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| Original News Release |
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| Original News Release |
(Note: High-resolution photos can be downloaded at http://www.gov.bc.ca/premier/cabinet_ministers/)
HON. GORDON CAMPBELL
Gordon Campbell was re-elected MLA for Vancouver – Point Grey on May 12, 2009. He was first sworn in as British Columbia's 34th Premier on June 5, 2001.
Premier Campbell
was elected leader of the BC Liberal Party in September 1993. He was elected to
the B.C. Legislature in 1994 in a by-election to represent the riding of
Vancouver-Quilchena and was re-elected in 1996, 2001 and 2005 for
Vancouver-Point Grey.
Premier Campbell
attended public school in Vancouver. After graduating, he received a
scholarship to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire where he received his
bachelor of arts degree. He worked his way through university in the dining
hall and as the associate to the secretary of the College. He later received a master’s
of business administration from Simon Fraser University.
In 1984, he
was elected to Vancouver City Council. From 1986 to 1993, he served as mayor of
Vancouver for three successive terms.
HON. NAOMI YAMAMOTO
Naomi Yamamoto was elected as MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale in the
2009 general provincial election.
Minister Yamamoto has been the president and owner of Tora Design Group
in North Vancouver for 21 years, and for the past two years she has been with
the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce as president and general manager.
Recently, she served on the board of the North Shore Credit Union and
the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, and was president of the Gordon and
Marion Smith Foundation. As well, she represented the North Vancouver Chamber
on the North Shore 2010 Spirit Committee and Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism
Association Board.
In 1994, Minister Yamamoto served as chair of the BC Chamber of
Commerce. She completed a six-year term on the board of Capilano College, with the
last three years as chair. She also enjoyed six years as a director of the
North Shore Neighbourhood House.
In 2005, Naomi was appointed as an inaugural member of the Premier’s
Small Business Roundtable.
HON. GEORGE ABBOTT
MINISTER OF ABORIGINAL RELATIONS AND RECONCILIATION
George
Abbott was re-elected as MLA for Shuswap on May 12, 2009. He has
previously served as Minister of Health since June 16, 2005. He also served as
Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services and Minister of
Sustainable Resource Management.
Minister
Abbott has also been deputy house leader for the Official Opposition and was
critic for municipal affairs and forests. He was deputy chair of the Select
Standing Committees on Forests, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and was
a member of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. Additionally,
he sat on the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.
First
elected as MLA in 1996 to represent the riding of Shuswap, Minister Abbott was
re-elected in 2001 and again in 2005. Before his election to the Legislative
Assembly, he was the chair of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, and a
political science instructor at Okanagan University College. He also owned the
oldest and largest berry farm in the Interior.
Minister
Abbott received his bachelor of arts from the University of British Columbia
and his master of arts in political science from the University of Victoria.
HON. MOIRA STILWELL
Dr. Moira
Stilwell was elected MLA for Vancouver-Langara on May 12, 2009.
Minister
Stilwell is a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician who has been working
at BC Women’s Hospital for nearly a decade. Prior to being elected, Moira was head
of nuclear medicine at St. Paul’s Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, and
Abbottsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Clinic. She was also the co-chair of
the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation 2020 Task Force. She previously worked at
BC Women’s Hospital where she was co-medical director of the Breast Health Program
and staff radiologist. She was a clinical assistant professor in the Department
of Radiology in the Faculty of Medicine at University of British Columbia.
She is the
past chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Chapter, has
served on the board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, as well as
on the BC Women’s Hospital Foundation Board.
HON. STEVE THOMSON
Steve Thomson was elected to represent the riding of Kelowna-Mission on May 12, 2009. Born and raised in Kelowna, he comes from a pioneer family who continue to operate the original family farm established in 1896.
Minister
Thomson is the former executive director of the BC Agriculture Council and has
developed his career and experience working on behalf of British Columbia
farmers and ranchers. He has served as general manager of the BC Fruit
Growers’ Association and the BC Milk Producers Association.
He has
served the community and province as president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce
and chair of the BC Chamber of Commerce, and has represented those
organizations and others on provincial government task forces focused on red
tape reduction and small business development.
He has also served as a director of the Kelowna Museum, the Okanagan Innovation
Fund and the BC BioEnergy Network.
