Teresa Wat (Chinese: 屈潔冰; born 1949 or 1950) is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA) representing the electoral district of Richmond-Bridgeport since 2013. She was appointed Minister of International Trade, and Minister Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism in 2013 by Premier Christy Clark. Initially elected as a member of the BC Liberal Party (later BC United), Wat crossed the floor in 2024 to join the Conservative Party.

Wat briefly left the Conservative Party to sit as an independent in September 2026 before joining CentreBC. Four days later, she rejoined the Conservative caucus.

Early career Wat is president and CEO of Mainstream Broadcasting Corporation (CHMB AM1320) and previously served as news director at Channel M (now OMNI Television British Columbia). She also worked as a communications advisor with the BC NDP provincial government from the 1990s to the 2000s.

In 2010, she was appointed to the Canadian Women Voters Congress Advisory Board and was named one of British Columbia's too 100 most influential women by the Vancouver Sun. She has also served on the board of the School of Journalism at the University of British Columbia.

Political career Wat was first elected in the 2013 provincial election as a member of the BC Liberal Party (renamed BC United in 2023). During her time in government, she worked to promote investment in British Columbia from international companies including Huawei and China Poly Group.

In Opposition, Wat has held a number of critic roles, including critic for Trade; Tourism, Arts, Culture and Anti-Racism Initiatives; and, since May 2024, shadow minister for Multiculturalism, Anti-Racism Initiatives, Arts and Culture.

She crossed the floor to join the Conservative Party in August 2024. She left the party in August 2026 after party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay accused her of working with the Chinese Communist Party, becoming the fourth Conservative MLA to leave the party within a two-week period. The following month, Wat and seven other former Conservative MLAs joined CentreBC. Four days later, she and six of the other MLAs rejoined the Conservative caucus after Premier David Eby called a snap election.

Electoral history

See also Wat (surname)

References