MLA John van Dongen Member for Abbotsford South

We come to you, Heavenly Father to pray for John van Dongen. We uphold him with our prayers that he will be given the extra strength and insight that is needed to fulfill his many obligations both in the legislature and also in his home constituency. We pray for daily patience as he carries out his duties as the Caucus Whip. Father in heaven, bless this man and his family too, for they are a great part of the support that John so desires and needs . We pray that he too will reach out to you as he realizes he needs Divine guidance as he seeks to serve with honesty and enthusiasm all the people of this great province. We thank you now for answered prayer in the name of our Lord. Amen.

John van Dongen was re-elected as MLA to serve the new riding of Abbotsford-South in the spring of 2009.


John was first elected in 1995 in a by-election to represent the riding of Abbotsford and was re-elected in 1996, 2001, and 2005.

Mr. van Dongen currently serves as the Government Caucus Whip.

Mr. van Dongen has served as the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety. He has also served as Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations and as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. He has also been a member of the Government Caucus Committee on Social Development. For the past several years, John served on the Hospital Construction Committee for the new Abbotsford Hospital and Cancer Centre.

Before his election to the Legislative Assembly, Mr. van Dongen operated a dairy farm in Abbotsford. He studied agricultural economics at the University of British Columbia.

Mr. van Dongen was involved in farm organizations and businesses for almost two decades. He was on the board of directors of the B.C. Dairy Foundation, Agrifoods International Co-operative (Dairyland) the B.C. Federation of Dairymen's Association and the Federal Farm Debt Review Board.

He was Chair of the Building and Finance Committee of St. Joseph's Church in Mission. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is the father of two sons and has one granddaughter.