HON. MIKE DE JONG
Mike de
Jong was re-elected as MLA for the new riding of Abbotsford West on May 12,
2009.
He was
first elected to the Legislative Assembly in a 1994 by-election to represent
the electoral district of Matsqui. He was re-elected in 1996 and again in 2001
to the new riding of Abbotsford-Mount Lehman, where he was again re-elected in
2005.
Minister de
Jong previously served as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
since Aug. 15, 2006. He has also served as Government House Leader.
Minister de
Jong has previously served as Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services and
Minister of Forests. Prior to that, he was deputy house leader for the Official
Opposition and served as a critic for a variety of portfolios.
Before his
election, Minister de Jong practiced as a lawyer in his Abbotsford firm. He
holds a bachelor of arts degree from Carleton University in Ottawa and a law
degree from the University of Alberta.
HON. MARY POLAK
Minister Responsible for Child Care
Mary Polak was elected to the Legislature in 2005 and again in the May 12, 2009 election to represent Langley. She was appointed Minister of Healthy Living and Sport on June 23, 2008.
She has
served as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Health for the
Conversation on Health. Minister Polak served on the Cabinet Committee on New
Relationship Co-ordination and the Government Caucus Committee on Social
Development. She has served on the Government Caucus Committee for Natural
Resources and the Economy, the Select Standing Committees for Children and
Youth, Education and Public Accounts. She has also been a member of the Cabinet
Committee on Agenda Development and the Special Committee to Review the
Personal Information Protection Act.
Before
being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Minister Polak was director of
operations for a small polling and research firm and a trustee and former chair
of the Surrey School Board. Under her leadership, Surrey became the first
school district in B.C. to balance its books according to generally accepted
accounting principles. She also led an initiative to make Surrey the first
school district in the province to publish school-by-school results for both
elementary and secondary schools.
HON. BEN STEWART
Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and the Public Affairs Bureau
Ben Stewart was elected as MLA for Westside-Kelowna on May 12, 2009.
An
entrepreneur, Minister Stewart founded and built Quails’ Gate into one of
Canada’s leading estate wineries.
He has 30
years of extensive experience serving the community and is a founding director
of a venture capital fund for local business development. He was on the
board of the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation and has been active in the
fundraising and establishment of the Brookhaven Extended Care Facility
Campaign, Southern Interior Cancer Centre Campaign, and the Rotary Centre for
the Arts.
Minister
Stewart was chair of the BC Grape Marketing Board where he successfully
negotiated with provincial and federal governments on agricultural
stabilization. Additionally, he was chairman of the Regional Transportation
Advisory Committee for the Thompson Okanagan, as well as a member of the
Presidents Community Advisory Council at UBC Okanagan.
HON. BILL BENNETT
Bill
Bennett was re-elected as MLA for Kootenay East on May 12, 2009.
He previously
served as Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts since June 23, 2008.
In 2007, he became chair of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and
Government Services, a member of the Select Standing Committee on Children and
Youth, and chair of the B.C. Outdoor Caucus. He previously served as minister
of state for mining.
Minister
Bennett was elected to represent the riding of East Kootenay in the 2001
provincial election and re-elected in 2005. He served on the Government Caucus
Committee on Natural Resources and served on the Kootenay Caucus. He was also
deputy chair of the Parliamentary Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts,
a member of the Premier’s Olympic Live Sites Committee, the Caucus Committee on
Treaties, the Waste Management Review Committee and is a legislative member of
the committee for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.
Before being elected, Minister Bennett was a partner in a Cranbrook law firm.
In 1976, he earned an honours degree in English from the University of Guelph
and in 1992 a law degree from Queen’s University.
HON. MARGARET
MACDIARMID
Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy
Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid was elected MLA for Vancouver-Fairview on May 12, 2009.
Minister
MacDiarmid has been a family physician for 23 years. She served on the board of
the BC Medical Association for 12 years and was president in 2006-2007.
The BCMA is
a voluntary association of 11,000 members comprised of British Columbia's
physicians, medical residents, and medical students. During her time with the
BCMA, Minister MacDiarmid met with key leaders from government and other
organizations.
Originally from Saskatchewan, Minister MacDiarmid moved to Rossland, B.C. in
1989. Since the mid-1990s, her work brought her more frequently to
Vancouver where she decided to settle.
