MLA Donna Barnett Member for Cariboo-Chilcotin

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Donna Barnett and the time and effort she puts into her ministry work.  We pray a blessing of Your supernatural strength upon her so that she will have the energy and stamina to take on the tasks required of her in her postion.  We ask that You remind her that her strength and passion for her work come from You.  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Donna Barnett was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Pine Beetle Community Recovery to the Ministry of Community and Rural Development on June 10, 2009. She was elected MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin on May 12.

A self-employed business owner and realtor, Donna served as mayor of the District of 100 Mile House from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1996 to 2008.

During that time, Donna served as co-chair of the Council of Resource Community Mayors, as well as chair of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition. Additionally, she was a member of the federal government’s Minister of Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Premier's Climate Action Team.

Donna’s political experience is very diverse. She has been either a member of or involved in: the Cariboo Regional District and Hospital District, Community Policing, the Premier's Task Force on Opportunities, Land Use Planning, Health Care, the Restorative Justice Committee, the Regional Economic Development Committee, the BC Open Learning Agency, the Board of Directors for the Cariboo College and the Chamber of Commerce.

With over 35 years of community involvement, Donna has been a Rotarian, a member of the 100 Mile House Kinettes, a member of the 100 Mile Outriders Club, chair of the Spirit of BC 100 Mile House Community Committee, chair of the100 Mile Chapter of Kisport, chair of the 100 Mile & District Safety Committee, a member of Measuring up the North 100 Mile Committee, chair of the 100 Mile Advisory Committee for the Industrial Hemp Pilot Project, a member of the 100 Mile House Museum Society, a member of the Lower Bridge Creek Watershed Society and served as chair of the South Cariboo Planning Council.

Donna has been the recipient of many awards including the 2008 Women in Resource Communities Woman of the Year Award and 2006 BC Government Community Achievement Award.

Donna and her husband Jack have two grown children and one grandchild.

MLA Hon. Bill Barisoff Penticton Speaker

Great and awesome Father, defender of truth we bring before You today our MLA and Speaker: Hon. Bill Barisoff. We thank You for his faithfulness in carrying out his duties and we ask that You would sustain and bless him as he walks as a parliamentarian, as a community member and as a father. Please endow him with wisdom and discretion in all he does and let him feel Your gentle guidance. We pray blessings of peace and health for him and his family, 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-daughter Kayla Ramos Barisoff.

MLA Harry Baines Member for Surrey-Newton

Dear Heavenly Father, we lift up MLA Harry Bains to You today. Thank You for his dedication to ensuring our Transportation and Infrastructure gets the attention required. Thank You for giving him wisdom and insight as he serves his constituents in Surrey-Newton. We ask You to bless him and his family and keep them safe.

Harry Bains was re-elected as the MLA for Surrey-Newton on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature on May 17, 2005.

Harry serves as opposition critic for Transportation and Infrastructure.

Harry has been active in the Surrey community for many years. He has years of experience in education having served on the Kwantlen College Board of Governors between 1993 and 1999.

Harry was an elected officer of Steelworkers-IWA Canada local 2171 for over fifteen years. He served most recently as Vice president of his local, where he led negotiations and engaged in bargaining for better working conditions for working people.

Harry and his wife Rajvinder live in Surrey. They have two children, Kulpreet and Jasmeen.

MLA Robin Austin Member for Skeena

Lord, please bless Robin today as he serves his constituents and the needs that they have. Give him wisdom to bring forward ideas for our Education system that will benefit all our young people. Grant him special grace as he is separated from his wife and two teenagers by so many miles.

Robin Austin was re-elected as the MLA for Skeena on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature on May 17, 2005.

Robin serves as opposition critic for Education, Early Learning and Literacy.

Robin was employed as a Community Schools Coordinator for a Non-Profit Society in Terrace.

Prior to entering the social work field, Robin spent 20 years working in the Private Sector for both large corporations and small businesses associated with the Hotel/Tourism industry. Robin has a B.A. from Strathclyde University in Scotland as well as a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Northern BC.

Robin and his wife have been married for twenty years and are the parents of two active teenagers.

MLA George Abbott Shuswap

Lord, we lift up George Abbott and all that he does for his constituency and his country. We thank You for him and ask that You continue to establish the work of his hands. Direct his paths as he seeks the leadership of his party.  Grant him strength in this race.


In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

George Abbott was appointed Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and government deputy house leader on June 10, 2009. He was re-elected as MLA for the Shuswap on May 12, 2009.

He had served as Minister of Health since June 16, 2005 and previously served as Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services and Minister of Sustainable Resource Management.

He has also been deputy house leader for the Official Opposition and was critic for municipal affairs and forests. He was Deputy Chair of the Select Standing Committees on Forests, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and was a member of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. Additionally, he sat on the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.

First elected as MLA in 1996 to represent the riding of Shuswap, George was re-elected in 2001 and again in 2005. Before his election to the Legislative Assembly, George was a political science instructor at Okanagan University College. He also owned the oldest and largest berry farm in the Interior.

He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and his Master of Arts in political science from the University of Victoria.

George was the chair of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District. He was also involved in amateur sports as a minor hockey coach.

George and Lesley Abbott live in Sicamous and have three children.

MLA Hon . John Yap Richmond-Steveston Minister of State for Climate Action

Dear Father, we bring John Yap before You today. We take this opportunity to ask Your blessing on John. Father, give him wisdom and insight for the decisions he makes. Grant him health, strength and joy as he serves his constituency of Richmond-Steveston and our province as Minister of State for Climate Change. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

John Yap was first elected in the riding of Richmond-Steveston in the 2005 provincial election. He was re-elected on May 12, 2009.

Minister Yap previously served as the chair of the Government Caucus. He was also a member of the Treasury Board, the Legislative Review Cabinet Committee, as well as the Select Standing Committees of Public Accounts and Crown Corporations. He has also served as a member of the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture and was previously a member of the Finance and Government Services Committee.

Minister Yap is active in the community as a Rotarian, being a charter member and past president of the Richmond Sunset Rotary Club. He is also a member of Gilmore Park United Church, where he has previously served as board chair, finance chair, treasurer and personnel committee chair. He has served as board chair of Gilmore Seniors Centre, a 117-unit seniors’ residence. John is an honorary member of the Vancouver Diamond Lions Club.

MLA Hon. Naomi Yamamoto North Vancouver-Lonsdale Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations

Lord, thank You for Minister Yamamoto and the special gifts You have given her for assisting the health of businesses in our Province. May she have keen insight to guide the revision of building codes wisely. Bless her as she helps her constituents.In Jesus name, Amen.

Naomi Yamamoto was elected as MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale in the 2009 general provincial election and was appointed Minister of State for intergovernmental Relations in June 2009.

Minister Yamamoto had been the president and owner of Tora Design Group in North Vancouver for 21 years. She also enjoyed working with the business community as the president and general manager of the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.

She also served on the board of the North Shore Credit Union and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and was president of the Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation. As well, she represented the North Vancouver Chamber on the North Shore 2010 Spirit Committee and Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism Association Board.

In 1997, Minister Yamamoto served as chair of the BC Chamber of Commerce. She completed a six-year term on the board of Capilano College, with the last three years as chair. She also enjoyed six years as a director of the North Shore Neighbourhood House.

In 2005, Naomi was appointed as an inaugural member of the Premier’s Small Business Roundtable.

In her role as Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, Naomi Yamamoto is also the Premier’s representative to the Pacific North West Economic Region.