How Rechie Valdez went from a self-taught baker to Canada’s first Filipina minister
Prior to politics, Canada’s first Filipina minister Rechie Valdez was a baker | Photos from Rechie Valdez/Instagram
Everybody probably already knows who Rechie Valdez is by now. After all, she’s the first Filipino woman to hold a federal cabinet position in Canada. But unbeknownst to many, her journey to this historic position was far from conventional—and it may or may not have involved banks and pastries.
You know those “how it started, how it’s going” viral posts on social media? Valdez’s rise to political prominence perfectly suits that trend.
How it started for Rechie Valdez
It all began when young Valdez stepped off a plane and felt the Canadian winter for the first time. She’s born into a Filipino family who initially moved to Zambia before finding a home in North America.
As a young professional—and an immigrant—seeking stability and security, Valdez decided to pursue a career in banking. She dedicated herself to the corporate world for 15 years.
And then 2016 came. After baking a cake for her daughter’s first birthday, she realized that it was something she could do in the long run. Little did she know, though, that this seemingly small gesture of love and celebration would turn into a passion that would set her on a path to politics.
“I became a self-taught baker. I started off baking. I told my friends. I’m like, ‘Hey, so I make cupcakes now. Would you like to try?’” Rechie Valdez said in an interview with the Canadian press
“I became a self-taught baker. I started off baking. I told my friends. I’m like, ‘Hey, so I make cupcakes now. Would you like to try?’” Valdez said in an interview with the Canadian press. She then delved into the profession by improving her recipes and eventually expanding her reach to customers across the Greater Toronto Area.
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Valdez knew she had a unique opportunity to connect her Filipino roots with her newfound interest in baking. This realization gave birth to her Filipino fusion line of pastries and desserts, which she stocked in Asian grocery store chains in Mississauga.
A couple of years after shutting her business down, she competed in a Canadian reality baking competition called “The Big Bake.” She further elevated her TV career by producing and hosting “Fearlessly Creative” on Filipino TV. For some time, the show had become a source of inspiring stories among Filipino-Canadians.
But her ambitions didn’t stop there. Her hosting gig opened doors to yet another calling—advocacy. Valdez partnered with basketball associations and raised funds for children’s charities across Canada.
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She’s also been advocating for small businesses, especially Filipino-owned ones. Valdez features them on her #FoodieFriday series on Instagram.
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How it’s going
The culmination of her varied experiences (inevitably) led her to the world of politics. She felt she could amplify the voices of her community even more should she hold a government position. So, Valdez ran for office in 2021 and was elected to represent Mississauga-Streetsville as a Member of Parliament.
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Now in 2023, Valdez stands tall on the political arena as Canada’s first Filipina cabinet member—the Minister of Small Business, to be specific.
With this responsibility, Valdez hopes to break down systemic barriers that make it challenging for people of color to reach high political positions. And who knows, this might even pave the way for greater representation and diversity in the country’s political landscape.