HON. BLAIR LEKSTROM
Blair
Lekstrom was re-elected to a third term as MLA for Peace River South on May 12,
2009.
He was first
appointed Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on January 19, 2009
after serving as Minister of Community Development from June 23, 2008. He was
first elected in the 2001 provincial general election in the riding of Peace
River South, and was re-elected for a second term in the 2005 general election.
Previously,
Minister Lekstrom chaired the Legislative Select Standing Committee on Finance
and Government Services and served on the Select Standing Committee on Public
Accounts, the Agriculture Policy Development Committee, the Legislative Review
Committee and the Government Caucus Committee on the Economy. In the past he
has also served as the chair of the Legislative Committee to review the Freedom
of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the BC Offshore Oil and Gas
Committee. He has been a member of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal
Affairs, the Select Standing Committee on Health, the Northern Caucus
Committee, the Cabinet Committee on Agenda & Priorities, and the
Legislative Committee on the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Before
becoming an MLA, Minister Lekstrom was serving his second term as mayor of the
City of Dawson Creek. He was first elected mayor in 1996, after serving for
three years as a councillor.
HON. RANDY HAWES
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINING
Randy Hawes was re-elected as MLA to represent the new riding of
Abbotsford-Mission on May 12, 2009. Hawes was first elected as MLA for Maple
Ridge-Mission in 2001 and was re-elected in the May 2005 provincial general
election.
He has served as chief government whip, chair of the Select Standing
Committee on Finance and Government Service, chair of the Government Committee
on Health, and has been a member of the Legislative Assembly’s Select Standing
Committee on Health.
In addition, he served on the Legislative Assembly’s Select Standing
Committee on Public Accounts, the Special Committee to Select a Merit
Commissioner and chairs the Burrard Thermal Options Committee.
Before becoming an MLA, Minister Hawes was in his third term as mayor
of the District of Mission. He was also chair of the Fraser Valley Regional
District, a member of the Fraser Valley Treaty Advisory Committee for four
years, a four-year member of the James Sewer Treatment Plant Board, and a
seven-year member (four as chair) of the Fraser Valley Water Commission.
HON. BARRY PENNER
Barry
Penner was re-elected as MLA to represent the new riding of Chilliwack-Hope on
May 12, 2009.
He was
first elected to represent Chilliwack in 1996, and was re-elected in the new
riding of Chilliwack-Kent in 2001 and 2005.
Minister
Penner was first named Minister of Environment and Minister responsible for
Water Stewardship and Sustainable Communities on June 16, 2005.
Raised in
Chilliwack, Minister Penner studied political science and economics at Simon
Fraser University to earn his bachelor of arts degree. He later earned his law
degree from the University of Victoria. A former park ranger and sawmill
worker, Minister Penner also worked as a B.C. Legislative intern in Victoria.
In 1991, he worked for an international law firm in Bangkok, Thailand and then
later practiced law in Chilliwack until his election in 1996.
He previously
served as parliamentary secretary to the government house leader, as chair of
the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources, and was a member of the
Legislature’s Standing Committee on Crown Corporations.
He has also
chaired the Legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform,
Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills, and served as a member of
the Legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, and the
Cabinet Committee for Legislative Review.
HON. JOHN YAP
John Yap
was first elected in the riding of Richmond-Steveston in the 2005 provincial
election. He was re-elected on May 12, 2009.
Minister
Yap previously served as the chair of the Government Caucus. He was also a
member of the Treasury Board, the Legislative Review Cabinet Committee, as well
as the Select Standing Committees of Public Accounts Crown Corporations and
Finance and Government Services. He has also served as a member of the Special
Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture and was previously a member of the Finance
and Government Services Committee
Minister
Yap is active in the community as a Rotarian, being a charter member and past president
of the Richmond Sunset Rotary Club. He is also a member of Gilmore Park United
Church, where he has previously served as board chair, finance chair, treasurer
and personnel committee chair. He has served as board chair of Gilmore Seniors
Centre, a 117-unit seniors’ residence. John is an honorary member of the
Vancouver Diamond Lions Club.
HON. COLIN HANSEN
Colin
Hansen was re-elected to represent Vancouver-Quilchena on May 12, 2009. He was
first elected in 1996, and re-elected in 2001 and 2005.
