Anna Terrana

Canadian politician (1937 present)

Anna Marina Terrana (born March 31, 1937) was the elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Vancouver East in British Columbia, Canada, serving as that riding's MP from 1993 to 1997 in the Canadian House of Commons 35th Parliament. Terrana sat as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Born in Turin, Italy, Anna Terrana immigrated to Canada in 1966. Prior to emigrating to Canada, she  studied languages and received degrees in English, French, and Italian in Italy and in English and French in England. Before coming to Canada she was employed in Italy for a total of seven years with Pramaggiore, Beloit Italia and North American Aviation S. p. A. As an émigré to Canada, Terrana began a new professional life by teaching English and Italian part time, before she was employed as a Secretary and Assistant at the Immigration Office Of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, the IOS Investment Company, the Greater Vancouver Community Credit Union and at Simon Fraser University. She then served as the Administrative Assistant of the BC Police Commission from 1974 to 1984 before  becoming the executive director of the Italian Cultural Centre Society in Vancouver, Canada from 1987 to 1993. From 1993 to 1991, Anna Terrana was elected as a Member of Parliament and served in the Canadian House Of Commons 35th Parliament as the elected representative for the constituency of Vancouver East in British Columbia. From 1998 to 2006, Terrana was appointed by the Government of Canada as a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, serving within its Convention Refugee Determination Division.

In 1993, Anna Marina Terrana was elected in a Canadian General Election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Vancouver East in British Columbia, serving as MP until 1997 as a representative of the Liberal Party of Canada in the 35th Canadian Parliament. Anna Terrana was the first Canadian of Italian origin elected to represent a western Canadian riding in the Canadian House of Commons. While in elected political office, Terrana served as a member on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources Development. Importantly to her, Terrana sat as the representative of the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs on the BC Treaty Negotiation Advisory Committee. Terrana also served as a member on the House of Commons Task Force on the Rationalization of Canadian National Railway, on the Task Force on Disability Issues, and on the Task Force on Jobs and Small Business. Additionally, Terrana served as Chair of the House of Commons Canada Italy Parliamentary Committee, as chairperson for the BC Liberal Caucus and as Treasurer of the National Liberal Women's Caucus, was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada Standing Committee on Policy Development, and sat on many parliamentary sub committees.

One of Anna Terrana's key legislative accomplishments in the 35th Parliament of Canada occurred on December 18, 1996, when Bill C 63 (An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act, the Parliament of Canada Act and the Referendum Act Chapter 35) of the Liberal Government received Royal Assent. This government bill incorporated and expanded upon Anna Terrana's Private Member's Bill C 307 (An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (polling hours)) that was introduced in the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session and that proposed staggered voting hours across Canada during Canadian General Elections. The Canadian general election held on June 2, 1997, incorporated a new system of staggered voting hours across Canada that was based on Anna Terrana's Private Member's Bill. As an MP, Anna Terrana was also an advocate and supporter of equality rights for persons regardless of sexual orientation. She was an early supporter of making changes to the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Through the efforts of MPs such as Terrana, in June 1996 Canada's 35th Parliament enacted Bill C 33 (An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act) to include sexual orientation among the Act's prohibited grounds of discrimination. As the MP for Vancouver East, in which Vancouver's challenged Downtown Eastside (DES) is located, and as the riding's MP at a time when HIV was quickly spreading in the DES due to the sharing of used needles by heroin users, Anna Terrana was involved in the earliest discussions around the consideration at that time of opening safe injection sites in Vancouver's DES as a possible means to reduce the spread of HIV infections.

Since 1974, Anna Terrana has actively participated in community affairs, sitting on over 40 boards, committees and commissions, both at the Executive and board member level. She has been extensively involved with arts & culture, multicultural, family supports, and public security organisations in Canada. Terrana was instrumental in the construction of the Casa Serena and Villa Carital Senior Citizens’ homes located at the Italian Cultural Centre.

Terrana herself identifies that she enjoys meeting friends, and the theatre, music, and opera. Anna has one son, David, a daughter in law, Christine, and two grandchildren, Anthony and Gabrielle.