MLA Don McRae Member for Comox Valley

Father we lift up Mr McRae to you today. Thank you for his willingness to serve his community in this office and for the gifts and abilities you have have given him. Draw near to him as he goes about his day and may he know he is in this position for a greater purpose! Thank you that you love this man and his family very much. Bless him today Lord.

Don McRae was elected on May 12, 2009 as MLA for the riding of Comox Valley. Don is the Convener of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and is a member of the Select Standing Committee on Health and Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

Don was born and raised in the Comox Valley. For the past 14 years he has taught at GP Vanier Secondary School. Aside from teaching Social Studies, Military History, and Psychology, he has also served as a rugby coach, athletic director, department chair, and Staff Leadership Committee Chair.

Don has served as a Courtenay City Councillor for the past seven years. During his time on council, he has served as a municipal director for both the Comox Strathcona Regional District and the newly restructured Comox Valley Regional District. He has also been a member of the Comox Strathcona Hospital Board, vice-chair of the Comox Valley Sewer and Water Committees and numerous community organizations and boards. In 2008, he was also appointed by Premier Campbell to the Citizen’s Conservation Council.

 

He is an avid jogger and enjoys hiking and fly fishing. Don has been married to his wife Deanne for 14 years and they have a six year old daughter, Gracie Ava.

MLA Mary McNeil Vancouver - False Creek Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNow BC

Dearest Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your wisdom in placing Mary McNeil as Minister of State for The Olympics and Actnow BC and as MLA for Vancouver-False Creek. Bring her skills, experiences and knowledge into alignment that she may be effective and valuable as she performs her duties. We ask that Your favour would rest upon her as she serves the people of BC. Grant her good health and an invigorated spirit.

Mary McNeil was appointed Minister of State for The Olympics and Actnow BC.

Minister McNeil was elected MLA for Vancouver-False Creek in the 2009 general provincial election.

Most recently, Mary served as president and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation for eight years. She has served in key roles for international economic events including the G7 meetings in Halifax and Toronto, APEC in Vancouver and the XI international conference on AIDS. Mary has also served on the Vancouver Police Board for four years.

Mary was born and educated in Vancouver and has lived in Yaletown for 11 years with her husband of 38 years, Rod. She has raised four daughters and currently has eleven grandchildren.

MLA Joan McIntyre Member for West Vancouver

We thank you Lord for Joan McIntyre and her faithfulness in serving the riding of West Vancouver- Sea to Sky.

We ask that as she takes on the many tasks you have set before her, that you continue to equip her with wisdom and effectiveness in all that she sets her hands to.

We know that You Lord have placed Joan in this position for this time and would ask that you give her discernment and understanding in the Committees she has so willingly offered to serve.

Bless Joan and her family with health, stamina and protection, in Jesus name Amen.

Joan McIntyre was first elected in the riding of West Vancouver-Garibaldi in the 2005 provincial general election and re-elected in the riding of West Vancouver-Sea to Sky in 2009.

Joan was appointed to the Agenda and Priorities Committee on June 10, 2009. She previously served as Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations.

In 1980, Joan co-founded the well-known BC polling firm of McIntyre & Mustel Research Associates Ltd. She sold her interest in 1996 to work independently and to concentrate more on the qualitative side of the research business.

 Throughout her career, Joan has conducted political research and provided counsel on many campaigns. She has also mentored and encouraged young people to become engaged in the political process to ensure they have a direct say in their future.

A long time supporter of the 2010 Olympic Bid, Joan was appointed in 2002 to a communications advisory committee for the Bid and was fortunate to be in Prague for the winning IOC announcement.

Joan currently sits on two Cabinet Committees, Agenda Development and Legislative Review and is a member on the Agricultural Planning Government Caucus Committee. She has served as the Deputy Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and was a member on the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations.

Joan grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and attended the University of Toronto's Trinity College. She graduated with an Honours BA in Political Science in 1971. An avid skier and sailor, Joan takes full advantage of living in one of the healthiest and active ridings in Canada.

Joan and her husband Andrew Pottinger have lived in West Vancouver since 1983 and they have two children, Leigh and Drew.

MLA Norm Macdonald Member for Columbia River - Revelstoke

We lift up Norm Macdonald today and give thanks for his position as Opposition Critic in the area of Forest and Range and Integrated Land Management. We pray that he will be able to apply his gift of teaching as pertinent information is brought to the forefront, and as there is need for explanations pertaining to these large areas of responsibility. Place into Norm’s hands all the resources that will help him to do the best job possible. Keep him healthy and watch over him, we ask in Jesus’ Name.

Norm Macdonald was re-elected as the MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2005.
Norm serves as opposition critic for Forest and Range and Integrated Land Management.

Recently the principal of Nicholson Elementary School, Norm has taught for more than 15 years in the Columbia Valley.

