Statement from MLA Harry Bains on his future
“It has been the honour of a lifetime to represent the people of Surrey-Newton since I was first elected in 2005, and to serve as the Minister of Labour for our province. “While this decision was not made lightly, I have decided to not run in the next election and allow someone new to continue the work we have begun.
“When I first decided to run many years ago, I started with a mission to take action on human rights and workers’ rights. Under the leadership of Premiers John Horgan and now David Eby, I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished and the difference we have made in people’s lives. “Serving British Columbians and people in my community has been truly fulfilling, but now I am looking forward to spending more time with my loved ones who have stood by me during my time in public office. I could not have done any of this without them and their support. “I want to thank all of my constituents in Surrey-Newton for putting their trust in me to represent this amazing community.
“I also want to thank Premiers Horgan and Eby for the opportunity to represent working people and all British Columbians as the Minister of Labour. Their leadership and vision have been instrumental in driving positive change across the province, and I have full confidence that Premier Eby will continue to make life better for all British Columbians.”
Harry Bains, MLA for Surrey-Newton
Media Contact: Veeno Dewan, July 4, 2024
Longtime NDP MLA Ralston not seeking re-election in Surrey:
Five-term NDP MLA for Surrey-Whalley has decided not to run for a sixth term in the Oct. 19 provincial general election. Bruce Ralston is calling it a day.
The five-term NDP MLA for Surrey-Whalley has decided not to run for a sixth term in the Oct. 19 provincial general election, ending a storied career as MLA that began when he defeated incumbent Democratic Reform MLA Elayne Brenzinger for the seat in 2005. He continued his election-winning ways in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020.
“The session is very busy, I had a little bit of a chance to reflect and just to think about the prospect of going forward for another four years,” Ralston told the Now-Leader. “I’ve been at it almost 20 years so I decided that’s it’s time for the next, time to do something else, time for the next phase of my life.”
A criminal defence lawyer by trade, Ralston (King’s Counsel) also ran his own law firm in Surrey, where he has lived since 1990. “I still have my practicing certificate, I’ve kept that up, done the courses. I don’t really expect to return to the practice of law, no.”
His career as MLA saw him serve as president of the BC NDP from 1996 to 2001, and replace John Horgan as NDP House Leader in 2014 so Horgan could run for the party leadership.
Before entering the provincial arena Ralston, now 71, served on Surrey council from 1988 to 1993 with the now-defunct Surrey Civic Electors slate, which had strong ties to the NDP. “We envisaged a dramatic change in the centre of Surrey, but it’s finally beginning to come into focus and it’s pretty exciting. I think the dimension that’s missing is some of the real aspects of urban life, just a more urban feel. I mean we’re building the buildings but we need some of the urban amenities, the little touches that make a city livable, and I think that’s coming, that’s coming. It is a very dramatic change in the centre of the city, for sure.” Looking back, Ralston says the people of Surrey have been “pretty good” to him. “I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to serve,” he said. “I think in some respects politics is maybe a little bit coarser in some parts than it was before but people are generally very good. “This doesn’t happen terribly often, but I was on the SkyTrain platform at Gateway just, oh maybe a couple weeks ago,” he recalled, “and a woman came up to me and said ‘Are you Bruce Ralston?’ And you’re always a little bit cautious when someone asks you but I said yes. She said well, I just want to thank you for the great job that you do for our community. People do from time to time say that; it’s not common – people express more pointed views on different topics. But that’s part of being in political life and public service. You take the rough with the smooth.”
Surrey, he says, is a model for the future of British Columbia and “in some ways, the future of Canada. It’s a dynamic, really rapidly growing, changing city.”
Ralston served on city council during some rock-em, sock-em years. “I would say participating in a public hearing in Surrey is good preparation for anything that political life can throw at you,” he says. “I really enjoyed it, I mean I learned a lot in my time on Surrey council with mayor Bose. Surrey politics is tumultuous, it’s always never dull, never dull. I learned a lot there.”
In May, Ralston was still planning to run.
As for stumping, he said, “run scared or run last, that’s the old adage. Never take it for granted, that’s for sure. I never do.”
He finishes his career in provincial politics as minister of forests, and has also served as minister responsible for the consular corps., minister of energy, mines and petroleum resources, minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, and minister of jobs, trade and technology.
By: Tom Zytaruk, Jul 3, 2024 Source: grandforksgazette.ca/
Rob Fleming won’t seek re-election
Fleming, 52, transportation minister and Victoria-Swan Lake MLA, said it had been a privilege to serve his constituents for “the better part of two decades.”
Fleming saluted Horgan and Eby for appointing him to cabinet and thanked former NDP opposition leader Carole James for her leadership and friendship as a colleague in the neighbouring riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill.“I am optimistic about our province’s ability to solve complex problems when we work together,” he said. “And I hope to continue to be able to contribute to solving challenges in a different capacity in the future.”
Fleming said he would be “forever grateful” to the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, labour unions, First Nations and transportation ministry staff for their dedication and co-operation rebuilding the devastated Coquihalla Highway after November 2021 flooding.
The other NDP MLAs who have said they will not seek re-election are Katrine Conroy, George Heyman, Nicholas Simons, Doug Routley, Jennifer Rice, Katrina Chen,
Fin Donnelly and Murray Rankin.
Source: ottawa.citynews.ca/
Saturday, April 18, 2026