He was appointed
Minister of Finance on June 23, 2008. He previously served as Minister of
Economic Development, Minister of Health Services, and a previous appointment
as Minister of Finance.
Minister
Hansen served as health critic for the Official Opposition, as well as the
critic for Employment and Investment, and for Labour. He sat on the Select Standing
Committees on Crown Corporations and on Economic Development, Science, Labour,
Training and Technology. He also sat on the Official Opposition Caucus
Committees on Health and Economy.
Minister
Hansen received his bachelor of arts degree in political science from the
University of Victoria in 1975.
Before his
election to the Legislative Assembly, he and his wife Laura owned and operated
a small business they established in 1988. Prior to that, he was vice-president
of finance and administration for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
HON. PAT BELL
Minister Responsible for the Integrated Land Management Bureau
Pat Bell
was re-elected as MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie on May 12, 2009.
He was first
appointed Minister of Forests and Range on June 23, 2008. He previously
served as Minister of Agriculture and Lands and as minister of state for mining.
Minister Bell
was elected to represent the riding of Prince George North in the 2001 election
and re-elected in 2005.
He has
served on the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and B.C. Task
Force on Mining, and as chair of the Small Scale Salvage Review Committee. Minister
Bell has also served on the Legislative Select Standing Committees on Education
and Crown Corporations.
Prior to
becoming an MLA, Minister Bell owned a trucking company and co-owned a logging
company. He owns two Wendy’s Restaurants in Prince George.
HON. KEVIN FALCON
Kevin Falcon was first elected in 2001 to represent the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale, and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009. He initially served as minister of state for deregulation.
He
previously served as Minister of Transportation since January 26, 2004, overseeing
a capital program that included the Kicking Horse Canyon, the Sea-to-Sky
Highway and the William R. Bennett Bridge, among many others.
Minister
Falcon's leadership recently earned him recognition in Vancouver Magazine’s
annual ranking of the city’s 50 most influential leaders.
Before his
election to the Legislative Assembly in 2001, he was president of Access Group,
a corporate communications firm he founded in 1998. He has also worked in the
real estate development industry and was vice-president of Northwest Investment
Properties. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Simon Fraser
University, and his real estate education at the University of British
Columbia.
HON. IDA CHONG
Ida Chong was re-elected to represent the riding Oak Bay–Gordon Head on May 12, 2009.
She
previously served as Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic
Development and Minister Responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative.
Minister Chong
also served as Minister of Community Services, with responsibilities for local
governments, Seniors’ and Women’s Issues and the B.C. Public Service Agency. In
addition to her role as Minister, Minister Chong also served on the Cabinet
Committee for Climate Action and B.C.’s Treasury Board.
Minister
Chong has previously held cabinet portfolios as Minister of Advanced Education
and as minister of state for women’s and seniors’ Services.
A native of
greater Victoria, Minister Chong has represented her constituency of Oak
Bay-Gordon Head since she first entered provincial politics in 1996. During her
first term at the legislature she was the Official Opposition critic in a
number of areas, including critic for Small Business and deputy critic of
Finance.
HON. MARY MCNEIL
Mary McNeil
was first elected MLA for Vancouver-False Creek in the 2009 general provincial
election on May 12.
Most
recently, Minister McNeil served as president and CEO of the BC Cancer
Foundation for eight years. She has served in key roles for international
economic events including the G7 meetings in Halifax and Toronto, APEC in
Vancouver and the XI international conference on AIDS.
Minister
McNeil has also served on the Vancouver Police Board for four years.
HON. RICH COLEMAN
Rich Coleman was first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Fort Langley-Aldergrove and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2009.
He was first
appointed Minister of Housing and Social Development on June 23, 2008.
He previously
served as Minister of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing,
as well as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
From
1996-2001, Minister Coleman served in a variety of Official Opposition roles,
including housing critic, forests deputy critic, and caucus whip. He also sat
on the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.
Minister
Coleman has served as governor of the B.C. Kinsmen, president of the Aldergrove
Chamber of Commerce, and as a director on several volunteer boards. He was
awarded Rotary’s highest honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship, and received a
Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. He has also received the Canada 125 Medal
for community service and was chosen Langley’s Volunteer of the Year in 1988.
Before his
election to the Legislative Assembly, Minister Coleman ran a real estate
management and consulting company. He is also a former member of the RCMP and a
security specialist.
