Bruce Ralston

Bruce Ralston QC 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, and member of the New Democratic Party (NDP). He has served in the cabinet of Premier John Horgan since 2017, currently as Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

The Honourable
Bruce Ralston
QC MLA
Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation of British Columbia
Assumed office
November 26, 2020
PremierJohn Horgan
Preceded byposition established
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
Spouse(s)Miriam Sobrino
Children3
Residence(s)Surrey, 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 2005 provincial election as the NDP candidate in 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.[6]

In July 2017, Ralston was named Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology in the NDP minority government.[7] He swapped portfolios with Michelle Mungall in January 2020, becoming Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.[8] 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,[9] and he was appointed Queen's counsel in December of the same year.[3]

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[10][11]
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[12][13]
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[14]
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

References
  1. "MLA: Hon. Bruce Ralston, Q.C." Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  2. Kupchuk, Rick (2013-04-23). "B.C. VOTES: Surrey-Whalley candidates on the record". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  3. "2020 Queen's counsel appointees". British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General. 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  4. "Hon. Bruce Ralston". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  5. Diakiw, Kevin (2011-01-14). "Ralston will not seek leadership". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  6. Zytaruk, Tom (2014-03-20). "Ralston named house leader for NDP". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  7. Zussman, Richard; McElroy, Justin (2017-07-18). "B.C.'s new NDP government sworn into office". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  8. "B.C. premier fills Jinny Sims vacancy, swaps jobs in cabinet tweak". The Canadian Press, via CBC News. 2020-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  9. Lindsay, Bethany (2020-11-26). "New faces join B.C.'s new cabinet, while stalwarts stay on in key roles". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  10. "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 30 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  13. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  14. "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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