Raj Chouhan | |
---|---|
40th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia | |
Assumed office December 7, 2020 | |
Premier | John Horgan David Eby |
Lieutenant Governor | Janet Austin |
Preceded by | Darryl Plecas |
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Burnaby-Edmonds | |
Assumed office May 17, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Patty Sahota |
Personal details | |
Born | March 4 India |
Political party | New Democrat |
Residence | Burnaby, British Columbia |
Occupation | Union leader |
Raj Chouhan is a Canadian politician and trade unionist, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in the 2005 provincial election. He is serving as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He previously served as the Assistant Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2013 to 2017 and as the Deputy Speaker from 2017 to 2020. While in opposition he served as the critic for Mental Health; Human Rights, Immigration and Multiculturism and Labour. He was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020.
Born in the Punjab province of India, Chouhan was the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union. He 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, Chouhan has worked to promote human rights and racial equality. He has served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003, and has taught courses on Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and collective bargaining since 1987.