Bruce Ralston

Bruce Ralston KC MLA is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Surrey-Whalley since 2005. A member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), he has served in the cabinets of Premiers John Horgan and David Eby since 2017, currently as Minister of Forests.

The Honourable
Bruce Ralston
KC MLA
Minister of Forests of British Columbia
Assumed office
December 7, 2022
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byKatrine Conroy (Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development)
Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation of British Columbia
In office
November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byJosie Osborne
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources of British Columbia
In office
January 22, 2020 – November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byMichelle Mungall
Succeeded byposition abolished
Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – January 22, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byShirley Bond (Jobs)
Jas Johal (Technology)
Succeeded byMichelle Mungall
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Surrey-Whalley
Assumed office
May 17, 2005
Preceded byElayne Brenzinger
Surrey City Councillor
In office
1988–1993
Personal details
BornVictoria, British Columbia[1]
Political partyNew Democrat
SpouseMiriam Sobrino
Children3
ResidenceSurrey, British Columbia
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
University of Cambridge
ProfessionLawyer

Life and career

Ralston was born in Victoria and grew up in Vancouver. He has degrees in history and law from the University of British Columbia, and a degree in history from the University of Cambridge in England.[1][2] He was called to the bar in 1982,[3] and has lived in Surrey since 1990,[2] where he ran his own law firm.[1]

Ralston served on the Surrey City Council from 1988 to 1993.[4] He was a member of the board of directors of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union from 1995 to 2006.[1] Between 1996 and 2001, he served as president of the BC NDP.[5]

He ran in the 2001 provincial election as the NDP candidate in Surrey-Panorama Ridge, finishing a distant second behind Liberal candidate Gulzar Cheema.[6] In the 2005 election he instead contested the riding of Surrey-Whalley, winning the seat with 55% of the vote.[2] He kept his seat in the 2009 election, growing his vote share to 66.5%,[2] and was re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2020.[1] He replaced John Horgan as NDP house leader in March 2014, allowing Horgan to contest the party leadership.[7]

In July 2017, Ralston was named Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology in the NDP minority government.[8] He swapped portfolios with Michelle Mungall in January 2020, becoming Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.[9] His post was modified to Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps of British Columbia in November 2020,[10] and he was appointed Queen's counsel in December of the same year.[3] He was subsequently named Minister of Forests in the Eby ministry on December 7, 2022, while retaining the role of Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps.[11]

Electoral results
2020 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Whalley
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticBruce Ralston10,99470.94+12.32$21,604.97
LiberalShaukat Khan4,05226.15−3.93$28,029.77
VisionJag Bhandari2281.47–$0.00
CommunistRyan Abbott2231.44+0.9$123.40
Total valid votes 15,497100.00–
Total rejected ballots 2361.50+0.62
Turnout 15,73340.59−10.96
Registered voters 38,764
New Democratic hold Swing +8.13
Source: Elections BC[12][13]
2017 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Whalley
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticBruce Ralston10,31558.62−2.81$59,997
LiberalSargy Chima5,29330.08+0.54$75,151
GreenRita Anne Fromholt1,89310.76–$322
CommunistGeorge Gidora960.54–$0
Total valid votes 17,597100.00–
Total rejected ballots 1570.88−0.56
Turnout 17,75451.55+5.27
Registered voters 34,440
Source: Elections BC[14][15]
2013 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Whalley
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
New DemocraticBruce Ralston10,40561.43$112,496
LiberalKuljeet Kaur5,00429.54$34,568
ConservativeSunny Chohan1,1106.55$40,961
VisionJag Bhandari4202.48$9,375
Total valid votes 16,939100.00
Total rejected ballots 2481.44
Turnout 17,18746.28
Source: Elections BC[16]
2009 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Whalley
Party Candidate Votes
New DemocraticBruce Ralston10,453
LiberalRadhia Benalia4,083
GreenBernadette Kennan1,189
2005 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Whalley
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticBruce Ralston8,90355.00
LiberalBarbara Steele4,94930.57
GreenRoy Whyte1,2387.65
Democratic ReformElayne Brenzinger6073.75
MarijuanaMelady Belinda Earl3021.87
IndependentJoe Pal1390.86
PlatinumNeil Gregory Magnuson500.31
Total 16,188 100.00
2001 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Panorama Ridge[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
LiberalGulzar Cheema9,59058.94–
  NDP Bruce Ralston 3,240 19.91 –
GreenSunny Athwal1,4378.83–
UnityHeather Stilwell1,1236.90–
MarijuanaRandy Caine4242.61–
ReformShirley Ann Abraham4082.51–
ActionEd Weiland500.30–
Total Valid Votes 16,272 100.00
Total Rejected Ballots 128 0.79
Turnout 16,400 69.04

References
  1. "MLA: Hon. Bruce Ralston, Q.C." Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  2. Kupchuk, Rick (April 23, 2013). "B.C. VOTES: Surrey-Whalley candidates on the record". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  3. "2020 Queen's counsel appointees". British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General. December 30, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  4. "Hon. Bruce Ralston". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  5. Diakiw, Kevin (January 14, 2011). "Ralston will not seek leadership". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  6. "Statement of Votes - 37th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  7. Zytaruk, Tom (March 20, 2014). "Ralston named house leader for NDP". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  8. Zussman, Richard; McElroy, Justin (July 18, 2017). "B.C.'s new NDP government sworn into office". CBC News. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  9. "B.C. premier fills Jinny Sims vacancy, swaps jobs in cabinet tweak". The Canadian Press, via CBC News. January 20, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  10. Lindsay, Bethany (November 26, 2020). "New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles". CBC News. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  11. "New cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate" (Press release). Office of the Premier of British Columbia. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  12. "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  13. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  14. "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  15. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  16. "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
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