He has a further six years experience teaching in Africa.

Norm served as a Councillor and was then elected Mayor of Golden in 1996.

Norm Macdonald lives in Golden with his wife Karen and two teenage daughters.

MLA Honorable Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid Vancouver - Fairview Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy

Thank You Father for Margaret MacDiarmid. We thank you that she has dedicated her life to caring for others and has such a big passion to help. Give her wisdom Father, as she serves in her role as Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy. Thank you for the difference she has made and continues to make every day. We pray Your richest blessings upon Margaret.

In Jesus' name, Amen

Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid was appointed Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy on June 10, 2009.

Minister MacDiarmid was elected MLA for Vancouver-Fairview in the 2009 general provincial election.

 Margaret has been a family physician for 23 years. She served on the board of the BC Medical Association for 12 years and was president in 2006-2007. The BCMA is a voluntary association of 11,000 members comprised of British Columbia's physicians, medical residents, and medical students. During her time with the BCMA, Margaret met with key leaders from government and other organizations.

Margaret experienced the health care system as a patient after an early diagnosis of breast cancer in 2007. She received treatment and has fully recovered.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Margaret and her husband Robert moved to Rossland, BC in 1989. Since the mid-1990s, both Robert’s and Margaret’s work brought them more frequently to Vancouver, where ultimately they decided to settle. Margaret enjoys golf, bridge, playing piano, kayaking and treasures the time she spends with family and friends.

MLA Norm Letnick Member for Kelowna-Lake Country

Gracious, heavenly Father, our prayer today is for MLA Norm Letnich. Norm has demonstrated his civic-mindedness in so many ways and in such very responsible positions.

So we pray upon him and his family Your blessing and protection. Guide Norm as he takes part in the Legislature debates. Provide him with stamina and insight as a lawmaker setting forth good laws that will not only benefit his constituents but all British Columbians. And we pray for divine guidance as he confronts challenging and important decisions. In Jesus' Holy Name we leave Norm in Your precious hands, Lord. Amen

Norm was elected as MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country on May 12, 2009 in the provincial general election.

His previous community service experience includes serving on Kelowna City Council since 2005 and working with the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Kelowna Rotary and Gyro Clubs. Norm was chair of the city’s Affordable and Special Needs Housing Task Force where he successfully led Kelowna through a year of public consultations and workshops to develop the eight key recommendations he presented to council in 2006.

As well, Norm represented the central Okanagan on the province’s single business license implementation committee which resulted in reduced cost and red tape for mobile businesses throughout the Okanagan/Similkameen, and he worked as the selection process leader on the City of Kelowna’s Roads Task Force which recommended transportation network access to the new W. R. Bennett Bridge.

Before moving to Kelowna, Norm lived in Banff and owned two H&R Block franchises, a Motorola dealership, and a computer store. He served on the Banff Chamber of Commerce, as president of the Banff Rotary Club, and was chairman of both the Banff Hospital Board and Municipal Planning Commission. Norm also served the Banff community as a city councillor, first elected in 1992 and re-elected in 1995. He was also president of the Banff Housing Corporation developing over $20 million in affordable housing.

 Norm was an instructor in the business program at Okanagan College and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Master of Business Administration and is currently working toward a Ph.D. in health economics at UBC Okanagan, focusing on international research to improve health care for British Columbians.

He is bilingual in English and French, enjoys biking, hiking, golf, reading, good movies and helping others reach their full potential. He and his wife Helene have three children.

MLA John Les Chilliwack

                                                                                                                                                               

Dear Lord, We bring John Les before you today and ask You to bless him and everything he sets his hands to do. Give him strength as he makes decisions and faces challenges throughout today. Be near his family and let him know You are near him today.

John Les was re-elected as MLA to represent the new riding of Chilliwack in the spring of 2009.

John has served as Solicitor General, Minister of Small Business and Economic Development.

Mr. Les was first elected to represent the riding of Chilliwack-Sumas in 2001 and re-elected in 2005.

 

He served as Government Caucus Chair, and also chaired the Legislative Special Committee on the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. Mr. Les has served on the Government Caucus Committee on Economy and Government Operations, as well as the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations. He has also been chair of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, and was formerly a member of the Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills.

Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Les served for three years as a Chilliwack municipal councillor before he became Mayor from 1987 to 1999. During his 13 years as Mayor, he served on a number of bodies, including Chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District; Trustee of the Municipal Finance Authority of B.C.; Director of Union of BC Municipalities; and President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

In his private business career, Mr. Les was a partner in a Chilliwack dairy operation, an award-winning realtor, as well as the owner of a successful land development company.

Mr. Les is an Honorary Rotarian, who was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of his exemplary community service, by the Rotary Club of Chilliwack.

Mr. Les and his wife Mattie live in Chilliwack and have six children and 11 grandchildren.