Sue Hammell (born June 18, 1945) is a Canadian politician who was the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Green Timbers in the province of British Columbia from 1991 to 2001, and from 2005 to 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), she served in several cabinet posts under Premiers Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark and Ujjal Dosanjh.
Sue Hammell | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sue Hammell (middle) with Rachna Singh and John Horgan, 2017 | |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Green Timbers | |
| In office May 17, 2005 – May 9, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Brenda Locke |
| Succeeded by | Rachna Singh |
| In office October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Succeeded by | Brenda Locke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 18, 1945 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic |
| Spouse | John Pollard |
| Residence(s) | Surrey, British Columbia, Canada |
| Alma mater | University of British Columbia |
Background edit
Hammell was born in Vancouver, and grew up on Sea Island in Richmond.[1] She attended the University of British Columbia, from which she received a bachelor of arts degree in education. She worked as a teacher in Verdun, Quebec and Courtenay, British Columbia before moving to Surrey, settling in the Green Timbers area in 1990 with her husband.[1] Before entering provincial politics, she was the executive assistant to the mayor of Surrey.[2] She participated in the founding of the Minerva Foundation for B.C. Women in 1999.[1]
She and her husband John Pollard (d. 2019[citation needed]) had one adult daughter, named Sage.[1]
Political career edit
She was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the riding of Surrey-Green Timbers in the 1991 election, and was named to the cabinet by Premier Mike Harcourt in October 1995, serving as Minister of Housing, Recreation and Consumer Services.[3] After Glen Clark assumed the premiership in February 1996, Hammell was appointed Minister for Women's Equality. She was re-elected in the May 1996 provincial election, and retained her role in the cabinet.[4] With Clark embroiled in scandal, Hammell resigned her cabinet post in July 1999, stating she could not "in good conscience" stay on in the executive council.[4][5]
She re-entered the cabinet in February 2000 under new Premier Ujjal Dosanjh, serving as Minister of Multiculturalism and Immigration, and Minister Responsible for the Public Service.[6][7] With the NDP trailing in the polls, Hammell was defeated in the 2001 election by BC Liberal candidate Brenda Locke.[8] While out of the legislature, she worked as executive director for Surrey Aboriginal Society in 2002.[1]
She then returned to the Assembly by winning back the Surrey-Green Timbers seat from Locke in the 2005 election.[9] She was handily re-elected in 2009 with more than 72% of the vote,[8][10] and kept her seat in the 2013 election.[1] She served as the NDP's deputy house leader and critic for women's issues, child care and early learning in the 39th Parliament,[8] and as critic for mental health and addictions in the 40th Parliament.[1]
She announced in January 2017 that she would not run in that May's election, citing the need to care for her ailing husband;[2][11] she served out the remainder of her term. In the same year she co-founded consulting firm Composite Public Affairs,[12] and registered as a lobbyist.[13]
Election results edit
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| New Democratic | Sue Hammell | 9386 | 58.06 | |||||
| Liberal | Amrik Tung | 5581 | 34.52 | |||||
| Green | Richard Hosein | 655 | 4.05 | |||||
| Conservative | Lisa Maharaj | 444 | 2.75 | |||||
| Vision | Harjit Singh Heir | 101 | 0.62 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 16167 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 194 | 1.19 | ||||||
| Turnout | 16361 | 52.32 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC[14] | ||||||||
| 2009 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Sue Hammell | 10,965 | 72.73 | +11.91 | ||||
| Liberal | Rani Mangat | 3,624 | 24.03 | −8.51 | ||||
| Green | Dan Kashagama | 488 | 3.24 | −1.20 | ||||
