About Gwen
Gwen O’Mahony is the former Member of the Legislative Assembly for Chilliwack-Hope. She served as the Deputy Critic for Advanced Education and Critic of Skills training. A passionate leader, Gwen is the Conservative Party of BC Candidate in the new riding of Nanaimo-Lantzville. With over 20 years of combined leadership experience in the not-for profit, government and private sectors, Gwen brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to the Conservative team.
Motivated to Fix the System
Gwen is no stranger to the devastating impacts of addiction on families. In 2004, she gained custody of her two nieces, placing her in the epicentre of BC Liberal mismanagement of the Ministry of Children and Family Development--an experience that motivated her to successfully run for public office. After knocking on thousands of doors, she upset a strong BC Liberal candidate to become the first New Democrat and first woman MLA elected to the upper Fraser Valley.
VIU Business Graduate
Gwen graduated with a Master’s of Business Administration degree, with honours, from Vancouver Island University. She has a Master of Science in International Business Management from the University of Hertfordshire, UK. Amidst the global pandemic, she started a business consulting firm that helped countless small to medium sized Vancouver Island Businesses pivot to meet the changing marketplace. As the owner and principal consultant of O’Mahony Consulting, Gwen successfully advised and assisted clients with post pandemic relief grants, business plans and navigating government red tape.
A New Vision
Two significant events and the NDP’s Harm Reduction Policy change had a profound impact on Gwen’s decision to join the Conservative Party of BC. In the summer of 2023, she met with members of CAWsBar in Toronto at the “Keep Prisons Single Sex” protest. She was shocked to learn that biological males could be transferred to women’s prisons by simply self IDing as women. In the fall of 2023, Gwen agreed to moderate a panel discussion on Women’s Spaces, SOGI, Women’ Sports and Gender Ideology. The panelists’ testimonies pertaining to their experience with “cancel culture” were extremely concerning to Gwen and she lobbied her party to look into these issues. Her concerns were met with indifference. After the NDP announced the decriminalization of possession of hard drugs and began prescribing narcotic pills to addicts, Gwen withdrew her NDP membership and joined the Conservative Party of BC. Gwen believes that John Rustad is the only leader brave enough to tackle these issues. She admires his common- sense approach and his dedication to a fair, transparent, democratic process. She’s excited to be part of the Conservative team and represent Nanaimo-Lantzville.
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