Tuesday February 18, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated February 19, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The BC Speaker of the House for the 43rd BC Parliament is is Raj Chouhan.
He was officially sworn-in today, with an introduction by Premier David Eby who said Chouhan “always seemed to enjoy the job of Speaker”.
Chouhan first served in the role of Speaker starting in December 2020 when John Horgan was premier, and continued in that role until the dissolution of the legislative assembly in 2024 ahead of the fall 2024 BC provincial election.
Eby’s accolades:
“And rightly so, I think your work was respected on both sides of the House in previous sessions for your even handedness in maintaining the tenor of debate when our spirits get particularly high,” said Eby.
Chouhan worked with farmers, in chemical plants and plywood mills where he supported vulnerable workers to make sure their rights were recognized and that they would fight against racim, said Eby.
“This has been signature pieces of your work before you came to the legislative assembly in your esteemed career here,” the Premier said to Chouhan.
Chouhan’s notes:
Chouhan said to MLAs in the House today that he hopes they will do their jobs with “passion and dedication” to the level that people have entrusted them.
“We will serve British Columbians with integrity and pride,” the Speaker said to the full house.
He said his career work — starting with farm work and now through his service in the legislature — has been “to unite people in the pursuit of fairness and dignity”.
Chouhan outlined he political work bringing rights to farm workers and other across BC.
Chouhan is the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, first elected in 2005, and re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2020, and 2024.
Congrats from opposition:
Congratulations were delivered to the Speaker from the Official Opposition Leader John Rustad and Third Party Leader Jeremy Valeriote.
O Canada:
After his speech, he led the House in the singing of O Canada. That had an unspoken undertone of standing up for Canada’s sovereignty during this current time of economic and sovereign onslaught by the United States president.
The singing of O Canada is not a usual proceeding at the opening of a new session of Parliament, as confirmed by the Office of the Speaker. It happened yesterday at the initiative of the Speaker.
However, the Speaker’s office says it’s not the first time that Members of the House have joined together in singing the national anthem.
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