Career
She was appointed parliamentary secretary for industry, research and innovation to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation on March 14, 2011. She served as Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development in the government of British Columbia from June 2009 to October 2010 when she was appointed Minister of Regional Economic and Skills Development. She resigned her cabinet post in November 2010 to stand for election as the leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party, but withdrew from the campaign on February 16, 2011.
She is currently the Minister of Social Development (2012).
Stilwell graduated from the University of Calgary Medical School, and received further training in nuclear medicine at the University of British Columbia and in radiology at the University of Toronto. She served for several years as the head of nuclear medicine at Saint Paul"s Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, and Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Clinic, but left all those positions in 2009 to run for public office.
Prior to that, she worked at British Columbia Women"s Hospital, where she served as co-medical director of the Breast Health Program as well as being the staff radiologist. Along with serving as a practicing physician and administrator, she was the clinical assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of British Columbia.
In addition to her professional capacities, Stilwell also served as the co-chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation 2020 Task Force, and was past chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation/British Columbia Yukon Chapter.
She has also served on the board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance and on the British Columbia Women"s Hospital Foundation Board. After entering the British Columbia Liberal Party"s 2011 leadership campaign, Stilwell focused her attention firmly on the importance of building a knowledge-based economy to ensure British Columbia’s future prosperity. Increasing the minimum wage in British Columbia from $8/hour to $10/hour.
And reducing the interest rate that students in British Columbia pay for loans to finance their studies
Stilwell dropped out of the campaign on February 16, 2011, announcing her support for George Abbott.
