Jenica Atwin

Jenica Atwin (née Powell; born January 10, 1987) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Fredericton in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 Canadian federal election. Atwin was the first Member of Parliament of the Green Party of Canada to be elected outside of British Columbia and the first woman to be elected in the riding of Fredericton. In June 2021, she crossed the floor from the Green Party to the Liberal Party of Canada, and was re-elected as a Liberal three months later in the 2021 federal election. Before politics, Atwin was an education consultant and researcher at a First Nations Education Centre. Early life and education Jenica Atwin was born Jenica Powell and grew up in Oromocto, New Brunswick. Her father Bob Powell is the mayor of Oromocto. Her stepfather is Ron Tremblay, the Wolastoq Grand Chief. In high school, she was class president. She completed a Master's in Education at the University of New Brunswick. In 2016, Atwin co-organized a spin-off of We Day focused on introducing First Nations youth to one another and helping those who have recently moved off of reserves. This took place during Atwin's four years as a cultural transition coordinator and researcher with First Nation Education Initiative Incorporated. Federal politics Atwin was elected to represent the riding of Fredericton in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 Canadian federal election, defeating incumbent MP Matt DeCourcey. She was the first Member of Parliament of the Green Party of Canada to be elected outside of British Columbia, the first third-party candidate to win the electoral district of Fredericton or its predecessor districts, which have traditionally alternated between Conservative and Liberal Members of Parliament (MPs), and the first woman to be elected in the riding of Fredericton. Along with fellow Green MPs Paul Manly and leader Elizabeth May, Atwin's election created the largest Green caucus ever at three.