Committee on Members' Services. She previously was Alberta's Minister of Seniors and Housing from 2019 to 2022.
== Background == Pon was born in Hong Kong. She immigrated to Alberta, Canada in 1981, living her following years in Edmonton then eventually in Calgary with a career in banking before pursuing her political career.<ref name="meet">{{Cite web |title=Meet Josephine Pon |url=https://josephinepon.nationbuilder.com/bio |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Josephine Pon}}</ref> According to election promotion material from the 2019 Alberta provincial election, Pon worked in banking for over 20 years, in roles such as Account Manager in Personal/Commercial banking and Regional Manager, Business Development responsible for Multicultural Banking in the Prairie Region with Scotiabank working with more than 230 branches as well as 3,000 staff in and around the Prairie Region.<ref name=":0">"Josephine Pon biography". ''www.alberta.ca''. Retrieved 2019-10-27.</ref> Between 2013 and 2016 she was the chair of the board of directors for Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC) helping over 27,000 immigrants over 50 programs each year.<ref name="meet"/> She also worked at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), a crown corporation in mortgage insurance, as an International Trade Consultant as well as in the Assisted Housing department in the Prairie Region. Shortly before the election, she was Vice President of the Taste of Asia Group, which comprises five restaurants in Canada and well over 150 employees, claiming to assist in providing insight to the reality of the economic situation involving business and restaurant owners.<ref name="div2018"/>
== Political career == On April 16, 2019, Pon was elected as the United Conservative Party MLA for Calgary-Beddington. She defeated Communications & Marketing Consultant, Alberta NDP candidate Amanda Chapman by 3807 votes, winning 53.1% of all votes cast.
Shortly after the election, Premier Jason Kenney appointed her as Alberta's Minister of Seniors and Housing, vowing to ensure that Albertans and seniors have access to affordable housing and have the resources they need.<ref name=":0" /> Since her appointment, she has worked on reforming conventional methods of application and management of provincial benefits such as mailing, faxing or dropping-off to a more senior friendly digital option.<ref>{{Cite web | author=Wyton, Moira | date=2019-10-02 | title=UCP announces digitization of seniors' benefits | publisher=Edmonton Journal | url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/ucp-announces-digitization-of-seniors-benefits}}</ref> She has also made efforts to advance housing projects in Alberta, saying "Investing in affordable housing is vital to helping more low-income Albertans get on the path to financial stability."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calgary to receive $24.6 million from federal government for affordable housing projects |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-to-receive-24-6-million-from-federal-government-for-affordable-housing-projects |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=calgaryherald |language=en-CA}}</ref>
Pon announced her affordable housing plan on Nov. 21, 2019, as a way to reduce red tape for Albertan applicants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Matt |date=2019-11-21 |title=Affordable housing plan rolled out by provincial government |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/affordable-housing-plan-rolled-out-by-provincial-government/ |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Edmonton |language=en}}</ref> On November 1, 2021, Pon announced the tabling of Bill 78: The Alberta Housing Amendment Act, which will allow the government to enter into "joint ventures" with for profit private companies in an effort to attract more investment to expand and improve affordable housing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alberta government taking steps toward private partnerships and sale of affordable housing projects |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-government-taking-steps-toward-private-partnerships-for-affordable-housing-projects |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=edmontonjournal |language=en-CA}}</ref>
As part of a partnership with the federal Government of Canada, Pon announced a $444 million investment to fund rent support for nearly 35,500 households in Alberta.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-06 |title=$444M investment will help 35,500 low-income households in Alberta afford rent |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rent-support-alberta-1.6092165#:~:text=CBC%20News%20Loaded-,%24444M%20investment%20will%20help%2035%2C500%20low%2Dincome%20households%20in,nearly%2035%2C500%20households%20in%20Alberta. |publisher=CBC News}}</ref>
The United Conservative Party of Alberta announced Josephine Pon would be their candidate for Calgary-Beddington in the 2023 Alberta general election. She lost her seat in the general election to the same Alberta NDP candidate, Amanda Chapman again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Conservative Party of Alberta |url=https://www.facebook.com/UnitedConservativePartyAlberta/posts/pfbid0isjaCHmrNRpayE3hp8NDCxqnB9Y6WFuyN5LFVJTf7nmzU147Q3hEy2b7kD8X8w1cl |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>
She tried be the Conservative candidate in Calgary Skyview in the 2025 federal election but the party appointed someone else'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title='I was totally shocked': shut-out Tory nomination hopefuls blast backroom players for denying them contests in GTA, Calgary, and B.C. |url=https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/03/31/i-was-totally-shocked-shut-out-tory-nomination-hopefuls-blast-backroom-players-for-denying-them-contests-in-gta-calgary-and-b-c/455662/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=The Hill Times |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Markusoff |first=Jason |date=April 3, 2025 |title='No democracy': Frustration with Conservatives as Calgary candidates appointed without contest |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-mcknight-skyview-conservative-candidates-disappointment-1.7500474 |website=CBC News}}</ref>'''
== Electoral record == {{Alberta provincial election, 2023/Calgary-Beddington}}
{{Alberta provincial election, 2019/Calgary-Beddington}}
{{s-start}} {{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Jason_Kenney}} {{ministry box cabinet posts | post1preceded = Lori Sigurdson | post1 = Minister of Seniors & Housing | post1years = April 30, 2019–October 11, 2022 | post1note = | post1followed = Jeremy Nixon }} {{s-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Kenney Ministry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pon, Josephine}} Category:United Conservative Party MLAs Category:Living people Category:Women MLAs in Alberta Category:Canadian bankers Category:Hong Kong emigrants to Canada Category:Members of the Executive Council of Alberta Category:Politicians from Calgary Category:Women government ministers of Canada Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta