March 3, 2010

Statement about Margaret Prevost

Statement by Jenny Wai Ching Kwan, MLA for Vancouver-Mt. Pleasant
in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Afternoon Sitting, 3 March 2010

Margaret Prevost, also known affectionately as Princess Margaret, passed away on February 7, 2010 after a heart attack at the age of 53. A catastrophic car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down when she was only 18. Unfazed by the setback, Margaret became a member of the Canadian National Wheelchair Basketball Team, and in 1992 the team won gold at the Pan American Games.

Margaret, also known to her community as the mayor of the Downtown Eastside, was a tireless advocate for the people of the neighbourhood. She went from store to store telling store owners to remove rice wine from their shelves because it was killing people who were drinking it. She lobbied vigorously for wheelchair-accessible ramps to make the city more accessible. She served on the Vancouver Native Health Society board and volunteered at the community policing centre.

Margaret Prevost officially retired from the Carnegie community centre board of directors last year after serving on that board for 20 years, ten of which she was the president. The Carnegie Centre currently celebrated its 30th anniversary. To this day, it’s the busiest community centre in the city of Vancouver.

Margaret’s contributions were immeasurable. She was a steady hand and a rock during these turbulent times. From housing to poverty to addiction to policing, Margaret fought every battle on behalf of the community. She sat in rooms with politicians, bureaucrats, police officers, community workers and the media. When she finished her say, it was impossible not to take her side.

She had the gift of bringing people together where divisions were everywhere. Margaret demonstrated that women in this community can be strong leaders. She mentored dozens of future leaders. Margaret was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal in recognition of her community service.

I had the pleasure of knowing Margaret for close to 20 years. I will miss her e-mails raising issues that she’s passionate about. I will miss her calls just to say hello. I will miss her great hugs. Thank you, Margaret — Princess Margaret.