HON. MURRAY COELL
Murray
Coell was re-elected to the riding of Saanich North and the Islands on May 12,
2009.
Minister Coell
served as Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development since
June 23, 2008. He was previously appointed as Minister of Advanced Education
and Minister Responsible for Research and Technology on June 16, 2005.
His past
portfolios include Minister of Human Resources and Minister of Community,
Aboriginal and Women's Services.
He was
first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Saanich North and the Islands,
and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2009. He has served on the Government
Caucus Committee on Communities and Safety, the Cabinet Committee of Agenda and
Priorities, the Treasury Board, and the Public Sector Employers' Council.
Before his
election to the Legislative Assembly, Minister Coell was a social worker,
specializing in alcohol and drug rehabilitation as well as in services to those
with mental disabilities. He also owned and operated a small business.
He received
his bachelor of arts in social welfare from the University of Victoria.
Minister
Coell sat on Saanich Municipal Council for 12 years, six of them as mayor. He
also chaired the Capital Regional District, the Saanich Police board and the
Capital Regional District hospital board, and was deputy chair of the Municipal
Finance Authority.
HON. KASH HEED
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Kash Heed was elected MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview on May 12, 2009.
Minister Heed graduated from the B.C. Police Academy in 1979 and has
spent the past 30 years serving the public in law enforcement.
He began his career as an officer with the Vancouver Police Department
where he moved through the ranks of constable, detective, sergeant, inspector
and superintendent. During this same time, he completed his BA and MA at Simon
Fraser University part-time.
While superintendent in charge of the south part of Vancouver, and as an
Inspector in the southeast quadrant of Vancouver he created the Gang Violence
Task Force.
Minister Heed was also head of the drug squad, led the Indo-Canadian
gang task force and launched the COMPSTAT system, using computer technology to
track crime. In 2007, he was appointed chief of the West Vancouver Police
Department.
HON. IAIN BLACK
Iain Black was re-elected to represent the new riding of
Port Moody-Coquitlam in the 2009 provincial general election. He was first
elected as an MLA for the former Port Moody-Westwood riding in 2005. He
previously served as Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services since June 23,
2008.
Minister Black served on the Cabinet Committee on Climate Action. He has served on Treasury Board, and three Select Standing Committees of the Legislature including Finance and Government Services, Public Accounts, as chair of Crown Corporations, and as chair of the Special Committee to Appoint a Conflict of Interest Commissioner. He has also chaired the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and the Economy.
Before entering politics, Minister Black had a successful career in the technology industry and was president of the Banking Solutions Group of Open Solutions Canada.
HON. KEVIN KRUEGER
Kevin
Krueger was re-elected as MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson on May 12,
2009. He previously served as Minister of Community Development since
January 19, 2009 after working as Minister of Small Business and Revenue and
Minister Responsible for Regulatory Reform since June 23, 2008. He previously served
as minister of state for mining.
Minister
Krueger was re-elected as MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson in 2005 after being
elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2001. He was also a member of the Government
Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and Economy, where he previously served
as chair.
While in
Opposition, Minister Krueger served as the critic for Labour. He was Caucus
Whip as well as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Education. Minister
Krueger was named to the Special Committee of Selection and the Special
Committee for the Citizen’s Assembly on Electoral Reform. He was also a member
of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. He previously was a member of
the Small Scale Salvage Committee.
Before
becoming an MLA, Minister Krueger worked with the Insurance Corporation of BC
for 20 years, and at the time of his departure was a road safety regional
manager.
HON. SHIRLEY BOND
Shirley
Bond was re-elected to a third term as MLA for Prince George-Valemount on May
12, 2009.
Minister
Bond previously served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Education and Minister
Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy. She also served on the Government
Caucus Committee on Social Development, the Cabinet Committee on Agenda
Development, Treasury Board and chairs the Cabinet Committee on New
Relationship Coordination.
Minister
Bond was elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 to represent the riding of
Prince George-Mount Robson. She has also previously served as Minister of
Advanced Education and Minister of Health Services.
Minister
Bond has an arts and science diploma from the College of New Caledonia and, up
until becoming MLA, was working on a bachelor of arts degree in political
science at the University of Northern BC.
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Press Secretary Office of the Premier 604 307-7177 |
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