MLA: Hon. Bill Barisoff - Penticton - Speaker of the House

Lord, we lift MLA: Hon. Bill Barisoff to You and thank You for the wealth of experience he brings to the province of British Columbia. Thank You for his many years of service to our province and more particularly to the people of the Okanagan. We ask Lord that You will grant him wisdom and favour in his role as Speaker. Help him to balance the many demands on his time and give him the strength to serve with fresh enthusiasm and commitment. Be with and bless his family, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Bill Barisoff was first elected Speaker on September 12, 2005, and re-elected to this position on August 25, 2009. He also served as Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection and Minister of Provincial Revenue.

Mr. Barisoff previously held a variety of critic roles for the Official Opposition, including agriculture, transportation and highways and aboriginal affairs. He served on the province's Motor Carrier Commission and was a member of the Select Standing Committees on Aboriginal Affairs and on Agriculture.

He was first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Okanagan-Boundary and was re-elected in 2001 and in 2005 as the Member for Penticton-Okanagan Valley. In 2009 he was re-elected as the Member for Penticton.

Bill, who was born and raised in Oliver, owned a trucking firm before his election to the Legislative Assembly.

He served as a school trustee for 18 years, including eight as chair of the Southern Okanagan school board; was a volunteer firefighter in Oliver for over 25 years; and sat on the Okanagan Labour Relations Council. He was also chair of the Oliver Recreation Commission for one year.

Bill and Edna Barisoff live in Oliver. Their family includes sons Glen, his wife Hilary, and grand-son Benjamin Charles; Michael; Darren, his wife Eliza, and grand-daughters Kayla Ramos Barisoff and Allison Elizabeth Bariso