Hon. Iain Black - Minister of Labour and Citizen's Services

Today we are praying for the Hon. Iain Black, Minister of Labour and Citizen's Services and Member for Port Moody Westwood.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for Iain Black and his tremendous contributions to business, banking systems and technology. Here is a man not only gifted in many areas but also well experienced in the practical application in those areas. Iain has been appointed to the BC Provincial Treasury Board and also serves in the Areas of Finance and Government Services, Public Accounts and the Special Committee to Appoint a Conflict of Interest Commissioner. In addition, he serves as Chair on a Natural Resource and Economy Committee – he holds positions much like Joseph did – our prayer is that You endue Iain with great wisdom as he overviews and works in these areas. Like the Joseph of old, who was a trusted servant, may Iain walk in the same way, trusted by the members of government and by the people of the province. Continue to bless him and his family and give him great strength to stay the course and to handle the tasks at hand for this year.

Iain Black was appointed Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services on June 23, 2008. He was elected to represent the riding of Port Moody-Westwood in the 2005 provincial general election.


In addition to his role of MLA, he has been appointed to the BC Provincial Treasury Board, and three Select Standing Committees of the Legislature including Finance and Government Services, Public Accounts, and the Special Committee to Appoint a Conflict of Interest Commissioner (where he serves as Chair). In addition, in December 2006 Iain was appointed by the Premier as Chair of the Government Caucus Committee (GCC) on Natural Resources and the Economy. The GCC reviews legislation, policies and programs, and makes recommendations to Cabinet. Prior to entering politics, Iain spent his entire career in the technology industry, and has been leading technology companies since 1995.

At the point of his election, Iain was president of the Banking Solutions Group of Open Solutions Canada (formerly Datawest Solutions Inc.), the largest provider of banking systems outsourcing and development to Canadian credit unions. Prior to Datawest, Iain served as president & CEO of The Electric Mail Company Inc., where over three years he evolved the software and services firm into a profitable world leader in business email technology. Prior to that, his leadership experience included serving as president or chief operating officer of both publicly traded and private British Columbia technology companies, and as a partner with a national professional services firm. He embarked on his entrepreneurial ventures after starting his career with IBM Canada Ltd.

Iain’s list of community volunteer and board director roles includes his ongoing coaching of two youth soccer teams in Coquitlam, and his five year term on the Board of Directors of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, a hospice for children with life-limiting illnesses. A recipient of the 40-Under-40 award in 1998, “recognizing top business achievement in British Columbians”, Iain is an experienced speaker at North American business and technology industry conferences, who holds an Honours degree in business from the University of Manitoba.

Iain and his wife, Chris, reside in the Westwood Plateau district of the riding with their three children.