Filipino Canadians met the unveiling of a new B.C. NDP cabinet with gnashing of teeth.

“A slap in the face,” Bert Quibuyen wrote on social media as Mable Elmore, who is the first and only Filipino Canadian member of the legislative assembly (MLA), was again bypassed for a seat in cabinet.

“I think Mable deserves better,” Quibuyen said.

Moreover, she is “one of the longest serving MLAs and has served her constituents and the NDP for more than 3 [three] terms”.

B.C. NPD Premier John Horgan unveiled his new cabinet Thursday (November 26).

The Filipino community has called on Horgan to name Elmore to cabinet.

An open letter addressed to Horgan and backed by more than 50 community organizations circulated days before the new cabinet was announced.

A separate petition to Horgan was signed by Filipino Canadians in their individual capacities.

Elmore was given the title of parliamentary secretary for seniors services and long term care.

The community paper Philippine Asian News Today published by former Olympian boxer Rey Fortaleza promptly reported online that there was a “lot of disappointment”.

Realtor Tom Choy wrote on social media that Elmore is “ready, strong and loyal”.

Elmore was not given a cabinet seat when the B.C. NDP first formed government in 2017.

In last month’s provincial election, she won a fourth term as MLA for Vancouver-Kensington.

Rafael ‘RJ’ Aquino wrote on Twitter: “I’m disappointed that @mableelmore  was not included in the cabinet. I’m disappointed that we haven’t received a response. I’m disappointed that we were not heard. We will not, as they hope, ‘get over it.’ We’ll continue to ask @jjhorgan to prove he can see colour.”

Luisa Marshall, host of the TV show Simply The Best, The Luisa Marshall Show, wrote on social media that this is “too serious to ignore”.

According to Marshall, she sent an email to Horgan to ask for an explanation.

The email reads:

“We would like to request a Zoom interview with the premier on why our beloved MLA Mable Elmore was ignored again for a cabinet seat for the second time. The Filipino community all over BC is very upset and disappointed and deserves an explanation. We hope you will not ignore this request. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you.”