MLA Doug Routley - Nanaimo - North Cowichan

Dear Lord, I thank you for the diligence that you have put in Doug’s heart with regard to Citizen’s Services. Please keep him steadfast in wisdom and truth, and continue to bless him with a peaceful countenance. I ask for a heart that brings new and creative ideas to his team as he begins to work with his new leader. This I ask in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Doug Routley was elected as the MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan on May 12, 2009. He served as MLA for Cowichan-Ladysmith from May 17, 2005 until the riding boundaries were re-drawn.

Doug serves as opposition critic for Citizens’ Services.

Doug was born May 9, 1961 in New Westminster, BC and grew up in Duncan.

He comes from a family of educators and attended the public schools of the Cowichan Valley and attended Camosun College before traveling to Japan, where he lived and worked for one year.

Doug has experience in logging, as a sawmill worker, treeplanter and in construction. He also has been a business owner and operator, school custodian and School Trustee.

While in Japan, Doug taught English and studied Sumea, traditional Japanese ink painting. He was a bicycle racer and while training in Japan, met a bicycle manufacturer. After his return to Canada, Doug established a bicycle retail and wholesale company which had dealers throughout Canada and the USA.

Doug has two daughters, Sasha, 21 and Madeline, 13.

MLA Bill Routley - Cowichan Valley

Heavenly Father, we thank you for Bill Routley today.  We ask that as he serves his constituents and our province today that he would know your strength and help.  Help him to be an effective critic ensuring that our forests remain strong and vibrant into the future. Bless him and his family today.  Protect them from harm and in good health.  We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

Bill Routley was elected MLA for Cowichan Valley on May 12, 2009. Bill serves as deputy opposition critic for Forests and Range.


Bill began his career in the Forest industry working at the Youbou Sawmill where he became active first as the Safety Chairman, and then as Plant Chairman. He was elected the President of IWA Local 1-80; now USW-Steelworkers Local 1-1937.

Bill served as a Pension Trustee on the IWA-Forest Industry Pension Plan. He was a member of the IWA-Forest Industry Pension Audit Committee, and was a Trustee on the IWA-Forest Industry Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. Bill's service to the community includes five years as a School Trustee in Lake Cowichan (1980 -1985).

Bill and his wife Charmaine enjoy the company of their two grown children, son Noah and daughter Alisha who have provided the gift of five wonderful grandchildren; ages four to nine years. While Bill and Charmaine currently reside in Duncan, they started their family in Youbou and then lived at Marble Bay on Lake Cowichan for many years. Bill and Charmaine were very active in Lake Cowichan with their involvement in Boy Scouts(Beavers) and Girl Guides.

Bill and Charmaine owned a home decorating business "Decorating Den" for many years.

MLA Linda Reid - Richmond East

Blessed Lord God I pray for MLA Linda Reid  that  she will be guided by you in the coming days and I ask that you grant wisdom in decision making as she goes forward as a leader in the community. Thank-you Lord for her commitment  as she endeavors  to make a  difference.

Linda Reid is the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and has served since June, 2009. Previously, she was Minister of State for Childcare from June, 2005 to June, 2009 and the Minister of State for Early Childhood Development from June, 2001 to June, 2005. She was first elected in 1991 to represent the riding of Richmond East and was re-elected in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2009.

Linda previously served in a variety of critic roles for the Official Opposition, including children and families, health, attorney general, municipal affairs, and science, technology and research. She was also the Opposition Caucus Chair.


She has served on Treasury Board, and on the Select Standing Committee to Appoint a Child, Youth and Family Advocate, the Select Standing Committee to Appoint a Police Complaints Commissioner, the Select Standing Committee on Transportation, Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations.


Before her election to the Legislative Assembly, Linda worked as a language therapist, teacher and school administrator for the Richmond School District.


She graduated from the University of British Columbia with an education degree and earned a master of arts from UBC specializing in education, exceptional learners, language acquisition and public administration.


Linda was the BC chair for the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and a director of the Garden City Hospice Society. She has been active in the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Asia-Pacific Business Association, and the Canadian Council for Exceptional Children and the Family Court Committee of Richmond. She was a founding member of the Richmond Chinatown Lions Club and was chair of the British Columbia Youth Parliament board from 1986 to 1991.


Linda and her husband Sheldon live in Richmond and have two children – Olivia and Will.

MLA Bruce Ralston - Surrey-Whalley

Dearest Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for raising up Bruce Ralston, Opposition House Leader and MLA for Surrey-Whalley, into a position of leadership in our province.  We thank You that he has invested his time, energy and God-given talent into helping lead and shape our province.  May you give him the wisdom and insight he needs to make right and integral decisions that line up with Your will.  May he be refreshed as he works on our behalf and may You bless him with good health and abundant energy so he may complete all the tasks you have set before him.  We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Bruce Ralston was re-elected as the MLA for Surrey - Whalley on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2005.

Bruce serves as Opposition House Leader. Bruce is currently the chair of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts. He has also been a member of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services since 2006.


Bruce is a lawyer in Surrey, where he has operated his own law firm for 18 years.


