MLA Gary Coons - North Coast

Father we lift Gary Coons to you today. I know your eyes have been upon this man and I pray that his ears and his eyes will be open to understand that which you are doing in this present day. We pray that you will lead him and that he would have your discernment in the decision-making processes that he makes. We Bless him this day. In Jesus Name.

Gary Coons was re-elected as the MLA for the North Coast on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature on May 17, 2005.

Gary serves as deputy opposition critic for Transportation and Infrastructure.

Gary has been an educator in the Prince Rupert School District for 27 years. He has taught Mathematics/Special Education and has been an active community advocate for many years. His other interests include spending time with his family and friends.

He also enjoys coaching, playing racquet sports and taking advantage of the many outdoor activities that the North Coast has to offer.

MLA Katrine Conroy - Kootenay West

Our gracious, Heavenly Father, today our prayers go out for MLA, Katrine Conway. We truly give thanks for her courage, compassion and selflessness in the giving of herself to others. We trust she is well on the way to recovery. May You uplift and refresh her spirit as she prepares to come back to work. Bless her with wisdom, grace and clarity of direction in this responsible position she holds as Party Whip for the Opposition. We appreciate her leadership qualities and her willingness to serve in the legislature, to champion good change for our province and especially for the constituents in her riding of W. Kootenay Boundary. May You abundantly bless Katrine’s personal life as she balances her work load away from home and her role as wife and mother. Keep her and her family all safe and well.

In Jesus' precious Name. Amen

Katrine Conroy was elected as the MLA for Kootenay West May 12, 2009. She served as MLA for West Kootenay-Boundary from May 17, 2005 until the riding boundaries were re-drawn.

Katrine Conroy has been successful in both community and career endeavors. Katrine has enjoyed successful careers as one of B.C.'s first female Steam Engineers, as an Early Childhood Educator, Administrator and College Instructor, and as a small business person.

Katrine has worked and volunteered in her community as the Executive Director of Kootenay Family Place, Co-Chair of the Castlegar and District Social Planning Council, Treasurer of the Regional District of Central Kootenay Community Futures Board, Hospital Board member, and founding Board member of the Community Social Services Employers Association.

With her husband Ed, Katrine lives in Pass Creek where they run a successful ranch breeding prize winning Polled Hereford cattle. Together they have raised four children, and have five grandchildren.

MLA Hon. Rich Coleman Fort Langley-Aldergrove Minister of Housing and Social Development

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have called Rich Coleman to serve all the people of BC. We pray that You would continue to use his training and experience to fulfill Your purpose in the many tasks he is required to perform. Give him wisdom, strength, peace and the ability to discern Your perfect will each day. Bless him with quality time for his home and family and protect them, Lord. Give him favour with his constituents and his colleagues as he does the job You have called him to do. Provide him with the support of good employees and those in positions which would enable him to do things in the way the job requires. We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Rich Coleman has been British Columbia’s Minister of Housing and Social Development since 2008. Under his leadership, the provincial government has launched efforts to curb homelessness, including programs like Housing Matters, family and seniors rental assistance programs, and buying, renovating, and managing single-room occupancy apartments.

Before entering public life, Rich was governor of the BC Kinsmen, president of the Aldergrove Chamber of Commerce, Langley’s 1988 Volunteer of the Year, and a director on several volunteer boards. As a member of the Aldergrove Kinsmen Club in the 1980s, Rich oversaw the volunteer fundraising and construction efforts that built the Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre, a vital community facility which houses a preschool, library, workout area, and meeting space. The Club was also involved in building a successful housing project in Aldergrove. Rich is a life member of the Kinsmen.

In recognition of his tireless and long-term work in the community, Rich has been awarded both Rotary’s top honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship, and the Kinsmen’s highest honour, the Hal Rogers Fellowship. Rich was the second person ever honoured with the Hal Rogers—the first being Kin founder Hal Rogers himself.

Rich has been elected four times (1996, 2001, 2005, and 2009) as MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove. He has previously served as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Minister of Forests and Range. He and his wife Michele live in the Fraser Valley.

MLA Hon. Murray Coell Saanich North and the Islands Minister of Labour

Dear Lord and Saviour, we thank You today for Murray Coell and his many years of valuable community service to the residents of N. Saanich and now for the past 14 years as their able MLA. We especially appreciate how he has used his educational training in Social Services to the benefit of the those needing rehabilitation and services for those with mental disabilities as well as his exemplary volunteer work on the board of Queen Alexander Hosp. for children. Dear Lord we thank You for his faithfulness to the people of N.Saanich and ask You today to continue to bless the work of his hands that he has proven he has such a heart for. We pray You will give him divine insight , discernment, new and innovative ideas that will continue to make good changes in the riding of Saanich N. and the islands he serves. May his daily life be filled with Your grace, good health and happiness.

Murray Coell was re-elected to the riding Saanich North and the Islands in the 2009 election. On June 10, 2009, he was appointed to serve as Minister of Labour.

Previously, Minister Coell served as Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, Minister of Advanced Education and Minister Responsible for Research and Technology. In addition, Minister Coell’s past portfolios include Minister of Human Resources and Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services.

Minister Coell also served as Official Opposition critic for environment, for children and families, and for social services. He sat on the Select Standing Committees on Public Accounts, and on Environment and Tourism, as well as the Official Opposition Caucus Committee for Children.

