The Honourable
Rachna Singh
MLA
Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia
Assumed office
December 7, 2022
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byJennifer Whiteside (Minister of Education)
Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives of British Columbia
In office
November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMable Elmore
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Surrey-Green Timbers
Assumed office
May 9, 2017
Preceded bySue Hammell
Personal details
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Delhi, India[1]
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseGurpreet Singh
Children2
ResidenceSurrey, British Columbia
Alma materPanjab University (MA, Clinical Psychology)

Rachna Singh (born 1972) is a Canadian politician and trade unionist who has represented the electoral district of Surrey-Green Timbers in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus,[2] she has served as Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia since December 2022.

Biography

Singh was born in Delhi, and grew up in Chandigarh.[1][3] She attended Panjab University, from which she received a master's degree in psychology.[4] She moved to Canada in 2001, settling in Surrey, British Columbia.[3][4] Prior to her election to the legislature, Singh worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor. She became active in her labour union local, and eventually became a National Representative (staff) for the Canadian Union of Public Employees[3] representing workers through advocacy in grievance handling, labour arbitrations, organizing, community and political activism and helping advise local unions on matters of internal administration.

With incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Surrey-Green Timbers Sue Hammell declining to seek re-election in 2017, Singh decided to contest the BC NDP nomination for the riding.[5] She was acclaimed as the NDP's candidate,[3] then went on to defeat Liberal candidate and former Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Brenda Locke at the general election.[2]

After winning re-election in 2020,[6] Singh was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives by Premier John Horgan.[7] On December 7, 2022 she was named Minister of Education and Child Care by Premier David Eby.[8][9]

Singh is married to Gurpreet Singh, a journalist for the Georgia Straight and publisher of the Radical Desi magazine; they have two children together.[3] Both descend from families with a history of activism for various social and economic causes in their native India. She is a secular Sikh.[10]

Electoral history

2020 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Rachna Singh 8,171 59.59 +1.40 $31,108.56
Liberal Dilraj Atwal 5,540 40.41 +7.46 $34,751.00
Total valid votes 13,711 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 224 1.61 +0.56
Turnout 13,935 47.20 –7.41
Registered voters 29,526
Source: Elections BC[11][12]
2017 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Rachna Singh 8,945 58.29 +0.23 $58,322
Liberal Brenda Locke 5,056 32.95 −1.57 $20,975
Green Saira Aujla 1,112 7.25 +3.2 $7,739
No affiliation Vikram Bajwa 163 1.06 – $7,980
Your Political Party Kanwaljit Singh Moti 69 0.44 – $3,612
Total valid votes 15,345 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 163 1.05 −0.14
Turnout 15,508 54.61 +2.29
Registered voters 28,400
Source: Elections BC[13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rachna Singh - South Asian Canadian Heritage". University of the Fraser Valley. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Saltman, Jennifer; Fumano, Dan (May 10, 2017). "B.C. Election 2017: Brar, NDP take six of nine Surrey ridings". The Province/The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Smith, Charlie (January 29, 2017). "B.C. NDP nominates Rachna Singh in Surrey–Green Timbers". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Bhasin, Sukhmeet (December 8, 2022). "Punjab native Rachna Singh first South Asian woman Education Minister in British Columbia". The Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  5. ^ Kupchuk, Rick (January 18, 2017). "Community activist seeks NDP nomination". Peace Arch News. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Zytaruk, Tom (October 24, 2020). "Surrey-Green Timbers: NDP's Rachna Singh re-elected, defeating Liberal Dilraj Atwal". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Zytaruk, Tom (November 26, 2020). "Surrey gets two cabinet ministers, a parliamentary secretary and government whip". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet with Niki Sharma, Katrine Conroy and Ravi Kahlon in top posts". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  9. ^ Zytaruk, Tom (December 8, 2022). "Four Surrey MLAs named to Eby's cabinet". Peace Arch News. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Saltman, Jennifer (November 29, 2019). "Prayers to continue at B.C. legislature, but now there will also be 'reflections'". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  11. ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  13. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 13, 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rachna Singh.
British Columbia provincial government of David Eby Cabinet post (1) Predecessor Office Successor Jennifer Whiteside Minister of Education and Child CareDecember 7, 2022 – Incumbent
Current members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Cabinet of Premier of British Columbia David Eby (2022–present)
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