MLA John van Dongen Member for Abbotsford South

Dear God, we thank You that we can come before You today knowing that You will always hear and answer our prayers. We bring before You today, MLA John van Dongen who is serving as the Government Caucus Whip, and was elected for Abbotsford- South riding. We thank You God for placing a seasoned man in this difficult job of a watchman and we ask that You continue to give him wisdom and understanding as he represents BC citizens. We ask that You cover Mr. van Dongen with health and good family relations for many years to come.

In Jesus name we pray. 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.