From 1995 to 2006, Bruce was elected to four consecutive terms as a member of the VanCity Savings Credit Union board of directors. He served as the chair of the board from 2001 to 2003. In 2003 BC Business magazine recognized Bruce as one of BC’s leading five board chairs. From 2003 until 2005, Bruce acted as the chair of the board of VanCity Enterprises, a VanCity subsidiary with a mandate to provide innovative housing solutions throughout the Lower Mainland.


Bruce also served on the Surrey City Council from 1988 to 1993, where he promoted planned development for healthy neighbourhoods for Surrey families. He is a former board member of Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Surrey Public Library.


A former president of the BC NDP, Bruce was born in Victoria and grew up in Vancouver. He has degrees in history and law from the University of British Columbia and a degree in history from the University of Cambridge in England.


Bruce is married to Miriam Sobrino. They have three children, 20, 18 and 15, who grew up in Whalley and attended public schools in Surrey and New Westminster. The elder two attend Canadian universities, while the youngest is entering Grade 10. The family is active in their community through a number of community and sports organizations.

MLA Lana Popham - Saanich South

Heavenly Father we are grateful, for MLA. Lana Popham who carries out her role as Opposition Critic for Agriculture and Lands with excellence. Her feel for the environment and the people in Saanich South is evident, in the innovative changes already made in the area of recycling and ways to benefit the environment in other areas as well.

Grant her wisdom and insight for the complex problems we face to-day , in making choices for the best use of agricultural land in this province.

We pray earnestly, You will keep her, family in good health , protected by Your love , and relationships with one another strong and whole.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Lana Popham was elected as a Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for the Constituency of Saanich South on May 12, 2009.

She is also the New Democratic Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.

Lana was raised on Quadra Island and has an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia.

Lana has an extensive track record as a community leader, advocate and environmental activist. For example, her recent contributions include being a:

Member of Saanich's Planning, Transportation and Economic Development Committee,

President the Vancouver Island Grape Growers Association,

Chair of the Certification Committee for the Islands Organic Producers Association,

Commissioner on the Peninsula Agricultural Commission, and a

Voting Member of the Agri-Food Initiative Advisory Committee.

In late 2007, Lana launched a campaign called “Think Outside the Bag” to reduce the use of disposable bags. While initially dismissed by cynics, in less than two years this campaign has helped to dramatically change how consumers use plastic bags and contributed to a sea change with many grocery stores and other retailers no longer offering them.

Lana has lived in Saanich South since 1996. She is married to Jon Popham, a fire-fighter, and has one young son. The family owns and operates Barking Dog Vineyard, the first certified organic vineyard on Vancouver Island.

Hon. Mary Polak - Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and Member for Langley

Dear Heavenly Father,

We take time today to thank you for Hon. Mary Polak. She has been given great responsibility as she takes on the new role of Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

May you give her much wisdom and knowledge as she familiarizes herself with the tasks that lay before her.


As she works with many of our dear Aboriginal people, may you grant her much favor.


Continue to lead her and guide her in all that she sets her hand to.


Bless Mary as she fulfills this role that you have placed her in.


In Jesus name we pray Amen.


Mary Polak was appointed Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation on March 14, 2011. She was re-elected to the B.C. Legislature in 2009, having represented the constituents of Langley since 2005.


Prior to her new Cabinet post, Mary served as the Minister of Children and Family Development and Minister Responsible for Child Care, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for the Conversation on Health.

Mary previously sat on the Cabinet Committee on New Relationship Coordination and the Government Caucus Committee on Social Development as well as on the Government Caucus Committee for Natural Resources and the Economy, the Select Standing Committees for Children and Youth, Education and Public Accounts, 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 Polak 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, was elected to the board of directors of the British Columbia School Trustees Association.

Mary lives happily in the Willoughby area of Langley.

MLA Pat Pimm - Peace River North

Father we thank you for MLA Pat Pimm and pray that he will be lead by the will of GOD in all decision making. That the issues that affect those that live in the north would be addressed in a way that will bring health and wholeness to the community. That the funds needed for advancing projects will supernaturally be supplied. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Pat Pimm was elected MLA for Peace River North in the 2009 provincial election.

Upon being sworn in to office, Pat was appointed as the Chair of the Northern Caucus and currently sits on three Select Standing Committees: Crown Corporations, Parliamentary Reform and Legislative Initiatives. In June 2010, Pat was appointed a member of Treasury Board.

A long-time resident of the Peace River region, Pat served twelve years as councillor for the City of Fort St. John from 1993-2005. For six years, he was chair of city hall’s Finance Committee, responsible for overseeing the municipality’s budget process.

With 25 years experience in the oil and gas industry, he was co-chair of the BC Oil and Gas Conference in 2002 and 2005, bringing together industry stakeholders to identify further strategies and opportunities for economic development in British Columbia’s northeast region. He has also served on a variety of other local community boards and committees.

Pat possesses an extensive background in the construction industry. He is president of Alpha Controls Ltd, a company that provides construction, maintenance, and electrician services for numerous projects. He is also a director and vice-president of the North Peace Construction Association.

Pat is a director of the British Columbia Golf Association and past president of the Lake Point Golf and Country Club. He is a long-time youth sports volunteer, having coached golf, hockey, and minor league fastball. He enjoys travel, curling, and playing hockey. Pat is married to Jody and the father of two daughters and two sons.