Ujjal Dosanjh

  • Ujjal Dev Dosanjh
  • ਉੱਜਲ ਦੇਵ ਦੁਸਾਂਝ
Dosanjh in 2011
Minister of Health
In office
July 20, 2004 – February 5, 2006
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byPierre Pettigrew
Succeeded byTony Clement
Member of Parliament
for Vancouver South
In office
June 28, 2004 – May 2, 2011
Preceded byHerb Dhaliwal
Succeeded byWai Young
33rd Premier of British Columbia
In office
February 24, 2000 – June 5, 2001
MonarchElizabeth II
Lieutenant GovernorGarde Gardom
Preceded byDan Miller
Succeeded byGordon Campbell
Leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party
In office
February 24, 2000 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byDan Miller (interim)
Succeeded byJoy MacPhail (interim)
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Vancouver-Kensington
In office
October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byRiding Established
Succeeded byPatrick Wong
Attorney General of British Columbia
In office
August 16, 1995 – February 29, 2000
PremierMike Harcourt
Glen Clark
Dan Miller
Preceded byColin Gabelmann
Succeeded byAndrew Petter
Minister responsible for multiculturalism and Human Rights
In office
May 10, 1995 – February 29, 2000
PremierMike Harcourt
Glen Clark
Dan Miller
Preceded byMoe Sihota
Succeeded bySue Hammell
Minister of Government Services
In office
April 10, 1995 – August 16, 1995
PremierMike Harcourt
Preceded byArthur Charbonneau
Succeeded byColin Gabelmann
Minister responsible for sports
In office
April 10, 1995 – August 16, 1995
PremierMike Harcourt
Preceded byArthur Charbonneau
Succeeded byColin Gabelmann
Personal details
Born (1947-09-09) September 9, 1947 (age 77)
Dosanjh Kalan, East Punjab, India
Political partyLiberal Party of Canada (2004–present)
Other political
affiliations
SpouseRaminder Dosanjh
Alma mater
ProfessionLawyer

Ujjal Dev Dosanjh, PC KC (/ˈəl dˈsɑːn/;[2] Punjabi: ਉੱਜਲ ਦੇਵ ਦੁਸਾਂਝ; born September 9, 1947) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the 33rd premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011. He was minister of health from 2004 until 2006, when the party lost government. He then served in the Official Opposition from January 2006 until 2011. Dosanjh was one of four visible minorities to serve in Paul Martin's Ministry.

Prior to being involved in federal politics, he spent ten years in provincial politics. He was elected in the Vancouver-Kensington riding in 1991 as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) and re-elected there in 1996. He served as the Attorney General of British Columbia from August 1995 to February 2000. When the leader of his party resigned in 1999, Dosanjh put himself forward as a candidate and won the leadership vote. With the win he became Canada's first Indo-Canadian provincial leader. He served as the 33rd Premier of British Columbia until June 2001 when he lost the province's general election. He was the last NDP premier of the province until John Horgan was elevated to the position in 2017.

Born in a village in the Jalandhar district of Punjab, India, Dosanjh emigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of 17 before moving to Canada almost four years later. He worked numerous manual labour jobs and attended university, studying political science. He earned his law degree at the University of British Columbia and opened his own law firm. He has been a vocal opponent of violence and extremism.

  1. ^ "Outstanding Alumni". Langara College. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  2. ^ "VOA Pronunciation Guide".