| Total | 15,077 | 100.00 | ||||||
| 2005 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| New Democratic | Sue Hammell | 10,836 | 60.82 | +24.51 | ||||
| Liberal | Brenda Locke | 5,619 | 31.54 | −17.41 | ||||
| Green | Sebastian Sajda | 791 | 4.44 | – | ||||
| Marijuana | Amanda Boggan | 225 | 1.26 | −2.39 | ||||
| Emerged Democracy | Rob Norberg | 151 | 0.85 | – | ||||
| Democratic Reform | Ravi Chand | 142 | 0.80 | – | ||||
| Communist | Harjit Singh Daudharia | 52 | 0.29 | +0.38 | ||||
| Total | 17,816 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Brenda Locke | 7,539 | 48.95% | +15.16% | $46,658 | |
| NDP | Sue Hammell | 5,592 | 36.31% | -13.80% | $37,237 | |
| Unity | C. Lewis Robinson | 1,067 | 6.93% | n/a | $7,196 | |
| Marijuana | Dennis Kalsi | 561 | 3.65% | n/a | $394 | |
| Reform | Jim Paterson | 538 | 3.49% | -2.28% | $3,277 | |
| Communist | Harjit Singh Daudharia | 103 | 0.67% | +0.37% | $332 | |
| Total valid votes | 15,400 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.98% | ||||
| Turnout | 15,551 | 66.77% | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NDP | Sue Hammell | 10,278 | 50.11% | +3.95% | $36,931 | |
| Liberal | Bill Phelps | 6,930 | 33.79% | +0.47% | $39,334 | |
| Reform | Dominic Darmanin | 1,183 | 5.77% | n/a | $7,188 | |
| Progressive Democrat | Gerard Baisch | 1,150 | 5.61% | n/a | ||
| Family Coalition | Gerhard Herwig | 255 | 1.24% | n/a | $2,120 | |
| Green | Romeo De La Pena | 228 | 1.11% | +0.64% | $865 | |
| Progressive Conservative | Cliff Blair | 179 | 0.87% | n/a | ||
| Social Credit | Victoria Kedzierski | 114 | 0.56% | -19.29% | $1,048 | |
| Independent | Don Knight | 101 | 0.49% | n/a | $1,245 | |
| Communist | George Gidora | 62 | 0.30% | n/a | $503 | |
| Natural Law | Ross Ranger | 32 | 0.16% | n/a | $110 | |
| Total valid votes | 20,512 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 254 | 1.22% | ||||
| Turnout | 20,766 | 69.40% | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NDP | Sue Hammell | 8,708 | 46.16% | n/a | $32,800 | |
| Liberal | Archibald McMurchy | 6,324 | 33.52% | n/a | $4,777 | |
| Social Credit | Russ Burtnick | 3,744 | 19.85% | n/a | $35,747 | |
| Green | Gjhrard Baisch | 89 | 0.47% | n/a | ||
| Total valid votes | 18,865 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 512 | 2.64% | ||||
| Turnout | 19,377 | 72.04% | ||||
Cabinet positions edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "40th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 11, 2017: Sue Hammell". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Diakiw, Kevin (January 5, 2017). "Sue Hammell takes a bow". Surrey Leader.
- ^ "Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991-1996" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ a b "Glen Clark Cabinet: 35th Parliament (5th Session) 1996; 36th Parliament (1st - 3rd Session) 1996 - 1999" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Defiant Clark says he won't resign". CBC News. July 20, 1999. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Dosanjh Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd - 5th Session) 2000 - 2001" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "New B.C. cabinet". CBC News. February 29, 2000. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c "MLA: Sue Hammell". Member Biography. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
- ^ "NDP make gains across Lower Mainland". CBC News. May 18, 2005. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Surrey-Green Timbers". CBC News. May 13, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ Shaw, Rob (January 4, 2017). "Veteran Surrey MLA Sue Hammell to retire from provincial politics". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ Mackin, Bob (November 6, 2017). "Horgan's rise to power turns another '90s NDP minister into a lobbyist". The Breaker. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Advanced Registry Search Results". Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists, British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ Succeeded January 26, 2004 as Minister of State for Immigration and Multicultural Services
- ^ Re-styled Municipal Affairs and Housing
External links edit
- 40th Parliament MLA Biography, Retrieved January 5, 2017