He was first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Saanich North and the Islands, and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2009. He has served on the Government Caucus Committee on Communities and Safety, the Cabinet Committee of Agenda and Priorities, the Treasury Board, and the Public Sector Employers' Council.

Before his election to the Legislative Assembly, Minister Coell was a social worker, specializing in alcohol and drug rehabilitation as well as in services to those with mental disabilities. He also owned and operated a small business.

He received his bachelor of arts in social welfare from the University of Victoria.

Minister Coell sat on Saanich Municipal Council for 12 years, six of them as Mayor. He also chaired the Capital Regional District, the Saanich Police board and the Capital Regional District hospital board, and was deputy chair of the Municipal Finance Authority.

He served as a volunteer for 10 years on the board of Silver Threads Meals on Wheels and for five years on the board of the Queen Alexandra Hospital for Children.

Murray and Corinne Coell live in Central Saanich.

MLA Raj Chouhan Member for Burnaby-Edmonds

Heavenly Father, I ask You to bless Raj Chouhan in all his hands are doing. Lord, we praise You for his heart that is filled with passion for social justice for all people and ask that You continue to feed that fire in his soul. We ask for the wisdom of Solomon in each decision he makes in his role as labour critic and that his sense of fairness benefit all people of British Columbia as he stands for and protects the working persons. Protect Mr. Chouhan and his family and shield them from the stresses of his long hours and many days away from home. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Raj Chouhan was elected as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds on May 17, 2005 and re-elected on May 12, 2009. Raj serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Labour. Previously Raj served as critic for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Immigration. Raj also serves as the Opposition Deputy-Whip since 2007.

Before immigrating to Canada in 1973, Raj was involved in student union activities in India. On his arrival in Canada, Raj was impacted by the plight of immigrant workers and developed a passion for community and social justice work.

Raj is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers' Union, and he served as the Director of Bargaining at the Hospital Employees Union for 18 years. Raj has also served as a member of the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C.

A founding member of the B.C. Organization to Fight Racism, Raj has worked in promoting human rights and racial equality. He has served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003. Raj has taught courses on Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and collective bargaining since 1987. He has traveled across Canada to give seminars and attend conferences that raise awareness of issues regarding racism, poverty, worker rights, and discrimination.

In addition, Raj supports many programs offered through community organizations including neighbourhood safety, refugee assistance, and health and wellness programs for seniors.

MLA Hon. Ida Chong Oak Bay-Gordon Head Minister of Healthy Living and Sport

Lord God, we thank You today for a leader of Ida’s quality and capacity and ask that every day her steps continue to be ordered and directed by You in the portfolio of Healthy Living and Sport. We pray for continued inspiration to motivate her staff and indeed the public to become more involved in active living as we know this is how You designed us to be. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

Ida Chong was re-elected to represent the riding Oak Bay–Gordon Head in the 2009 election. On June 10, 2009, she was appointed to serve as Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.

Minister Chong’s previous cabinet portfolios include Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development, Minister Responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative, Minister of Community Services, Minister of Advanced Education and Minister of State for Women’s and Seniors’ Services. In addition to her role as Minister, she also served on the Cabinet Committee for Climate Action and B.C.’s Treasury Board.

A native of greater Victoria, Minister Chong has represented her constituency of Oak Bay-Gordon Head since she first entered provincial politics in 1996. During her first term at the legislature she was the Official Opposition critic in a number of areas, including critic for Small Business and Deputy Critic of Finance.

Minister Chong has been involved in her community for years – volunteering for a number of not-for-profit groups and serving as municipal councilor for the District of Saanich, from 1993-1996.

For nearly 20 years, she was senior partner in an accounting practice based in Saanich, catering to small and medium sized enterprises. While no longer in active practice, she proudly retains her credentials as a Certified General Accountant, having won a number of awards for her work in this field, including being named in 2006, a Fellow of the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, a national designation for exemplary service.

MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert Member for Vancouver-West End

Heavenly Father we thank You for Spencer Chandra Herbert and his election on May 12th 2009. We pray as he is one of BC’s newer MLA’s that You grant him great wisdom and knowledge as he learns the responsibilities of this new challenge. We thank You for his enthusiasm and eagerness to better our province and pray that You would bless him in all he does. In Jesus name Amen

Spencer Chandra Herbert was elected MLA for Vancouver-West End on May 12, 2009. He served as MLA for Vancouver – Burrard from October 29, 2008 until the riding boundaries were re-drawn.

Spencer serves as opposition critic for Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

A strong community activist, Spencer tackles issues head on. He was elected to serve as Vancouver Parks Commissioner in 2005. He was voted “Unsung Hero” by the readers of the WestEnder and one of Vancouver’s three best politicians by the readers of Georgia Straight.

Spencer's achievements include initiating the first of many fundraising drives to restore storm-damaged Stanley Park and helping improve environmental sustainability at parks throughout the city. He was instrumental in the improvements to Nelson Park in the West End, and Emery Barnes Park in Yaletown.

Spencer’s background is in the arts and culture industry. He was the associate producer of the United Nations World Urban Festival and has been a facilitator and lecturer with Better Environmentally Sound Transportation, the GLBT Centre and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

He's also worked actively with the Coal Harbour Residents Association, the West End Residents Association, the Stanley Park Ecology Society, the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre and the Save St. Paul's Coalition.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Spencer enjoys baseball and is a keen community gardener.

Spencer lives in the West End with partner Romi, a community developer.