Hon. Mary Polak - Minister of Healthy Living and Sport and MLA for Langley

Mary Polak was appointed Minister of Healthy Living and Sport on June 23, 2008. She was elected to the Legislature in 2005 to represent Langley. On December 19, 2006, the Premier appointed her as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health.

Mary currently sits on the Cabinet Committee on New Relationship Coordination and the Government Caucus Committee on Social Development. She has served on the Government Caucus Committee for Natural Resources and the Economy, the Select Standing Committees for Children and Youth, Education and Public Accounts. She has also been a member of the Cabinet Committee on Agenda Development and the Special Committee to Review the Personal Information Protection Act.

Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Mary was director of operations for a small polling and research firm and a trustee and former chair of the Surrey School Board. Under her leadership, Surrey became the first school district in B.C. to balance its books according to generally accepted accounting principles. She also led an initiative to make Surrey the first school district in the province to publish school-by-school results for both elementary and secondary schools.

Throughout her nine years in local government, Mary has worked with many regional and provincial organizations. As a representative to the Lower Mainland Consortium of School Districts for Successful Settlement, she twice presented briefs to the Federal Immigration Commission. In the mid 1990s, Mary chaired the Council of British Columbia School Districts and in 2003, she was elected to the board of directors of the British Columbia School Trustees Association.

Mary lives in the Willoughby area of Langley.

Father, we bring the Hon. Mary Polak before you today.  We thank you for her desire to serve those around her and the diligence with which she does it.  Thank you for her recent promotion and the increased influence and authority you have given to her.   Help her as she provides leadership to our province in the area of Healthy Living and Sport.  Give her insight into key issues that will cause British Columbians to benefit in many ways.  Bless her as she gives herself to serving our province in this important role.  In Jesus' name, Amen.